From a Newton Volunteer

[AllenGregoryIV]

Originally Posted by robobandmom

I do not know the circumstances behind this mentor/coach's actions, but unless he was fearful for someone's safety, (which didn't appear to be the case,) shouting and banging on the driver's station glass should get you removed from the event, and maybe even from FIRST all together.

Again if it was a dead ball or a unlit pedestal it seems pretty reasonable. Again no reason to curse or be disrespectful but unless I have some other way of telling the head ref that we need a new cycle banging on the glass and shouting was the only real option this year. Refs have even said to do that at driver's meetings during the season. I'm not defending this action because I don't know the details but again things may seem a lot different from the stands then they do on the field. The volunteers are doing their best but sometimes they need a little help to get a faster cycle, it's often not meant to be mean. I have a lot of friends that ref this game and it's incredibly hard, if I was a ref, I would want to teams to help me get them the most efficient matches we could, that includes banging on the polycarb and shouting if it is needed.

I'm a VEX ref and I have students and mentors yell at me to count pinning and other things, sometimes they are right and I'm thankful because the other option is I miss a call which I never want to do. Sometimes they are wrong and I politely tell them that's it's not pinning. Rarely do they ever say anything offensive.