First all-female officiating crew

[dammitbobby]

Wanted to give a shout-out to some awesome ladies paving the way for female officials: the first all-female crew to officiate a football game.

https://www.wfaa.com/amp/article/features/all-female-officiating-crew-to-make-history-saturday-at-six-man-all-star-game/287-1a5cc878-fd26-41b1-a299-8565f8ed563a

Currently in a weather delay but they’re hoping to get the game in tonight.





(Note: if you don’t like this, or don’t think they should have been selected, keep scrolling or go find the Facebook posts and troll there. These ladies have worked hard and absolutely deserve this.)

[JasonTX]

They are all motivated in getting the message out about the shortage of officials.  To them the story is not about them being female,  they are just officials.  Some of the media were pushing the diversity angle but they weren't.   Putting 5 women on the field was to get the message out there and hopefully it worked.   We can be honest, putting 5 guys out there wouldn't have even made the local news.  We never want the spotlight to be about officials,  but if we don't do something to motivate people to want to become an official,  then the games will simply not be played anymore.  We have more people at retirement age than we do in their 20's, by a very large margin.

https://video.foxnews.com/v/6264091862001#sp=show-clips

[peterparsons]

Good to see the USA catching up with the rest of the world. 

https://www.bafra.info/news/newsstory.php?ID=21

[JasonTX]

I do have a quote that would give Ralph a chuckle.  During an interview one of the ladies said,   "Let's be honest,  football is big in Texas.  They didn't film Friday Night Lights in Maine."

[Covid 22]

Not trolling, just stating facts.   This was a tool for TASO to show diversity and make themselves look good.   I am happy for the officials that got to do the game. It is something that only a small percentage get to do.   But I have called numerous games with one of the ladies.  She is an energetic, positive, well-meaning, and a very nice person.  She is a level 5 official that is trying to learn the game. 

But as TASO members, lets not try to blow smoke up the proverbial human chimney.   There were hundreds of officials that have been doing this for years that deserved to be honored by giving them this kind of game.   I just think if we are going to be honest upright officials on the field why can't we be that off the field and say it like it is?

Once again, congrats to the officials for being chosen for this game.

[JasonTX]

Free advertisement to showcase that we have a shortage of officials.  We need officials no matter category you are in.  To go viral with the media you have to give them something that they will chew up.  We had a crew of men on Friday for game 1 who represented their chapter and TASO.  Zero media attention.

[Ralph Damren]

I do have a quote that would give Ralph a chuckle.  During an interview one of the ladies said,   "Let's be honest,  football is big in Texas.  They didn't film Friday Night Lights in Maine."

Accolades to women that are joining our ranks. Where girls that played basketball, soccer or softball as youths can handle the transmission into their sports or baseball as women, few probably have played our game. World War II brought many women limelight as "Rosie the Riveter" ;this movement may someday be referred to as "Rosie the Referee".

I wish them the very best. (5-PERSON crew)

[Grant - AR]

Good for them!!!   

It's no secret that we need more good, quality officials all over the country.  I have a feeling that, until recently, most women who were interested in officiating never considered working football.  Hopefully this type of story will create football officiating as an option for many women out there who can help fill the gaps we are seeing. 

[yarnnelg]

We had a Back Judge for years that was female. Cute as a button, but swung from the other side.

We did a Doug Flutie Foundation Game for Autism the Saturday before the Super Bowl at Tampa. All NFL players, current and past. Flutie Quarterbacking one team. We are in the VIP tent waiting to go out. Movie and TV stars in the tent. Nice surroundings....

Sharon leans over and says "These ball players are not much bigger than the High School kids we see each year." "Sharon, if there is a crease and someone breaks, I suggest you play back ten yards further than you normally do. We are on sand ....but these guys will look like they walk on water and sand at the same time. Get ready for speed you never thought you would ever see." First crease on a slant route and Flutie hit the receiver dead stride ....TD, I looked at Sharon .....eyes as big as saucers.  She stayed back the rest of the game. 

[Ralph Damren]

We had a Back Judge for years that was female. Cute as a button, but swung from the other side.

We did a Doug Flutie Foundation Game for Autism the Saturday before the Super Bowl at Tampa. All NFL players, current and past. Flutie Quarterbacking one team. We are in the VIP tent waiting to go out. Movie and TV stars in the tent. Nice surroundings....

Sharon leans over and says "These ball players are not much bigger than the High School kids we see each year." "Sharon, if there is a crease and someone breaks, I suggest you play back ten yards further than you normally do. We are on sand ....but these guys will look like they walk on water and sand at the same time. Get ready for speed you never thought you would ever see." First crease on a slant route and Flutie hit the receiver dead stride ....TD, I looked at Sharon .....eyes as big as saucers.  She stayed back the rest of the game.

