Why Are We High School Officials?

0:05 [music] On Friday nights, the spotlight shines on the players.

0:10 But behind every [music] snap, every whistle,

0:13 every moment is a crew built on trust.

0:15 These officials don't just make calls.

0:18 They make decisions under pressure.

0:20 Each role matters.

0:21 Each voice counts.

0:22 Because when the game is at the biggest, getting it right [music] matters most.

0:27 This is teamwork.

0:28 This is responsibility.

0:29 This is officiating on the big stage.

0:32 This is why we do it.

0:35 I got into officiating [music] uh 15 years ago.

0:38 Uh I had a a change in jobs and a good

0:42 friend of mine that I was working for which was Mark

0:45 Hopper and he knew I was uh you know really loved

0:48 the game of football and got me interested [music] in officiating.

0:56 Honestly, officiating.

0:57 I I've done that ever since I quit playing high school football.

1:01 So, I've officiated Indiana and Illinois high school football for 38 years.

1:05 I love about officiating.

1:06 I just love being around the kids.

1:08 Um and then also probably my favorite part

1:10 is [music] riding with the crew there and back.

1:13 It's just a great time to be with friends and you know

1:15 my all my boys play football so [music] um it's just a passion.

1:22 You suck man.

1:24 What I love about officiating is just [music]

1:26 being part of the process when you have the big games and you have to get

1:30 the call right and I like that challenge within myself.

1:34 These guys are great friends.

1:35 So, and I just love being part of the game and being [music] around the kids.

1:39 Kids keep me young off the field.

1:45 I work for the Vgo County Sheriff's Department.

1:47 I'm [music] in their building security division.

1:49 Been married for 30 be 35 years.

1:52 got a brand new uh grandchild.

1:54 It's the best thing in the world, you [music] know, to to be a grandfather.

1:58 So, uh what I do on my off time, I like to fish.

2:03 I play golf.

2:04 I am married.

2:05 Um I have kids.

2:06 I have grandkids that I like to enjoy.

2:08 [music] And I have boys that were in sports.

2:11 So, a lot of our times in [music] life,

2:13 we're at a football field or basketball field.

2:16 Um I worked at a public library in Teraho.

2:19 And then about 2 [music] years ago,

2:20 I decided to kind of venture off into a new career being a police officer.

2:25 And that has been really rewarding [music] for me.

2:29 Um, being able to help, that is usually my goal.

2:32 I want to help someone else off the field.

2:34 I work for Boston Scientific.

2:36 So, I work in the cardiovascular space.

2:38 So, I implant [music] uh cardiovascular

2:41 uh defibrillators and pacemakers in in patients.

2:44 married to a beautiful wife, [music] have five beautiful kids,

2:48 one grandbaby, and hopefully many more to come.

2:50 Been with the Teraho Fire Department for 33 and 1/2 years.

2:54 I'm sort of on my retirement [music] uh phase.

2:57 I've I've got two 2 and 1/2 years left.

3:00 I'm dating a a great girl.

3:01 She's a professor at ISU named Jennifer.

3:03 You know, my one and only, you know, true love is my son.

3:06 You know, he's a junior at Purdue right now.

3:08 [music]

3:12 You know why I'm here?

3:13 Well, I mean, I hope

3:15 Yeah, you're going to be working next weekend.

3:16 Yes, sir.

3:16 I appreciate that under your hat till after game.

3:18 Let you guys know after game, but uh nice and tight today.

3:22 Yes, sir.

3:23 You know, I'll do what you do.

3:24 Yes, sir.

3:24 All right.

3:25 Have fun.

3:25 I promise you.

3:26 No pressure.

3:27 No pressure.

3:27 Yes, sir.

3:27 All right.

3:28 Congratulations, man.

3:29 I appreciate it.

3:30 I'm glad you stuck with it.

3:31 I know.

3:31 I appreciate it.

3:32 A couple years ago, [laughter] I really appreciate it.

3:35 All right.

3:36 Do your job.

3:36 Yes, sir.

3:37 We got you.

3:37 Have fun.

3:38 Thank you.

3:38 To me, it was the most exciting thing.

3:40 I mean obviously for [music] 15 years I started this 15 years ago and you know

3:45 when we first started this you know people

3:47 were [music] like telling us well you know

3:48 you probably don't fit the mold that'll make it to the state you know we kept

3:52 pushing oursel and pushing and pushing appreciate [music]

3:55 you know the IHSA and and uh Mr.

3:58 Falens obviously Mr.

4:00 Niding uh [music] Mr.

4:02 Lewis.

4:02 Uh, what the Indianapolis Colts do.

4:04 I mean, for the I should say, I mean, it's just phenomenal.

4:07 To be selected was fantastic.

4:09 It was a great honor.

4:11 Um, I appreciate, you know, the coaches.

4:13 I appreciate the commissioners.

4:15 I appreciate, um, everybody at the IHSAA,

4:18 you know, for giving us this opportunity.

4:20 Um, like I said, I've been officiating 38 years.

4:23 I've been on multiple crews,

4:25 and this was my first opportunity to do a state championship.

