Soccer almost permanently delayed
Christina
Knowles
As spring rolls around, so
do soccer balls on the soccer field.
But this spring almost
started without any high school soccer in the state of Nebraska. There wasn't a lack of players at
tryouts or stubborn snow covering the field. Rather, the problem was in the other participants running
around during a soccer game: the referees.
In late January, there was a
sense of unrest in the athletic department. Ed Dudley, varsity soccer coach, had gotten word of a
problem arising between the soccer referees and Omaha high school athletic
departments.
"The refs didn't feel like
they were getting paid enough.
Mainly, they wanted a $10 rescheduling fee [from the home team] to
reschedule any game and a higher salary.
This is a problem because there are so many games in the spring that are
cancelled due to weather," said Dudley.
Mr. Jim Miller, athletic
director agrees. "It would cost an
additional $400-$500 or more for Marian to pay rescheduling fees and a higher
officiating salary," said Miller.
As these arguments
continued, "I really thought there might not be a high school soccer
season. Marian would have
scheduled games with schools 
that put together teams and had a season, but there
wouldn't have been a State Championship," said Dudley.
Eventually, a compromise was
reached between the Omaha high school athletic departments and referees. The referees agreed to forgo the $10 rescheduling
fee for a raise in salary.
"It was a win-win situation. Officials got a salary raise and high schools didn't have to
find additional money to fund a soccer program," said Miller.
"I see both sides to the
argument. In the end, the refs
caved in. They [referees] realized
that soccer is for the kids High school soccer season is so important. It would have been really sad for the
seniors if there wasn't a season," said Dudley.
Varsity soccer player senior
Kristine Willrett agrees. "I couldn't imagine not being able to go to State or
have a season. It would have been
devastating," said Willrett.
The refs agreed to a
one-year agreement with each high school's athletic department, which means
that this issue could present itself next spring as well.
"I'm so thankful everything
is resolved. It would have been an
incomplete ending to any senior soccer players' high school career," said
Willrett.