My most embarrassing moment would be forgetting the number of the fouler when reporting and then having to go back and figure it out.

Another guy in our association bent over to tie his shoe once during a time-out. He set the ball down on the floor and when he did, a kid ran out of the stands and took it and ran out of the gym. They never got the ball back. At our end-of-season party, someone presented him with a little "net bag" he could hang on his belt for him to stick the ball in next time he has to tie his shoe during a time-out.

Z

I almost lost a tooth signaling a travel. Helps to spit out the whistle first.

Final regular season game last season: GV game White and Blue are the colors.
Last season was the first one in which the non-calling official notified the coach of a disqualified player.
With less than a minute remaining in the game, my partner calls a foul on a player from WHITE. It is her 5th. He tells me to "let HIM know that's five." Now I wasn't watching his area and had no idea who fouled. Also the point spread had expanded to 8 after being very close all night so I had mostly turned off my brain. Add to that the fact that the coach of Blue is male and White's coach is a female.
Naturally, I head over to BLUE's coach and let HIM know that is five fouls. He says ok and proceeds to take a knee in front of his bench, so I go to the table and tell them to start the 30 seconds. Now the fun starts.

White sends a replacement to the table while I am standing right there. I ask her to wait. Why? I'm thinking that it will be easier to wait until the DQ'd player is replaced BY BLUE and then just get all the subs in at once. So here I am standing in front of the table for an entire 30 seconds with the substitute sitting on the floor right there behind me. The coach of Blue is totally ignoring me and the coach of white is completely exasperated that I won't let her sub in.
It almost got even worse, but I pulled my head out of my *ss just in time. As the 30 second horn went off, I started over to the Blue bench, fully ready to T the head coach of BLUE for failing to replace the DQ'd player in 30 second when I saw BLUE lined up to shoot FTs. I then realized that WHITE fouled out and should be substituting!
I wheeled around and quickly beckoned the sub in.
Those last few seconds just couldn't go by fast enough. I was never so happy to run off the court after a game.
Oh, this game was on our local cable network and I heard about it for weeks from others in the association.

Mine was two years ago...Girls JV-Varsity double header. During the JV game both my partner and I had warned the cheerleaders to step back. In their defense, there wasn't a lot of room. About midway through the third quarter I streaking...ok, running...down the court looking back at the dribbler and defender who are gaining fast. Out of the corner of my eye I notice some movement...but not soon enough. WHAM...I broadside this little cheerleader, who then falls into her squad. Somewho I keep from falling but there are three girls in a heep on the sideline.

You know...come to think about it...we didn't have to warn the varsity cheerleaders.

about 8 years ago, my first varsity game ever!!! had my assignor in the building and of course i was as nervous as i could be...packed house for a district game and i was the referee, so i took the ball out to get ready to toss it...REACHED DOWN TO GET MY WHISTLE, AND ALL I FELT WAS MY HEART IN MY THROAT....FORGOT THE WHISTLE IN THE LOCKER ROOM.. needless to say, if i wasn't loose then i got loose running to the locker room and getting a whistle and running back... So embarassing... never heard the end of it.. i heard comments all night long about i should of left it in the locker room,etc. I'VE NEVER FORGOT IT AGAIN, AND THE EXTRA IN THE POCKET EITHER.. :)

Packed my bag morning of game, still half asleep. When I start changing for the game I realize I have two left shoes. Luckily it was a middle school game (not very fast)but my right foot was hurting big time for a few days.

Was working the plate at a boys baseball game. Somewhere during the second inning I start to feel a breeze where I shouldn't be feeling a breeze. Soon the folks in the stands behind me are chuckling. Still had five innings to go. That day I learned the value of wearing same-colored shorts under your pants, just in case you have a blow out.

That's just too funny! :)

I was told once to bounce the ball to the shooter with "authority"...Only did this a few times. Bounced it to the guy, he wasn't paying attention and neither was I, hit him right in the jimmies. Doubled him over. Now I make sure the shooter is ready and don't put so much "authority" on the ball.

This one is not mine but a partner's.

Go out for captain's meeting girls varsity and my partner is the R.

He forgot to do a fly-check. I notice and try to get eye contact and then start rolling my eyes down and nodding my head toward his crotch, he did not pick up on it and conducted the meeting.

After the captains left he asked, "What was that all about?" I said, "Check your barn door big fella."

Uniform inspection became a major part of pregame after that night.

Ummmm yeah, actually I've had this happen to one of my partners. Basically went the same way, I was trying to tell him with my eyes and he thought he left something out of his pre-game. So when he was finished talking he pointed to me and said "Tanner, you got anything to add?" (with kind of a puzzled look on his face). And I said no, good luck ladies! Once the girls departed back to their warm ups he came to me and said what the hell was that all about. "You might want to close the barn door." We got a good laugh out of it at half time.

Got one for ya!

My son is playing soccer, 10 yrs old, rainy night under the lights, all parents standing around near the sidelines. I am just watching as a Father behind the goal, when the whistle blows to end the half. The ball gets kicked toward the goal I am standing behind. All kids run off to their sideline while the ball comes to a stop about 1/4 of the way toward the goal I am at. Well, me trying to help out by getting the ball back to the official, instead of picking the ball up and throwing it back, (which I will do in the future)try to kick the ball back to the official. (I am NOT a soccer player!) Well, you guessed it, I fell flat on my back! Was even funny to me!

Zipper...
 

Had a little problem with my zipper on my pants one time so everyone had a good chuckle at my expense.

Last year Sr. Girls (varsity girls) Regional playoffs first round (CWOSSAA AAAA Girls for those Canadian refs). After breaking the press a post player has the ball just past half and is standing there dribbling - there is no real pressure on her but she is carrying the ball. I let her get away with a few then blow my whistle to call it - of course at that time she had picked it up.

Coach - "I thought you were going to call the carry there"
Me - "So did I but she picked it up before I could"

My evaluator asked me "How many shades of red is an inadvertent whistle?" - I think the answer is 8.

Why didn't you just stick with your call? Nothing wrong with a slow whistle (in fact, there is a lot right with it).

Z