Youngest D-1 Officials

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by stripes

I have a friend who was 24 or 25 when he got his 1st D1 assignement. He is now about 30 and works in 5 D1 leagues and the D-League.

If it's who I think it is, he looks a lot younger than he is.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

Yes, folks that's really Mark.

Juulie - maybe I should have posted my real picture.

[tomegun]

Concerning this discussion, here is the biggest travesty: there are many officials out there who would do a great job, are built like tanks and can run like a deer. But, they will either never get their shot on big TV games or will have filled out by the time they do. The crazy thing about it is I think there is more basketball on the east coast, but younger officials get a better chance on the west coast. Talk about going from 0-100mph, one of my friends went from doing Juco to the Pac-10 because that is how it is. He worked to the point where he got some conference games and had to resign; he is currently in Korea officiating their pro league. I regularly saw those opportunities on the east coast, but it often came down to politics.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by tomegun

he is currently in Korea officiating their pro league.

South, I hope.

[Raymond]

I have a good friend whom I saw for the first time 3 seasons ago reffing a JV girls game at the worst HS girls program in the region. He was 22. 1 1/2 years later he was picked up in 3 NCAA conferences at 24 (a D1, D2, & D3).

Now he's 25 and in 2 D1's and 2 D3's and the NBA-D league. And still ref'n HS games on my board.

[TRef21]

Originally Posted by MOofficial

The reason I was wondering was the fact that I am starting my third year of officiating in the high school level and recently was hired by a NAIA D2 conference at the age of 20. Wondering what a realistic number was for me until I got to that D1 level?

Good for you man. That happened to me. I was entering my 3rd of high school and was hired NCAA D3 and Junior college mens. I was hired when I was 19 then I was 20 by the time the season started. I'm 22 and in my 3rd season of college ball. Good Job bro...

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by btaylor64

Good luck to you MO and keep working hard as I am sure you have been.

Continued good luck to you Ben. Saw your name in a boxscore last week. Good job!!!!

[btaylor64]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Continued good luck to you Ben. Saw your name in a boxscore last week. Good job!!!!

Thanks BNR. I hope all is well. I haven't seen you in about 2 yrs. or has it been 3 already? Anyway let me know how things have been going sometime.

Tomegun is right. There are a lot of young officials out there who are really good but due to certain "things", whatever they may be, they don't get a shot as soon as they should, but surely they should get a shot before too long, there are just so many old guys who seem to be ready to retire and I think it is going to happen in a big bundle, but we'll see and maybe then those young guys will get a shot.

[kgeorge0263]

I believe the IM Coordinator at University of Florida is only 25 or 26 and he has a Division I College Schedule.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/steve-anderson

-KG

Go Gators! NIT this year..

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by kgeorge0263

I believe the IM Coordinator at University of Florida is only 25 or 26 and he has a Division I College Schedule.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees/steve-anderson

-KG

Go Gators! NIT this year..

The poster right above you worked one of those games with Steve Anderson.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by MOfficial

Great Advise. A lot of guys around my area are intimidated to say something to me or talk to me about things because I am so young. I appreciate what you said.

Hi.


Can I offer a suggestion - to see the difference between two words:


advice. Advise is a verb which means to offer a suggestion. Advice is the information given, namely that it's better to be a year late than a year early.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Hi.


Can I offer a suggestion - to see the difference between two words:


advice. Advise is a verb which means to offer a suggestion. Advice is the information given, namely that it's better to be a year late than a year early.

In advanze, thanks for that correction.

[Mark Padgett]

Wellmer must be the youngest because when his pants fall down, you can see he's wearing Pampers.

Oh wait - that might indicate he's the oldest.

[Tim C]

I was 28 when I worked my first major college (there was no name like D-1 in the OLD days) basketball game. We still had jump balls, four-corner offenses and a field goal only counted two points.

I worked my first major college baseball game when I was 20.

Regards,

[socalreff]

Do scrimmages count?
If so I've worked in WNBA, Pac 10 and a few others when I was 28.