I WAS AT THAT GAME  ! We had a condo across the street at 5555 Gulf Blvd. The game was played on the beach behind The Tradewinds on a great day. I recall they had a concession with a sign reading, "Beer $ .5"  . My wife and I ordered two, the vendor asked, " That be ten dollars..". I responded, " The sign says 'Beer fifty cents  " . She looked, and agreed, stated ,"You can't ask the help to do anything right these days  , yours is free and thanks for alerting me." I hope now that I wasn't stiffing Flutie's foundation. Much of Flutie's pro career was in the CFL, however, he had some in the NFL and some of those with the Patriots. It was there that he accomplished something that hadn't been done in 50+ years....who knows what....

                                                           HINT:   

[bama_stripes]

I WAS AT THAT GAME  ! We had a condo across the street at 5555 Gulf Blvd. The game was played on the beach behind The Tradewinds on a great day. I recall they had a concession with a sign reading, "Beer $ .5"  . My wife and I ordered two, the vendor asked, " That be ten dollars..". I responded, " The sign says 'Beer fifty cents  " . She looked, and agreed, stated ,"You can't ask the help to do anything right these days  , yours is free and thanks for alerting me." I hope now that I wasn't stiffing Flutie's foundation. Much of Flutie's pro career was in the CFL, however, he had some in the NFL and some of those with the Patriots. It was there that he accomplished something that hadn't been done in 50+ years....who knows what....

                                                           HINT:   

Drop kick XP?

[Ralph Damren]

Drop kick XP?

You nailed it, 'Bama, just like Flutie did !

The back story was that coach B ,in practice, had told Flutie that he would try to get him in the next game to do something (remember, Brady was still in town) . Flutie then demonstrated his drop-kicking ability by hitting on several 40 yard+ kicks.
Coach B didn't want to risk it on a field goal attempt, but why not on a PAT. It had the announcers confused as they were wondering why the Pats were going for two with their big lead. The BJ was the lone official under the pipes and wasn't confused as quickly...

                                                   

[Pokitren]

They are all motivated in getting the message out about the shortage of officials.  To them the story is not about them being female,  they are just officials.  Some of the media were pushing the diversity angle but they weren't.   Putting 5 women on the field was to get the message out there and hopefully it worked.   We can be honest, putting 5 guys out there wouldn't have even made the local news.  We never want the spotlight to be about officials,  but if we don't do something to motivate people to want to become an official,  then the games will simply not be played anymore.  We have more people at retirement age than we do in their 20's, by a very large margin.

https://video.foxnews.com/v/6264091862001#sp=show-clips

That's for sure. More talk about officials than women. What to do with pensioners is also a question. Even though it's become an asset to humanity in the last 200 years, what to do with the young is the question.

P.S. Hello, everybody!

[Ralph Damren]

That's for sure. More talk about officials than women. What to do with pensioners is also a question. Even though it's become an asset to humanity in the last 200 years, what to do with the young is the question.

P.S. Hello, everybody!

Welcome, Pokitren, to our forum. I hope you find it both enjoyable and informative. IMHO, Title 9 has enabled females over the years to become much more active in sports, not just as players but as coaches and officials. May that trend continue.

[yarnnelg]

I WAS AT THAT GAME  ! We had a condo across the street at 5555 Gulf Blvd. The game was played on the beach behind The Tradewinds on a great day. I recall they had a concession with a sign reading, "Beer $ .5"  . My wife and I ordered two, the vendor asked, " That be ten dollars..". I responded, " The sign says 'Beer fifty cents  " . She looked, and agreed, stated ,"You can't ask the help to do anything right these days  , yours is free and thanks for alerting me." I hope now that I wasn't stiffing Flutie's foundation. Much of Flutie's pro career was in the CFL, however, he had some in the NFL and some of those with the Patriots. It was there that he accomplished something that hadn't been done in 50+ years....who knows what....

That was a fun game to officiate. The crowd was on top of us the entire game. I ran over the TV Camera Crew on my sideline at one time. Flutie came up after a play and whispered...."Act like you are chewing me out! "I whispered back Don't have to  ....you are a lot shorter than I thought!"

Pittsburg Steelers and Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl the following day. Midway through the game ....I hear a female voice say ..."You look cute in those shorts.!" I glanced back and took a step back. She was decked out in Steeler gear. "You are just jealous because it's 8 degrees in Pittsburg right now, and we wear these all year long." She was a good sport ....I then asked "Do you have tickets to the game tomorrow? Want a date?" She fired back, "Let me ask my husband here beside me if I can give you his ticket."