12A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 28, 2015
Polk County Sports
Referees: Keeping officials a major issue
Continued from Page 10A
“I might already be reach-
ing panic mode,” Folliard
said. “There will always be
enough varsity officials. But
in some cases, in some asso-
ciations, we may not be able
to staff a junior varsity or
freshmen game. That’s
where the real issue is going
to be — making sure all the
games can be covered.”
For now, many referees
work multiple games in a
night. But the larger issue
persists: Finding a solution
to stop the bleeding isn’t
simple.
When Folliard began offi-
ciating in the 1970s, Ore-
gon’s referee situation
looked far different.
“A lot of the referees back
then were teachers and edu-
cators,” Folliard said. “It was
a way for them to be more
connected to students. As
their responsibilities at
schools have increased, we
have fewer educators.”
Today, the situation is
much more unsteady.
Salem Basketball Officials
Commissioner Steve Bulen
said the association, which
covers Polk County, has 160
basketball referees, 10 to 15
short, but drawing in new
referees isn’t easy.
“The National Federa-
tion of State High School
Associations put out a re-
port and the top reason
why refs quit was career
movement,” Bulen said.
“Second on the list was
poor sportsmanship by
fans and participants alike.
That’s the one that I think
is a real problem.”
The OAOA does have pro-
cedures in place to deal with
fans and emphasizes getting
school management in-
volved. But the verbal abuse
can be a real turnoff.
“People don’t like to get
yelled or screamed at,”
Bulen said. “People don’t
even consider you as a
human sometimes. You’re
just an object out there,
which is sad.”
Other barriers include
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Referee Brian Nava watches play during Dallas’ girls basketball game on Friday.
lower-than-expected pay
and difficult career advance-
ment.
“You have to buy uni-
forms, go to meetings, work
at home studying the rules,
etc.,” Folliard said. “I think
people quickly understand
how complicated the rules
are and how difficult it is to
make snap judgments in an
activity that is happening
very, very fast.”
Schedules can also be a
major hurdle to attracting
new referees.
New referees generally
start with freshmen and jun-
ior varsity games to gain ex-
perience and receive feed-
back. Those games often
start at 5:30 p.m.
“A lot of people have to
work in the afternoons,” Fol-
liard said. “It’s tough for peo-
ple with that 9-to-5 job to
start officiating at any loca-
tion, especially in spots
where traffic is more diffi-
cult.”
Despite a decrease in
numbers, those who do re-
main find it to be a reward-
ing experience, Bulen said.
“I think it becomes a
lifeblood for them,” Bulen
said. “The adrenaline starts
flowing. I had officials com-
pare getting assignments to
Christmas morning.”
Bulen said he’s seen many
referee crews become life-
long friends.
While the benefits can last
a lifetime, the OAOA is fac-
ing a struggle to bring in
new referees. But Folliard is
hoping potential referees
aren’t scared away.
“It takes a special kind of
person to be a ref,” Folliard
said. “You’re helping out
the kids and doing a serv-
ice to the community, be-
cause it’s just recess with-
out refs.”
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP
Whistle: Goodman in
Central
loses
Fleming
his 24th season as ref
Continued from Page 10A
Playing basketball is one
thing. Officiating is an en-
tirely different world.
“There was more than
one time I thought, ‘Why
am I here?’” Goodman said.
“I didn’t realize all the re-
sponsibilities they had. It
gave me a whole new per-
spective.”
Goodman thought his
foray into being a referee
would be a short one.
“Being a player, I was just
involved in the plays,”
Goodman said. “Officials
are there to blow their whis-
tles. As a ref, I’d see a play
and think, ‘yeah, he shoved
him.’ Then I’d think, ‘oh
yeah, I’m the official, I’m
supposed to call that.’”
If it wasn’t for his promise
to stick it out, Goodman
may not have lasted
through his first season of
officiating middle school
games.
“I was committed to at
least finish the year,” Good-
man said. “The commit-
ment kept me going when I
first started.”
As that first season wore
on, Goodman became more
comfortable. And to his sur-
prise, he started to have
fun.
“I thought at the end of
my first season, this wasn’t
so bad,” Goodman said. “It
kept me in contact with the
kids and I had the best seat
in the house for a basketball
game.”
By the end of his second
season, his mind was made
up.
“I got better and better,”
Goodman said. “I was trying
to be a part of the game, but
not really being seen.”
During his third season,
Goodman was working high
school freshmen and junior
varsity games. The following
year, he was ready for varsi-
ty assignments.
“My first game happened
to be at Central,” Goodman
said. “I had a lot of nerves. I
was probably as hyped up
as much as I was (when I
played basketball).”
There’s a saying among
referees that you’re going to
miss 50 percent of the calls,
Goodman said. While refer-
Senior leader out at least four weeks
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Charlie Goodman has been officiating for 24 seasons and
doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
ees offer advice and critique
of each other after games,
the ability to move on
quickly is among the most
important traits to be suc-
cessful.
“You have to have a short
memory,” Goodman said.
“If you dwell on it too long,
it will haunt you and you’ll
mess up again.”
It’s not rule changes that
cause the most problems.
It’s keeping up with play-
ers.
“The play has changed,”
Goodman said. “The play
gets faster. The talent and
skill level is going up.”
During Goodman’s first
year, there were 200 basket-
ball officials in the Salem
area, a number that hasn’t
been matched since, Good-
man said.
That’s led to situations
like last season, where he
worked six games in a five-
day stretch.
In the short term, Good-
man said he doesn’t mind
the extra work.
Solution on Page 16A
It’s that attitude that has
made him one of the area’s
most trusted referees.