4:27 So, as being a new um high school state official for the first time,

4:32 [music] it was knowing the grind and the process

4:36 as a group that we had to go through.

4:40 Um I appreciate the time that I had

4:42 and it it makes it it's very emotional because you

4:47 have been considered one of the best in your state

4:52 that no one can ever take away from you.

4:54 we kind of we had an idea that we

4:56 were eligible um cuz we had been kind of knocking

5:00 on the door in years past [music] and so

5:03 this year we were doing the uh semi-state and [music] Mr.

5:06 Falcons.

5:06 Uh he huddled us up after the game, got us all in a big huddle, had a group hug.

5:11 He said, "Congratulations, guys.

5:13 You're going on." So, it was exciting.

5:15 It just That's what you That's why you do it, you know.

5:17 So, it meant a lot.

5:19 Yeah, baby.

5:19 That's what I'm talking about.

5:22 [music] [music] My man ready for it.

5:31 Yeah.

5:31 It's been a long time coming.

5:32 We're ready for what?

5:34 [music] 14 years.

5:35 15 15 15 years since we started this.

5:38 And listen, [music] we want to enjoy it,

5:40 but at the same time, there's a fine line.

5:42 We don't want to be remembered either.

5:44 So, it's just another game though.

5:47 It's just it's just another game.

5:49 Just another game.

5:50 I compare it to the Super Bowl.

5:52 You know, it's every player wants to play in the Super Bowl.

5:55 [music] Every official that does it at this level wants that Super Bowl game.

5:59 We want to be a part of that game, that part of that [music] experience.

6:01 And it comes with that pressure.

6:03 That's what you That's why you do it, you know.

6:04 So, it meant a lot.

6:06 So, I'm not going to talk to them.

6:07 We're not going to do any of that stuff.

6:09 All [music] I'm going to do is just announce it.

6:10 I'm going to announce it who who won the toss,

6:13 who's receiving, [music] and that's it.

6:15 We're going to and we're going to get it on.

6:17 So, you say congratulations for being here.

6:20 Take away from me.

6:21 That atmosphere at Lucas Oil Stadium was amazing.

6:23 I mean, [music] you know, both teams had tons of fans.

6:26 Um, we we got to watch the game prior to it.

6:29 Atmosphere in that game was great.

6:30 Anthony, come here.

6:31 Talk to me from here.

6:33 [laughter] We still got five.

6:40 [music] A fantastic game where it went down to the very last play,

6:45 edge of your seat type of atmosphere the entire game.

6:48 So, couldn't have had couldn't have got chosen [music] for a better

6:51 game and uh couldn't have been happier doing a state championship in 2025.

7:02 What makes this uh group special [music] is trust me they are a different breed.

7:06 I mean honestly you know they every one of them is

7:09 is different [music] and you know uh they clown a lot.

7:13 I mean I'm going to be truthful they clown

7:15 a lot but when when [music] it's time for game

7:17 time [singing] I mean it they're straight business

7:19 and you know that's what I love about these guys.

7:22 This group is pretty special.

7:24 Um we [music] all come from different backgrounds.

7:26 Um, we all do different jobs, but we're all same.

7:31 We're all human.

7:31 [music] We all love the game.

7:34 We're all passionate about what we do.

7:36 We all try to get better [music] each and every day.

7:39 And it's just it's just a brotherhood.

7:42 Like, these are my brothers.

7:44 And, you know, like I've said,

7:46 I just wouldn't have [music] wanted to go with any other crew.

7:49 I've never worked with another crew.

7:51 This is the only crew I've ever been on.

7:53 And I can clearly say if this crew ever breaks up,

7:57 I will never be on another crew.

7:59 Doing the big games and and [music] getting

8:01 the respect of the ads and the coaches saying,

8:03 "Hey, we want you on this game." Um, that was earned, you know,

8:06 and it was through hard work, you know,

8:08 through breaking down video and and game film [music] and just

8:13 actually doing a good job in games to get invited back.

8:16 It's like uh you know [music] somebody said you it's like

8:20 when you ask the pretty girl to dance at a prom.

8:22 Don't step on her toes so you can dance with her again.

8:25 It's the same thing.

8:26 So we want to get invited back to that game.

8:29 We're a bunch of just [music] goofballs all

8:32 the time until we're out there on the field.

8:34 Um we have a great time, you know, um you know, prior to the game.

8:38 We have a great time throughout the season.

8:40 [music] you know, we enjoy fishing together and hanging out and um you know,

8:45 just uh prior to games, we've been going, you know,

8:48 to back nine and playing golf and um just they're a great bunch of guys.

8:53 We're all about the same age.

8:55 Um we all have a great time.

8:57 We all laugh a lot.

8:58 We all joke a lot, but when we're out on the field,

9:01 I mean, we're all giving it 100%.

9:03 And [music] you know I I not one of us you know doesn't

9:08 just do a do a really good job keep

9:10 the game fair and call the game within the rule sets.

9:15 My final thoughts about uh officiating the [music] state championship.

9:18 I mean it was the best thing I mean honestly

9:22 ever [music] that you know that I've got to experience.

9:24 I was just glad to be able to do it with them other four guys.

9:27 [music]