Fairfield Teens Address Montana’s Referee Shortage

FAIRFIELD — Six Fairfield High School students are now registered officials with the Montana Officials Association, part of a homegrown solution to a statewide referee shortage that has forced schools to reschedule games and cut lower-level contests.

The officials — seniors Deron Lear, Travis Cartwright and Reed Von Stein, and freshmen Cameron Keel, Ryan Mathison and Beckett Rau — all started in the 127 Sports Intensity Junior Referee program before advancing to MOA registration. They now work youth and junior high basketball games while still attending high school themselves.

“Across Montana we’re living the same referee shortage you hear about nationally, but in a rural state it’s magnified,” said Mike Schmidt, 127 Sports Intensity founder and the Jr Ref program coordinator. “We don’t have extra crews sitting around. If we’re short even two or three officials on a given night, something has to move.”

Schmidt said high school games are being shifted from traditional Friday nights to Thursday or Saturday, and C-squad or lower-level games are sometimes shortened or dropped entirely to ensure varsity contests can still be covered.

“Most weeks our assignors are shuffling crews right up until the last minute just to keep every gym open,” he said.

What’s Driving Officials Away

The shortage stems from multiple factors, according to Schmidt. Long winter drives, nights and weekends away from family, and criticism from stands and sidelines all contribute to officials leaving the profession.

“As people get older, or when work and family get busier, it becomes a lot easier to say, ‘I don’t need this,’ and walk away,” Schmidt said. “At the same time, our veteran officials are aging out faster than we’re bringing new ones in. That’s the heart of the shortage.”

Building a Pipeline in Fairfield

Schmidt launched the Junior Referee program a few winters ago as both an educational opportunity and a practical response to the officiating crisis.

“At 127 Sports Intensity we talk a lot about educational athletics — that sports are supposed to teach more than just how to run an offense or play defense,” Schmidt said. “Officiating is a natural extension of that. When a young person steps onto the floor in stripes, they’re learning judgment, communication, composure, and how to handle conflict in a very public setting.”

The program invites middle school and high school students to learn rules and mechanics through clinics, then gives them extensive game experience at youth and junior high levels. Students who want to advance can register with the MOA, which requires an annual fee, online rules clinic, concussion course and rules exam.

Once registered, officials are assigned to games alongside veteran crews who help with positioning and game management.

Skills Beyond the Court

Reed Von Stein, one of the three senior officials, said the experience has accelerated his personal development.

“Starting in the Jr Ref clinic and now working as an MOA official has pushed me to grow up faster in a good way,” Von Stein said. “You’re making split-second decisions in front of a lot of people, and you can’t hide when you’re wrong. I’ve had to learn to take feedback, accept criticism, and fix things instead of getting defensive.”

Von Stein said the work has made him more confident and better at communicating with adults — skills he values regardless of whether he continues officiating at higher levels.

Keeping Games Going

The six officials have become a key asset for Fairfield Schools and the Fairfield Basketball Club, helping ensure games stay on schedule with locally trained crews who understand the community.

Schmidt said the program also creates a visible pathway for younger students.

“The six MOA officials we have now are proof that the model works — our kids are keeping the games going for the younger kids coming behind them,” he said.

Behind the six current MOA officials, more than 30 students participated in last year’s Jr Ref clinic. Several are already working youth games and moving toward MOA registration themselves.

For information about the Junior Referee program, contact Mike Schmidt at [email protected].