As Memorial Day wound down on Monday, sports fans were treated to the beginning of the NHL Stanley Cup Final between the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Nashville Predators.

Roughly seven minutes into that series-opening game, Nashville’s superstar defenseman P.K. Subban scored the first goal of the game, which also happened to be the Predators’ first goal in Stanley Cup Final history. It was a massive occasion that was immediately hampered by a review to determine if the play began offside.

The review had to go frame-by-frame to decide that the play was, in fact, offside. The goal was waved off, Pittsburgh took a 3-0 lead after the first period and endured a Nashville onslaught to win the game.

It was a controversial ruling, but it also reminded viewers that everyone participating in an athletic event is human. The athletes are prone to making mistakes, and sometimes the officials don’t catch said mistakes.

It happens. It will continue to happen. There will be questionable foul calls throughout the NBA Finals between Cleveland and Golden State.

Beaufort County will be home to many sporting events this summer. Athletes competing will range from children to varsity-level studs.

They’re all far from the professional-level talent seen on television. They’ll make mistakes, too — oftentimes more so. It’s a part of learning the game and growing as young boys and girls. As long as the effort is there, friends, family, coaches and others should respect an athlete’s willingness to strive to become better.

The same goes for officials at the youth and high-school levels. If referees in professional sports make mistakes, so will those overseeing all-star softball and American Legion baseball games. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment, but athletes, coaches and spectators should do their best not to jump on an official for making a questionable call.

Summer is fun. It’s a time when local baseball and softball players get to fine-tune their game in a low-pressure setting. Let’s make sure it’s enjoyable for everyone involved.