Last season, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association had a campaign that emphasized creating positive memories for all those involved in high-school athletics. It focused on sportsmanship from athletes, as well as proper conduct from coaches and fans.

The end of the public-service advertisement, which could be heard frequently on the radio, said, “… Mr. Official, are we in this together?”

Criticizing a referee is rarely appropriate. They take time out of their evenings to enforce fair play for all competitors. They’re not exactly handsomely paid. And, despite what upset parents may have to say, they don’t have a vendetta against the home team.

There have been recent games in which officiating has been suspect, though. There have been instances in which 50-50 calls were made at a pivotal time in the game. Referees are on the field to enforce the rules, but the yellow flags tucked into their pockets should have a bearing on the game’s outcome.

Then there’s an issue of consistency. If a certain infraction isn’t being called during the first half of a game, players come out of the locker rooms for the second half prepared to play a certain kind of football. Borderline holding penalties can’t be ignored for the first 60 yards of a drive then be enforced when a team is within reach of scoring a touchdown.

Finally, there’s a concern about respect. Just like fans, players and coaches are expected to respect a referee, the officials are expected to reciprocate. A coach asking for an explanation is just that. They’re deserving of clarification, and an official should be willing to provide it.

Making high-school athletics a positive experience requires cooperation from all involved. That includes officials being fair and respectful of those who they’re working alongside. The best referee in any sporting event is one who’s hardly noticed. Let the athletes and coaches get out and exhibit the hard work they’ve put in.