“Charlie is one of those
officials that will go any-
where and do anything that
is asked of him,” Salem Bas-
ketball Officials Commis-
sioner Steve Bulen said. “He
gets along with coaches and
other officials really well,
and no one ever complains
about him. He has really
good common sense, which
is really important too. I
would love to have 10 more
just like him.”
After more than two
decades as an official,
Goodman, 63, isn’t sure how
much longer he’ll continue
to officiate. For now, he
knows he’s having too much
fun to walk away.
“When I reach the point
where I can’t move as well
and I don’t feel like I’m
doing justice to those kids,
then I’ll quit,” Goodman
said. “ When you’re no
longer contributing, it’s
time to get out.”
Itemizer-Observer staff report
INDEPENDENCE —
Central’s boys basketball
team picked up a pair of
league wins last week, yet it
suffered a big blow to its
lineup.
Senior Kyler Fleming in-
jured his
left hand
on Jan. 20,
causing
him to
miss at
least the
next four
weeks.
T h e
Fleming
Pa n t h e r s
responded with a pair of
Mid-Willamette Conference
victories.
Central posted a 51-43
win over Crescent Valley on
Jan. 21 as Kaj Bansen scored
a team-high 22 points,
while Jarrett Landers added
10 points.
“Losing Kyler was a big
hit for us, but the kids re-
sponded really well, and I’m
ver y proud,” Panthers
coach Tim Kreta said. “They
knew what to focus on and
stayed focused on our game
plan during the week.”
Central (10-3 overall, 4-0
MWC) also earned a 53-43
road win over Lebanon on
Friday. Bansen scored 17
points, while Kevin Cable
added 12 points.
"Madison (Stepp) got
into foul trouble early and
Kevin (Cable) and Mo-
hamed (Eltelbany)
stepped up well for us,”
Kreta said. “We slowed
down and continued to
break their pressure and
hit a couple shots.”
The Panthers have a
showdown at Silverton,
which enters the matchup
undefeated in conference
play, on Wednesday (today)
before hosting Corvallis Fri-
day at 7 p.m.
DALLAS BOUNCES BACK:
Dallas’ boys basketball team
kept pace with the Mid-
Willamette Conference’s top
two teams after earning a pair
of league wins last week. The
Dragons (7-6 overall, 3-1 MWC)
opened with a 68-31 win over
South Albany on Jan. 21.
Everett Minahan, Logan Hatley
and Bradley Huey scored 11
points each to lead Dallas. Mi-
nahan scored a game-high 18
points against Corvallis on Fri-
day, as the
Dragons
defeated
the Spar-
tans 66-57.
Harrison
Broadus
scored 14
points, and
I s a a k
Tichenor
Minahan
and Chase
Mauk added 11 points apiece
as Dallas won at Corvallis for
the first time since joining the
MWC. “Harry Broadus broke
out of an offensive funk and
had a big game for us,” Drag-
ons coach Trent Schwartz said.
“Brad Huey continues to be a
steady presence for us in the
paint in both games. … Over-
all, we played our best basket-
ball of the season so far last
week.” Dallas returns home for
a pair of league contests. The
Dragons host Crescent Valley
at 7 p.m. Wednesday (today)
and Lebanon Friday at 7:15
p.m.
PIRATES FALL TO RIVAL:
Facing rival St. Paul for the
first of two clashes, Perry-
dale’s boys basketball squad
dropped a Tri-River Confer-
ence game
to
the
Buckaroos
50-40 on
Friday.
Chad Price
scored a
game-high
20 points,
but the Pi-
rates gave
Price
up 16 free
throws, while attempting just
15. “In a 10-point game, that
is a deal breaker,” Perrydale
coach Mike Lowry said. The
Pirates earned a 38-31 win
over Santiam Christian on
Jan. 20. Brant Barnes scored
12 points and Price added 11
points to lead Perrydale.
“Brant Barnes had one of his
best games of the season at
both ends of the court,”
Lowry said. “… It is a hard
thing to ask any athlete to be
locked in mentally and give
everything they have physi-
cally every night. For us to
win games, that is what we
have to do.” Perrydale faced
Kennedy Tuesday after press
time. The Pirates host Central
Linn Friday at 7 p.m. before
playing at Regis on Monday.
FALLS CITY DROPS TWO:
Falls City’s boys basketball
team saw its two-game win
streak come to an end after a
38-32 loss to Jewell on Jan.
21 and a 33-26 loss to
Willamette Valley Christian
on Friday. No details were
provided. The Mountaineers
played at Country Christian
Tuesday after press time. Falls
City plays at C.S. Lewis on Fri-
day.
Fennell: Senior scored
22 points on Jan. 20
Continued from Page 10A
The early results seem
promising. Fennell scored a
game-high 22 points
against South Albany on
Jan. 20.
As Fennell adds a new di-
mension to her game, she
can help open up the rest of
the Dragons’ offense.
“Our kids are more than
capable of doing this,”
Brautigam said. “We just
need to get the ball moving
a little bit more and not
freeze up so much.”
F e n n e l l ’s e v o l u t i o n
comes at a critical time for
Dallas. The Dragons en-
tered the week at 2-2 in
Mid-Willamette Conference
play, good for fourth out of
seven teams, with games
against Lebanon and Silver-
ton on Friday and Tuesday,
both of which entered the
week with 1-3 league
records.
“I’ve been coaching in
this league for a long time
now,” Brautigam said. “You
can see a team like us at 2-2
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Dallas senior Taylor Fennell looks for an opening to the
hoop against Corvallis on Friday night.
win five games in a row and
you can see a team that is 3-
1 lose four in a row. You
have to stay mentally
tough.”
Fennell’s ability to stretch
the court can help open
things up for teammates.
“We just need to keep
working hard,” Fennell said.
“We need to bounce back
and realize we can hang
with any team in our
league.”