Brenden Black picked up a whistle in college officiating intramural sports at NC State — and never put it down. Now six years into his high school career working basketball and football, Brenden shares what that journey actually looked like: from campus rec games to varsity sidelines, and everything that humbled him along the way.

This episode gets honest about one of the bigger problems facing high school officiating — why young people aren't joining, and why the ones who do often don't stick around. Brenden talks about the crew dynamic between younger and veteran officials, what makes it work when it does, and what gets in the way when it doesn't.

If you've ever wondered why the officiating shortage keeps getting worse, this conversation is a good place to start.

What do high school officials really need from leadership?

In this episode of The High School Ref Show, we sit down with Steve Schwartz to talk about expectations for the next commissioner of the NCHSAA and what this transition means for officials across North Carolina.

This conversation goes beyond the headlines and into the real experiences of officials — what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change moving forward.

We discuss:
- What officials are looking for in new leadership
- The current challenges facing high school officiating
- The importance of communication and support
- What it will take to improve retention and recruitment
- How the next commissioner can impact the future of officiating in North Carolina

This is the kind of conversation happening among officials behind the scenes — and we’re bringing it out into the open.

If you’re an official, assigner, coach, or administrator, this episode gives you a perspective you won’t hear anywhere else.

Some games mean more than just the final score.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Scott Graham to share the story of a truly unforgettable assignment — officiating a game played on a court dedicated to his father, Danny Graham, a longtime high school girls basketball coach at Lumberton High School who passed away last year.

This episode goes beyond officiating — it’s about carrying on a legacy and finding purpose in the moments that matter most.

Flag Football is sweeping the nation as high schools and colleges add varsity teams. On this week's episode, DJ Doss joins the show to talk about flag football officiating, the high school landscape in Georgia, and his 10+ years of officiating at many levels.

The interview with Randy Lockhart on the High School Ref Show covers his 46 years of basketball officiating experience, the challenges of balancing officiating with a full-time job, and the evolution of officiating rules and practices over the years. The conversation covers the differences between IAABO and NFHS officiating, the training and support provided to officials, the pay structure, the challenges of aging in officiating, and the recruitment of younger officials. Randy Lockhart emphasizes the importance of staying in shape, knowing the rules, and evolving with the times. He also highlights the need for good assigners and the positive aspects of officiating.

Scott Flickinger joins the show on Episode 2 to discuss his 25+ years as a high school basketball official and his career developing student intramural sports officials at multiple campus recreation departments in the Northeast.

The conversation includes the following topics:

* Intramural sports
* NIRSA Regional and National Championships
* Link between intramural officials and high school officiating
* Current high school basketball officiating landscape in New York

On Episode 1, the conversation with Steve Schwartz shares stories about his 37-year officiating journey and tells us why so many basketball officials chose to attend his local clinics. As the most vocal spokesman for high school officials in the state, Steve discusses the current frustrations with the relationship between officials and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Takeaways:

• Importance of relationships in officiating
• Keys to success in leading local officiating clinics
• Challenges in the current landscape high school officiating
• Impact that speaking up can have on the future of high school officiating

Links:
The results and recommendations from the 2022 survey of North Carolina high school officials can be found here.

What’s it really like to be a high school referee?

The High School Ref Show is a podcast and YouTube show dedicated to sharing the real experiences of high school officials — the good games, the tough nights, and everything that happens before and after the whistle.

This show brings locker-room and post-game conversations into the open. We talk through real situations, rule applications, game management, and the challenges officials face on and off the court or field. You’ll hear from officials across the country with different levels of experience, working in different environments, sharing what they’ve learned along the way.

We also advocate for officials by talking honestly about issues impacting high school officiating today — including pay, game security, administrative support, and retention — all with the goal of helping officials feel more prepared, more confident, and more supported.

Whether you’re a new official, a veteran ref, or just curious about how officiating really works, this show gives you the game from our side of the whistle.

New episodes drop regularly.
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