Do you remember the first game you officiated?

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by bas2456

Gotcha. Ever do a game at Rolling Meadows High School?

No way. That's way up on the north side. Probably all Cubs fans.

[bas2456]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

No way. That's way up on the north side. Probably all Cubs fans.

Indeed

[Juulie Downs]

Do I remember??

You never forget your first...

Other than the fact that I was completely and totally awful, the funny thing was my 18 month old son. He was sitting right at the division line with my husband. He'd see me run toward him, and light up with glee, and then as I'd run past he'd start to cry. And then we'd go back the other way and do it all again! Poor kid, he'll probably need counselling for life!

[bigdogrunnin]

December 1999. I was coaching girls athletics (Basketball and Track) at the High School in a small central Texas town. Another coach (JV Boys BB) came in and said, "hey the officials did not show up for the JH boys game at the JH and they need us to go officiate the 2 games." Off we went in our coaching shorts and t-shirts with our "thunderer" whistles. I was beyond horrible . . . in fact, horrible was in the stands and kept yelling, "YOU SUCK!"

I called that one time that year, didn't call again until the next season, but I was hooked. That was 10 years and about 2200 games ago.

Can't imagine not doing it now. It becomes a part of you . . .

[zm1283]

June 2007 was the first time I was on the court. It was a clinic/camp for our association, and it was 3-whistle. I was so clueless it's hilarious now. Had a metal whistle with the pea in it with a white lanyard that I tied to the loop on my shirt to make it look like a Smitty lanyard. I don't remember what I called or didn't call, but I'm sure I looked terrible.

First real game was a JH girls game in Septemer of that year. I wasn't much better than in June. I thought I really improved throughout the season though and was leaps and bounds above where I was at the start of the year. Now after my second year it feels like June of 2007 was forever ago.

[JRutledge]

I worked a 5th and 6th grade girls game in September of 1996. I was so bad it was not funny. I could not get my hand up. I just blew my whistle for no real reason. I did not know how to report fouls. It was just awful. But it was a lot of fun and that is why I am here today.

Peace

[Oz Referee]

I sure do. August 1986, just after my 12th birthday. Did a 2 hour referees course with my Dad. He and I did our first game together that week, an Under 19s boys game. One player gave me a bit of a hard time, mainly based on my age (and I was skinny and wore glasses). He picked up two Ts, both from me, got ejected and then copped crap from his team mates and the opposition about being booted by a kid I immediately got a rep as a bit of a hardarse that wouldn't take any rubbish

I know that my old man really loved refereeing with me, at the time I didn't see what the big deal was - but it sure is something I miss now!

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by Juulie Downs

Do I remember??

You never forget your first...

Other than the fact that I was completely and totally awful, the funny thing was my 18 month old son. He was sitting right at the division line with my husband. He'd see me run toward him, and light up with glee, and then as I'd run past he'd start to cry. And then we'd go back the other way and do it all again! Poor kid, he'll probably need counselling for life!

We both had too much to drink that night...............oops wrong thread.

My first patched game was at Bill Murray's old grammar school. 6th grade boys, I was terrible, yet knew how to fake it from watching so many games.

Actually, my first game, many many years earlier was at my grammar school when I was a sophomore in high school. I had no idea what I was doing and got two bucks for the effort. Today, if a school trotted out two unpatched newbies out of uniform, they'd be arrested.

[Scratch85]

Can't remember who or where, but my shirt had a collar, my whistle was metal with a rubber mouth guard and a pea and the only call I made was OOB.

[tomegun]

My partner was late for my very first game. Nothing like doing your first game without a partner! I called the guy who suggested I ref and he came to help me out. Fortunately, he lived close to where I was. Since I lived in Glendale AZ at the time I could have been so far away that I would have just had to suffer through it.