For the last two seasons of basketball at my son's school, I've watched this gentleman run back-and-forth while relentlessly trying to keep pace with the unwavering energy of middle school boys. Little pay, evening hours and most importantly an onslaught of unhappy customers makes officiating a job that I had to know more about.

 Listen as this Pesotum-adjacent lifer talks about his own sports history from the beginning. He even includes present day full-circle moments with his children's athletic endeavors. He is my husband's cousin who I never got to truly know until this delightful sit down. We dive into his side hustle as an IHSA referee, diffusing situations on the court, in the stands and on the bench and how he keeps his cool. Chaotic, overstimulating and high-stakes, how does he keep all of the pressure from boiling over? Good, respected refs are in high demand and it's no wonder why. Officiating isn't exactly a glamorized position. Whether umping baseball or tossing flags on the football field, you are often the punching bag during losses and simply background noise during wins. Not a lot of thanks for the ones that truly allow us to play ball. 

Emily Harrington, here! Mom, wife, retired communications liaison and host of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast. Each week I bring you a pod where townies and transplants share their tales of tears and triumphs, losses and wins. In an effort to provide a way for those that don’t want a public podcast, but still have a story to tell friends and family, I’ve created, In Retrospect: A HyperLocal(s) Project, a private podcast. Visit hyperlocalscu.com/in-retrospect

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