Referees pen letter applauding sportsmanship of Tomahawk, Medford football programs

By Jalen Maki

Tomahawk Leader Editor

TOMAHAWK – The referees of Tomahawk High School (THS)’s Homecoming game against Medford earlier this month praised the sportsmanship of the student-athletes, coaches, fans and others involved in the matchup.

In a letter to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA), the Great Northern Conference and the Tomahawk and Medford school districts following the Friday, Oct. 4 game at Hatchet Field, the referee crew of Shawn Umland, Jacob Herbst, Kevin Kirby, Randy Quade and Tom Meyers gave a shoutout to both schools’ football programs.

“First, our crew would like to applaud the excellent communication with and treatment of officials by Ryan Flynn, (Tomahawk) Activities Director,” the letter stated. “The pregame communication, pre-game emergency plan, welcome and escorts, and hospitality during and after the game were impeccable.”

The letter also commended the coaches and players from both squads for their “outstanding leadership and positive sportsmanship.”

“Though a hard-hitting contest, each team exhibited respect as they encouraged members of their own and opposing teams,” the letter said. “The players helped each other off the turf, handed the ball to the umpire to keep the flow of the game and communicated well with officials.”

The refs noted that players and captains “asked great questions and were appreciative of the answers.”

“Plus, it's nice to officiate a game where questionable language isn't used,” they added.

The coaching staffs and sidelines from Tomahawk and Medford were “organized and positive,” the letter said, noting that the coaches’ words were “constructive and motivating.”

“It's easy to see the actions of the coaches are well-accepted and appreciated by the players, parents and fans,” the letter said. “When describing the sidelines, the wing officials summed it up with one word: ‘Class.’”

The referee crew also thanked the ball people, Logan and Blake, for doing a “fantastic job.”

“Third, the crew would like to recognize those that may go unnoticed,” the letter stated. “The chain crew was experienced and professional, the announcer positive, time keeper accurate and the fans optimistic. The fans positively cheered and modeled proper sportsmanship behavior. Our crew members tip their caps regarding the positive sportsmanship displayed by the Tomahawk Hatchets and the Medford Raiders players, coaches and communities. We have experienced outstanding sportsmanship by these two programs in the past and congratulate the Great Northern Conference and their Conference Commissioner, Scott Winch, for encouraging outstanding leadership and positive sportsmanship. We wish both teams continued success in the future, and please stay healthy and happy.”

In a Facebook post, the School District of Tomahawk seconded the sentiments of the referee crew.

“We can all agree that this is truly what high school sports are about, and we cannot be prouder of both schools and communities,” the district said. “Thank you to the officials for their kind words and for helping facilitate a great night for all the students on the gridiron.”