Youth leagues don’t run out of kids. They run out of refs, because grown-ups yell them off the field.

The shortage is never children wanting to play. It is adults willing to stand in the middle of other adults’ feelings for two hours, and that supply gets destroyed one touchline tirade at a time. Each person who walks away takes a fixture with them, which is why seasons get shortened.

If you are old enough, consider doing a few games yourself, since leagues will take almost anyone who turns up. If you are in the stands, be the one who says nothing when the call goes against you. Either way you are adding to the supply rather than spending it.