by David M. Johnson
In society there are rules, statutes and regulations that ensure an orderly and well governed direction for day-to-day experiences. To enforce and interpret the law, society has police officials, judges and inspectors who are just some of those employed to make sure those guiding principles are being enforced.
In sports, whether it is little league, middle school, high school, college or the professional ranks, there are those men and women in “stripes” or “blue” - as they are often referred to - who stand behind the plate calling balls and strikes, who whistle fouls on a player defending under the basket, or who watch that football offensive lineman to ensure he is using a legal blocking technique. Umpires and referees are indispensable, otherwise there would be mayhem on the courts and fields they preside over.