"I always had that mentor, a role model on how to be successful in a male-dominated field," Schroeder said. Holtkamp reffed in the G-League for six years before eventually getting the call-up to the big stage. Ashley Moyer-Gleich (gleash) has officiated 110 regular-season games in four seasons as an NBA staff official. In its . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The other five women officials speak highly and graciously of her and look to her as a mentor as well as a trailblazer for referees. The first category of referees we're going to be looking at is WNBA referees. #24 Scott, #77 Lane, #17 Sterling As the buzzer sounded, the father of one of the boys in the game approached and accosted her over her gender. And 25 of the 63 referees in the G-League are women. To order Were capable and not just capable but like beyond excellent and can do the job just as well as our male counterparts.. Jelks describes people telling her that their daughters tune into NBA games she works and won't even focus on the players; their eyes only on her. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Referees: Katie Lukanich, Darren Krzesnik, Kyle Bacon. Were looking for the best referees, McCutchen said. A record 12 women worked games last season in the NBA, some getting called up from the G League and non-staff levels to help when the leagues officiating roster was decimated by COVID-19. "I said to the guys: 'You can curse! Her currency? (Prior to entering the league, Palmer worked as a referee in NCAA Division I women's basketball.) Floyd Mayweather interested in buying NBA team, Blake Griffin trolled by YouTuber courtside. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Miller making history as female G League GM, Women referees among latest called up to work games, Female officials Q&A Part 1: Path to the NBA, Female officials Q&A Part 2: Womens empowerment, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points, NBA Fantasy: Under-the-radar additions for playoffs, Magic's Isaac (torn adductor) out for rest of season, Triple-double win streak shows Jokic dominance, NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays and strategy for March 3. Palmer recalls all the media hubbub that surrounded her and Kantner when they entered the league; when Holtkamp-Sterling did the same 17 years later, there was hardly so much as a press release -- something Palmer delighted in seeing. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. ESPN was unable to obtain comment from Kantner, 60, for this story. Basketball Referee Salaries for Other Leagues. ncaa home, women, post season history: men, women 2022-23 2021-22 2020-21 2019-20 2018-19 NCAA Women Referee Leaders. They were audible conversations for Palmer and Kantner, and sometimes more. So my predecessors recognized this and put those seeds into the G League. However, her journey was slightly different from some of her female counterparts. First, the sixth-seeded Chicago Sky hosts the seventh-seeded Dallas Wings at 8 p.m. And despite having to transcend this gendered space, the officials recognize that the job of refereeing is not actually gendered work. Sago, 31, and Schroeder, 35, were two of the three people on the officiating crew . Referee, the world's original sports officiating magazine, educates, challenges and inspires officials at all levels. She joined the pros as a full-time ref in 2018 and had a side career as a bartender while climbing her way up the ranks. During one year of Schroeders journey, she worked seven days a week for six months straight. And this is not a skill you can learn overnight.. Danielle Scott and Angelica Suffren officiated an NBA Summer League game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat on Tuesday evening. Within several years, for the 2014-15 season, Holtkamp-Sterling would become the first woman hired as a full-time NBA official in nearly two decades. I love that Im a part of an organization that hires you based on if you can do the job and based on your skills. Referee Position. The NBA feels very strongly that this should be a meritocracy. CHICAGO --Prior to Game 3 of the 2021 WNBA Finals on Friday night, Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi addressed the $2,500 fine she received from the league for making "inappropriate contact . No. She was working a high school AAU tournament one weekend when a bystander approached her with a simple question: Why dont you do this for a living? "We are a very empowered group of women," Jelks said. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. Those whispers Holtkamp-Sterling would hear as she entered the league years later? 4 Sean Wright, Capable of handling some plays in secondary area of coverage. You can e-mail himhere, findhis archive hereandfollow him on Twitter. "In recent years, we have focused on expanding our pipeline of officials to greatly increase the pool of potential hires, and we have seen encouraging results, not only in the NBA but in the WNBA and the G League as well," Adam Silver, who became NBA commissioner in 2014, said to ESPN. Lifelong bonds have been formed within this group. To order copies of "It's almost normal now. Kallio a native of Edmonton, Alberta has seven years of G League experience, five years of WNBA experience and worked the Tokyo Olympics. She also has five years of high school officiating experience in her home state. WNBA. With the second half of the 2021-22 season well underway, shes now starting to develop those relationships as she gets more reps across the league. And that is where the NBA has been busy in recent years. These goals are attainable now in ways they just couldn't have been even a generation prior. "This isn't, 'Let's go out and do social work,'" Monty McCutchen, NBA's vice president of referee development and training, said. Moyer-Gleich tells multiple stories of NBA security staff confusing her for a cheerleader or a referee's wife when she entered the building to officiate games; to varying degrees, her peers have similar experiences. With four more working on a part-time basis and two fill-ins from the NBA G League, the league has a dozen women on call to make calls on any given night. In 1997, Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner