02 |
What game stands out the most ? |
04 |
What ’ s the most rewarding part of officiating ? |
It is amazing some of the talent I have seen between AAU and high school games - D ’ Angelo Russell , Cody Zeller , Romeo Langford , Trey Kaufman Renn , Anthony Leal , Trey Galloway , Jackie Harris , Anna DeBeer , Marissa Hornung , Ali Stumler , etc . – not to mention the current and future hall of fame coaches . And there is no better feeling than going out onto the basketball court with the buzz of a packed house and a band jamming ( shout out to Floyd Central and Scottsburg in that regard ). A tournament environment takes that up another level because someone ’ s season will end . With all that said , I would be lying if I didn ’ t say my first state volleyball officiating assignment last year at Worthen Arena at Ball State University ( my undergraduate alma mater ) stands out the most . Working a state final is the dream of almost every official and probably only 1 % realize that dream .
03
What is the hardest part of the job ?
I can ’ t fail to mention there are lot of things to keep up with administratively . There are so many hoops to jump through as you have to pay dues in each state / association / club , pay assignor fees , stay current on ever changing rules that can differ depending on level , stay in shape , attend training meetings , train new officials , assign officials for schools and organizations , utilize multiple apps for game assignments / payments , pass tests , background checks , maintain equipment , etc . But truly the worst part of officiating is that I have basically watched everyone else ’ s kids grow up while missing my own kids ’ events as I typically officiate 7 days a week most of the year . I was officiating a different sport on two separate occasions when I heard both my son and daughter scored their first high school soccer goal . It still hurts a little bit having not been there . Furthermore , being the spouse of an official while raising a family is not easy , props to my wife for the continued support .
Officiating is a calling and you are part of a fraternity . By being an official , you are allowing a sport to happen and helping move it forward . There is a saying , “ without officials , it ’ s just recess !”. If you want to stay in the game , you have to play , coach , work the scorer ’ s table / broadcast / athletic director , or officiate . There are times when you are working with officials you have known for 15 years and times when you work with officials you have never worked a game . Either way , there are procedures in place that allow the ref team to work seamlessly together . To come together and adjudicate a big game well , is extremely rewarding . I think a lot of fans can tell when officials care and sincere compliments are appreciated and go a long way . In fact , probably the best compliment I can hear is when I am talking to someone about a contest 2 weeks ago and they didn ’ t remember I was one of the officials . It is rarely good as an official when you standout , our goal is to fly below the radar , the athletes are the show !
05
What is the biggest misconception ?
Here are three : 1 ) we are everyday people who typically live in the community where we attend church , volunteer , raise families , pay taxes and could be your accountant , plumber , and / or neighbor . 2 ) this is an avocation for 99 % of officials and we are compensated but not enriched financially by officiating-we are compensated because we are licensed and often the only ones in the gym who don ’ t care who wins ; and 3 ) the rules are different between high school , college and pro and just because it was not a travel or goaltend on tv the night before doesn ’ t mean a similar play should not be at the high school level . Additionally , we only call what we see and the fan may have a better view of a play up in the stands , but unfortunately , we are required to be on the court and we do make mistakes .
NEW OFFICIALS-WE NEEED OFFICIALS IN EVERY SPORT , IF INTERESTED , PLEASE PUT YOUR TOE IN THE WATER .
Every year the officials get a year older but the athletes stay the same age ! Officiating is not for everyone but if you think it is for you - pick a sport you are familiar with , start at low levels , when you do games that aren ’ t fun-learn from it and put it in the past , and find a mentor to help bring you along . I have never refused helping someone learn the craft or get games . You can reach out to the IHSAA ( they are currently paying first year licensing dues for new officials ), an official ,
Ref Junkies Academy Louisville , or South Central Officials Assoc . I would also like to mention many universities offer an officiating class for credit and the students officiate intramural sporting events on campus for pay . Additionally , I would like to give a shout out to Floyd Central and East Washington High Schools for successfully hosting an IH- SAA-sponsored class for students to learn how to officiate . The officials they have produced are really professional and well educated on rules . As much as I have tried , I will never put more into officiating than I have gotten from it . It has truly been a blessing in my life .
MAR / APR 24 NEWS AND TRIBUNE SPORTS MAGAZINE PAGE NO . 19