The Otago Daily Times understands the issue affects all codes but the candour of those involved in netball is not shared by other sports bodies.
Eighteen-year-old Neleah Manderson has been umpiring in both Alexandra and Wanaka for four years.
Unlike others, Neleah no longer plays netball, solely umpiring.
She was encouraged into umpiring as a player and supported by her coach and the Central Otago Netball Centre (CONC), gained her umpire qualifications.
The Dunstan High School year 13 pupil was no stranger to the abuse from the sidelines.
Courtside parents, older high school pupils and adult players, and coaches had all taken a swipe at her at some stage regarding calls made during games.
When the final whistle blew, players left the court, but the effects of abuse from the sidelines remained long after the game finished, Neleah said.
"It undermines your self-esteem and [you] wonder if it’s something you want to be doing ... it’s quite hard sometimes.
"If you have had a game where you’ve [been abused] it can make you not want to come back."
Umpiring her peer group was another challenge, knowing she would see them the next day.
Yelling at the referee from the sidelines was not a new phenomenon, but Central Otago and Wanaka netball organisers say abuse at a grassroots level is on the rise.
CONC umpire co-ordinator Elaisa Chapman said she understood the impact of abuse, having been involved in netball as a player and umpire for more than 20 years.
She now oversaw the development of umpires at the Central Otago centre.
The issue had spiked the past year and was affecting recruitment and development of umpires.
Last month, in what she called "a first", she cautioned a team to keep its spectators in line or she was going to pull the umpires off the court and stop the game.
"I just don’t understand why people don’t get it — no umpire, no game."
CONC runs an umpire development programme for year 7 and 8 pupils to prepare them to start umpiring games when they reach year 9.
It was often these younger umpires who were on the receiving end of the abuse, Mrs Chapman said.
"It’s just really hard when you’re trying to recruit umpires and many of them are getting abused.
"A lot of people don’t want to [umpire] - it’s that stigma they will get abused; it’s almost preempting it."
The issue was not limited to netball, and Mrs Chapman had stopped refereeing basketball as a result of abuse.
In Wanaka, Netball Upper Clutha umpire co-ordinator Christine Humphries said umpire abuse was "rife" and the organisation had seen a noticeable increase in poor sideline behaviour in the past 18 months.
Covid-19 was initially believed to be a factor last year as people were under pressure, but the behaviour had continued to worsen.
As in Central Otago, junior umpires received the bulk of the abuse in Wanaka, she said.
"When we have parents swearing at umpires — what are we teaching our kids if we are talking like that to children?"
She regularly cautioned spectators at games and those spoken to were aware the next step was to speak to coaches, she said.
If people on the sidelines thought they knew better they should pick up a whistle and step up, Mrs Humphries said.
The Central Otago Hockey Association said it was not aware of umpire and referee abuse being an issue.
An Otago Rugby Football Union representative did not deny it was an issue but was unaware of any spectators having to be removed from sidelines this season.
Football South did not respond to questions.