became the first women . NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee Guide, Proficient in Referee and Umpire positions, High-level play calling, partnering skills, and tools for handling any game situation, including interpersonal communication, Understands the importance of extending into their secondary area of coverage, with accuracy, Proficient in all Umpire position requirements, Effectively the glue for a crew through consistency, teamwork, and communication - makes partners better by carrying a larger portion of the crews load than an Umpire, Capable of handling some plays in secondary area of coverage, Ability to recognize and appropriately manage shifts in game conditions (intensity, emotions, decorum, style of play etc. Currently, there are six female referees who work NBA games, up from one, Lauren Holtkamp, seven years ago. There's no jealousy here, no bitterness over an "easier" path faced by today's young women. 2 min read. Her husband, Johnee Gleich, is currently an official in the NCAA. She was the first female referee in German professional football. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". WNBA 2020: Points of Education (Part 1) To its credit, the NBA hasn't been satisfied at simply hitting numerical targets for the sake of appearance -- although no one's saying it's been perfect, either. As the NBA continues to normalize the notion of women officials in this male-dominated space, Holtkamp-Sterling is confident the league is moving in the right direction. NEW YORK - NBA G League referees Cheryl Flores, Robert Hussey, Matt Kallio and Dannica Mosher have been promoted to full-time NBA staff officials for the 2022-23 season . In 2014, Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling became the first woman hired as a full-time NBA official in nearly two decades. During the 2021-22 NFL season, the . NEW YORK The WNBA today announced the 15 referees who have earned spots to serve as on-court and/or alternate officials in the WNBA Playoffs 2021 presented by Google. Included aren't just the five women who have achieved full-time NBA status, but also many more working their way up through the G League or WNBA training ranks. Depending on experience and how far into the playoffs they're working, officials can reportedly receive a per game bonus of anywhere between $800 to $5,000. In his words, all the league had to do was hire the best people for the job. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". There won't be a number anymore. Women's College Basketball. Referee - August 12, 2021. A WNBA referee has been slammed by fans after ejecting a player after the pair appeared to accidentally bump into each other. But, its hard for someone whos a player to sit down and read the rule book and understand it because its so its not relatable to how a player understands the game.. Moyer-Gleich played basketball at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. While that was the most overtly negative experience Holtkamp-Sterling recalls from her career, it wasn't the only one. "Being able to see myself in them -- they trailblazed that.". "Those girls get to see me on this platform, working with men in a male-dominated field.". "She did it way before all of us, before the world we live in now that's all accepting," Moyer-Gleich said of Kantner. After all, she could have stayed in women's basketball, where she was one of the top officials in the college world. But now, in 2021-22, the NBA has six female referees on its full-time officiating staff, the most ever. "Like Vice President Harris, she worked her way to the . The league is ahead of its peers here, although progress must be viewed relatively. . But when she made the transition from basketball player to basketball referee, her perspective on those tough moments shifted dramatically. There's simply a desire to make this world, and others like it, more accessible. Players, Teams, Seasons, Leaders , . Select referees by season: . Please logout and login again. They allow the league's scouts to evaluate larger swaths of the population and identify greater cumulative talent. Add onto that insurance, retirement plans and the opportunity to travel the country for free, it's no wonder referees stick around for the long haul. I grew up watching her.". Cheryl Flores and Dannica Mosher have been promoted to the level of full-time staff officials, the NBA said Thursday. The approval of her peers in the officiating world. #NBA #NBAReferees twitter.com/i/web/status/1. "I'm not sure how it was that it remained so male-dominated for so long," said Silver last month. Schroeder explains the disparities within the NCAA when women officials were not being paid the same as the men and how that growing theme troubled her. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. When we see three females working the G League together, we're empowered, we're inspired. Any player or coach would be ill-advised to go there. The women that are coming on the scene now are helping us -- we're not helping them.". Although there's no word on what their yearly raise looks like, after three to five years of working as an entry-level referee, officials are eligible to be promoted to the next level. Now in her third NBA season, she feels this is a whole new grind in comparison to her journey but there is no place else she would rather be. The entry-level referees are paid around $600 per match. Today, there are five full-time women referees in the NBA -- the most in the . I was totally fan-girling. By accessing any information beyond this page, you agree to abide by the Privacy Policy / Your California Privacy Rights and Terms of Use. The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee has approved the 11 game officials, who will bring a combined experience of 63 Women's Final Four appearances, to officiate the three games . Although she considers herself a basketball junkie, the former collegiate softball player is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan and follows the sport closely. . . And if it were male officials, you wouldnt call them sensitive.. "I just hope one day we can stop counting. ET. Six women referees took part in the . She becomes the sixth woman on the current staff, joining Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Simone . Playoff officials are selected by the WNBA Referee Operations management team based on three specific criteria throughout the season: WNBA Referee Operations graded rankings, play-calling accuracy and team feedback. And as the first to reach this plateau since, she's turned around and served a similarly important role for those following her. (Suggested reading: Blake Griffin trolled by YouTuber courtside), Be the first one to comment on this story. Katie Patterson. A multi-dimensional, hard-working woman, Jelks played collegiate basketball at USC and is a certified foreign language K-12 educator. Referee Kevin Fahy on Sunday ejected Astou Ndour of the WNBA 's Chicago Sky after she appeared to accidentally make contact with his stomach as he walked into her. