Predator mentality

I've been asked many times why there are abusive officials. And why so many in sports particularly? Why are they like that? Why don't they get a life?

This is my observation.

There is a lot of power in officialdom. And that power comes from parents fears for their children. Under normal circumstances they have no power over us. For the abusive ones are generally little people. But once authority is placed over our children they now have tremendous leverage over us. We can't look after our children all the time so we have to rely on the officials. And they know that. Thats when the drama begins.

So what can we do? For one, we can be more careful in the Associations who we vote to power. Check their backgrounds to see that they have no history of this type of behaviour. And the second is to make sure there are proper regulations and procedures. For once the constitution is respected they cannot abuse that power any more. They will have to follow guidelines. Think on this. Why is it so difficult to set up proper criteria? Why so much resistance and sabotage? (I will write more on my experience in the Perak Association soon). Because once proper procedures are set up they have no more "power". They cant select randomly, they can't exert their "power". So I am supportive of Greg's efforts to lay down the ground rules despite the opposition.

We can help too. For predators need victims. Especially young ones. So I see it as the duty of the grown ups to prepare good ground for them to thrive. We can protest and publicise abuses as I said below. And we can support the proper follow of rules.

Actually, we are also helping these officials stop their abusive behaviour. For without the victims, they will have to grow up, get a life. They only exist when victims exist. So by our inaction we are only encouraging them. In fact we created them from our fears.