We don’t know what happened, but refs shouldn’t take a beating after video | Opinion
Officiating sports is a tough gig. This is especially true at the high school and youth sports level.
After watching a viral clip and other video footage of a Kansas girls high school basketball official sprawled out on the court WWE-style during a recent game between Bonner Springs and Eudora, all I could think about was the negative impact that image could have on the profession.
But after the incident blew up on social media, I was reminded of this phrase, a take of an age-old idiom: One bad apple doesn’t spoil the bunch.
I’ve been a registered basketball official in Missouri since 2008. I have had far more ups than downs, and I am sure many of my fellow officials could say the same.
For that poor guy in Kansas, that was a really bad day at the office. No one really knows what caused the official to react in such a visceral way — he told television station KCTV-5 that he has a medical condition and that he was taking time away from officiating — but the optics weren’t good.
The Kansas State High School Activities Association is investigating the incident.
“The KSHSAA is aware of an incident which occurred in the varsity girls basketball game at Eudora on January 16,” assistant executive director Jeremy Holaday told The Star. “Consistent with policy, the KSHSAA is continuing the review of this event, recognizing safety of all stakeholders is of primary concern.”
Need for more high school referees
As refs, we are trained to avoid any physical contact with players by making our way around them to report fouls. We should never walk toward players or push through them.
From what I saw, that avoidance did not occur in this case, leaving one to question the actions of the official that day. I have watched a few different angles of the encounter and it certainly seems plausible that the official may have gone down on his own. But until the state’s inquiry is done we can’t say for certain that he intentionally flopped to the floor.
KCTV identified the official as Jeff Freeman. He told the station in a statement that he planned to visit his neurologist this week.
“I am visiting my neurologist tomorrow, hopefully, and will have additional information after that,” Freeman wrote Monday. “Ask my fellow officials, coaches, athletic directors, etc., about me. My reputation is stellar. I do not want any additional punishment for that player, coach or school. It was not their fault.”
I don’t make it a habit of bad-mouthing my fellow officials, and I will not do that here. I do not like that the video went viral. I also feel bad for the players involved. The kid who was ejected and the head coach who seemingly tried to deescalate the situation didn’t deserve to have their images posted all over the internet from such a strange encounter.
What I saw instantly gave me pause, though. I feared the footage could further demonize the profession of refereeing. Just by the very nature of what we do, game officials are often on the receiving end of some very nasty verbal abuse. Although we get it from all sides, coaches, parents and other adults in the gym are usually the main culprits. We are often accused of cheating or siding with the other team or routinely told how bad we are at our jobs.
Sometimes, the verbal jousting is unbearable. In fact, a 2023 National Association of Sports Officials survey found most new sports officials leave the profession within three years. Abusive behavior drove more than 70% of inexperienced referees to quit, surveys have shown.
Most of us who officiate at the high school and youth level run up and down the court for the love of the game. Some do it for other reasons, but I can assure you from my experience, one of them isn’t for money. A varsity basketball official is paid between $75 to $105 per game. The pay is even less at the lower levels of competition.
Because there is always a need for more officials, I would encourage our readers in Kansas and Missouri to visit the websites that govern high school sports in both states. Once there, click on the “officials” tab and find the sport you want to officiate. From there, you follow the prompts, pay a fee, take a test, attend a few required meetings and clinics, and you’re ready to hit the ground running as a certified official.
Registering is a relatively simple process. Applying the rules and officiating a game is not.
This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 1:04 PM.
