By Becky Walz,
Ayden, Chris and Casey Hoffert (l-r) made it a family affair as three generations of officials of the Waverly-Shell Rock and Hudson Achieve Scrimmage in November. (Photo courtesy of Hudson Pirate Girls Basketball Facebook Page)
“Where’s the whistle?” shouts one fan while another adds “Travel!” or “Foul!”
Everyone is an official/referee from the stands, but fewer are stepping up to do it on the court because of the heckling and rude comments resulting in a shortage not just in Iowa, but around the country.
Making memories
Three generations of the Hoffert family were among the few to not only take on the challenge but were on the basketball court officiating together at the Achieve Scrimmage between Waverly-Shell Rock and Hudson in November.
It’s been 42 years since South Winn grad Chris Hoffert officiated his first game, back in December 1981, between Turkey Valley and Fredericksburg, after his football coach, Don Calvert, challenged his team members to find a way to give back to athletics after their high school careers.
Chris’ son, Casey, followed him into officiating in 2010, and his grandson, Ayden, a senior at Waverly-Shell Rock, joined the fold this season.
“It was the greatest feeling in the world. I was blessed to share the same court with both my son and grandson. It was, however, apparent that I was the slowest moving one on the court, and they let me know it,” said Chris about the event. “It was a very humbling honor to witness two great young men follow in the footsteps of the ‘old guy’.”
However, this wasn’t the first time Chris had been on the hardwood with son Casey, because the two have had the opportunity to work multiple state tournaments together. But, Casey, a 2001 graduate of MFL MarMac, noted it may be the only officiating memory that could ever top those.
“Just knowing that it was something very few people will ever experience made this special,” said Casey. “To be in a situation where my father has taken good enough care of himself that he can still get up and down the court, maybe a little slower than before, and to have a son who has any interest in officiating at his age, made for an alignment in the stars type of situation, and I’m just grateful that we will all have that memory.”
In fact, Casey was the one who put the plan into action after Waverly-Shell Rock athletic director Greg Bodensteiner reached out to him to officiate the Achieve Scrimmage.
“He knew that Ayden was getting into officiating, and he thought it would be a great game for him to get some experience for the upcoming season. After that, I thought it would be cool if my dad could join us and make it a full family affair. Greg was all for it, so we made it happen,” added Casey who became an official as a way to stay involved with the game after leaving coaching 14 years ago.
Ayden, who decided to forgo playing basketball this season and blow the whistle instead, was nervous about the Achieve Scrimmage, but he noted being on the court with his father and grandfather made it a lot easier.
“I learned a lot. I liked being able to shadow or have one of them shadow and help me in real time,” said the multi-sport athlete, who has been officiating junior high and junior varsity games this season.
All about the game
They all agree that basketball is the hardest sport to officiate with the speed of the game, proximity to fans and the need for split-second decisions.
As for the fans yelling?
“At times I have offered to pay a fan $8 and stand behind them and criticize their job performance for an hour. To this day I haven’t had anyone take me up on the offer,” joked Chris.
“Over the years you become somewhat deaf to them. The next game I have a perfect outing will be my first. Officials make mistakes, and that is inevitable. The sooner you accept that as an official, the easier it is to ignore the outside noise,” said Casey. “I do believe each sport presents its own unique challenges when it comes to officiating though.”
Casey also noted that it is harder to watch Ayden officiate than it was his dad, because fans can be ruthless and generally unaware of the nuances of the rule book.
“I knew my dad could handle it, but I get nervous about how a 17-year-old kid will. So far, Ayden has done a great job dealing with players, coaches and fans,” said Casey.
Ayden, who thought officiating would be a good way to make some gas money, said the fans have been good and expressed to him how happy they are at seeing him try the officiating gig.
Lack of officials
According to Chris there are several reasons he sees for the smaller number of officials – scheduling, compensation and fans.
“We need to leave early from work and travel to be at an event in a timely manner. In addition, we spend anywhere from four to seven hours each night, away from home … and the treatment night in and night out,” said Chris. “I personally challenge anyone who is interested to contact me. Otherwise, allow these stewards of your sports perform their duties. Without these good Samaritans of youth sports, our kids do not have the opportunity to display their talents. Please remember that this is not their full-time job, just an opportunity to give back to the sports and communities of which they are proud to be part of.”
With the number of officials continuing to dwindle, the need is there for individuals to step up.
Interested individuals as young as a freshman in high school can obtain a student license to officiate middle school activities. Simply follow the guide on both the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) or the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) websites for the step-by-step procedure, pay a registration fee, attend a rules meeting, attend an officials clinic and pass an open-book rules exam.
Submit A Comment
Fill out the form to submit a comment. All comments require approval by our staff before it is displayed on the website.
Great article about a great family. I’ve reffed with both Chris and Casey and they do a great job. Chris mentored me as I was earning my stripes as a young official. He understands the rules, knows how to deal with coaches and explains situations to inexperienced officials very well that helps them develop their skills. He’s been a great mentor for me and if anyone is thinking about getting into officiating basketball or football, I’d recommend giving Chris a call. He has a lot great information that he’s willing to share with you. The most important being to have fun and smile some when you’re out there. 😁