Friday night lights are back sort of.
Many high school sports games around the country have been cancelled because of COVID-19 cases. But that’s not the only thing putting players on the sidelines.
Las Vegas schools have been cancelling games weekly because of COVID-19, but for the games that still go on, they’re working with fewer officials on the field.
Before the pandemic, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association had around 1,400 officials for all sports in the state. Now the number is down by half.
But the pandemic isn’t the only reason for the referee shortage.
The Southern Nevada Officials Association says bad sportsmanship from parents, players and coaches has contributed to a gradual decline in the number of referees over the last decade.
