While watching my daughter's basketball games I met Mike Ellis, a young official. I was impressed with his love of officiating and curious as to what drew him to it. Mike officiates 5 school sports! It takes a special person with unique skill sets and sturdy self-esteem to be a good official. I tried it once. Not for me. Mike wrote the following story about his job:"My name is Mike Ellis. I am currently a student at Bellevue Community College and officiating is my income. People constantly ask me how some one my age (18) can handle coaches and fans in such high stressed games. Well, simple for me: its just a game, I'm out there to have fun and give back to the players and community. Most of the comments I find funny and you can usually see me just laughing with a whistle in my mouth. Sure some comments bug me but its never anything that's going to effect the way I officiate. I'm there for the kids not the parents or fans.
(The lacrosse photo on the right is not of Mike. You can find his lacrosse officiating photo at the Redmond Lacrosse Club site header)
I currently officiate 4, High-school sports - Hockey, Lacrosse, Football, and Basketball - and I'm training for Volleyball. Hockey is the most difficult to officiate mainly because it is on Ice and you have to constantly think about how to get into position without falling. Hockey is also a hard hitting sport with lots of decisions based on the intent of what the players are doing -- sort of like basketball but in basketball the fouls stand out a lot more.
Lacrosse vs. Basketball: Basketball is a split second decision making process. Your whistle is in your mouth. In Lacrosse you have a few seconds....the whistle isn't in your mouth but on your fingers so you can think about the call. Lacrosse is obviously a contact sport. For me basketball is more fun to officiate since there are fewer players and you are closer to them on the court so you can joke around -- unlike lacrosse which is played on a large field similar to a soccer field. Usually only 2 officials work a lacrosse game. So, you have to cover 2X as many players as basketball and in a very big arena.
Lacrosse pays the most of the of the high school sports I officiate -- $40 for Middle School games and $70 for High School games. Sure, I could make officiating a career if I could work at the professional level -- but I could never make it by officiating high school alone. I'm majoring in business so I'm sure I can find something else to do (if I don't make it to the professional level).
Lacrosse pays the most of the of the high school sports I officiate -- $40 for Middle School games and $70 for High School games. Sure, I could make officiating a career if I could work at the professional level -- but I could never make it by officiating high school alone. I'm majoring in business so I'm sure I can find something else to do (if I don't make it to the professional level).
I started officiating Lacrosse and Hockey four years ago (age 14). Finding time is not hard for me as I take college classes from 10:30 - 1:20pm and most games don't start till after 3pm.
The largest shortage of officials is in Lacrosse and Volleyball. (Growth of lacrosse is limited by the availability of officials, coaches, and fields -- not players). If anyone is interested in learning how to officiate lacrosse a visit to www.waloa.info is a good start. Training clinics are being organized and underway right now."
Thank you,
Mike Ellis
425-241-6835
LACROSSE: http://www.waloa.info/
VOLLEYBALL: http://www.gsvo.org/
Basketball, youth & rec woman's : http://www.sowb.org/
And, thank you, Mike, and all the best in your avocation and possible future career!
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