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Flores has spent nine seasons in the G League and 10 in the WNBA, and is also an accomplished women's college referee with two Final Fours on her resume. Flores and Mosher join Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Simone Jelks, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Natalie Sago, Jenna Schroeder and Danielle Scott as women at the full-time NBA referee level. Ashley Moyer-Gleich has been a hooper her whole life. Long before she was hired in the NBA, the Flint, Mich., native didnt know that refereeing could be a full-time job. In 1997, Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner became the first women to serve as referees in the NBA. Simone Jelks, the first Black woman hired in this role since Palmer herself, was also one of several women to attend Palmer's yearly refereeing camps before reaching the NBA level (such camps are common in the refereeing world, both for development and scouting; Palmer's is open to all collegiate officials). These officials begin with a salary of $250,000 as first-year referees. I dont notice whether coaches are hands off. I havent seen any [bullying]. Thirteen of the 31 referees in the WNBA are women. Areas like these come to the forefront as the NBA continues to strive for an earned reputation as a progressive organization. 2020 WNBA Inside the Rulebook: Block, Charge. None of it deterred her -- in fact, quite the opposite. I would love for you guys to be a part of it.' While the NBA continues to be at the forefront of providing more opportunities for women officials, other leagues such as the NFL and the American Hockey Association (the NHLs minor league affiliate) have taken strides in recent years with hiring their first women officials. With four more working on a part-time basis and two fill-ins from the NBA G League, the league has a dozen women on call to make calls on any given night. Women's Euros. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Holtkamp officiated six seasons in the NBA G League and four seasons in the WNBA. The article is made available for educational use by individuals. WNBA 2019: Points of Education (Part 1) Please logout and login again. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. No portion of NBA.com According to Career Trend, those who officiate WNBA games earn a salary of $180,000 per year to start. Young women shouldn't have to look at officiating, or so many other traditionally male-dominated professions, as rarified air for only the chosen few. Not that anyone is counting or, at least, needs to be. NBA.com spoke with each of the six women to learn more about their unique journeys to the league: Jenna Schroeder talks with Spurs guard Dejounte Murray before a game. The former Cedar Crest and Millersville guard wasn't planning to be a ref at all but a college . Women officials now make up 8% of the 75-member officiating staff as the league continues its focus on hiring the most talented and hardest-working referees in the business. copyright 2023 National Basketball Referees Association. ET each game day. Fifteen of the largest college conferences paid their male referees on average 22% more than female referees in . Active referees are listed in bold. Not Available. Ashley Moyer-Gleich talks with Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell. Rather, they've tried to go further. A camera crew came out to the floor to film the in-arena entertainment and there was a woman videographer who approached her and said, I am really glad that youre here.. WNBA 2020 Playoffs: Points of Education (Part 2), 2019 WNBA Inside the Rulebook: Screens The WNBA Playoffs 2021 presented by Google will tip off on Thursday, Sept. 23 with two first-round single-elimination games on ESPN2. Before becoming an NBA referee, Holtkamp played college basketball at Southwest Missouri State. After a successful college career, she began working her way up as an official. All five women said they'd absolutely recommend refereeing both men's and women's basketball to any young woman with the drive and dedication. When shes not working a game or traveling to the next city, the four-year NBA official remains dedicated to the league 24-7 from studying film to communicating with her associates. She also enjoys Bikram yoga and swimming. Women's . Before joining the big-league ranks, Natalie Sago was a ref for the G-League and WNBA. As a lifelong hooper and collegiate player, Ashley Moyer-Gleich knows first-hand about those frustrating moments during a game, like when a whistle is blown against her or not getting a call after thinking she was fouled. Kicking off the list is Lauren Holtkamp. This article is the copyright of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and may not be republished in whole or in part online, in print or in any capacity without expressed written permission from Referee. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Friday's 10-game slate. Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling remembers feeling vulnerable, but not intimidated. ), Aggressively and accurately calls plays in the primary area of responsibility, Responsible for basic mechanics including rotations, positioning and clock and team foul awareness, Strong rules knowledge coupled with contributions to in-game discussions/issues regarding adjudication.