From Classroom to the Court: Senior Alex Schaller Becomes a Certified Referee

When senior Alex Schaller signed up for the Sports Officiating class last year, he wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. What started as simple curiosity turned into a new skill – and even a paying job.

“I took sports officiating because my best friend from Lockport was taking it,” Schaller said. “When I saw the class while choosing courses, it intrigued me. I decided to try it and see how it was.”

With a nationwide shortage of referees across all sports, opportunities like this are essential for opening doors for students to become certified while still in high school and helping address the growing shortage.

The course covers four sports: basketball, volleyball, flag football, and soccer. Students begin by learning the fundamentals of each game, including rules, court or field dimensions, and the number of players allowed on the field. From there, the class moves into the different types of calls referees make – such as fouls, violations, and substitutions.

Another key focus of the class is positioning.

“The place the referee stands is always on purpose so they can watch a specific area,” Schaller explained. “For example, in basketball referees stand in a triangle shape so they can cover the entire court.”

Students also analyze real game footage to study how officials make decisions. By watching videos, they evaluate where referees are looking, whether calls were correct, and if any were missed. The class even includes films about professional referees working in leagues like the NBA and MLS.

For Schaller, the experience gave him the confidence to take the next step: becoming certified.

“I got certified in volleyball,” he said. “But to actually referee games, you need to find someone who assigns them.”

He eventually connected with the Joliet Volleyball Association after speaking with a referee while volunteering at his middle school’s score table to complete his school service hours. After emailing the association’s assigner, Schaller was added to the list of referees and invited to attend a summer referee clinic.

The two-day camp included several hours of reviewing rules before referees were assigned courts to officiate scrimmages between high school teams.

“It was really cool,” Schaller said. “I even refereed a Providence Catholic game while I was there.”

To become fully certified, Schaller had to complete several requirements, including CPR and concussion training videos, attending the clinic, and passing a 30-question exam designed to challenge referees’ understanding of the rules.

“They’re really tricky questions,” he said. “But after the clinic we went over all of them together so everyone could understand the answers.”

Since earning his certification, Schaller has already officiated about 20 volleyball games across the area, including matches in Tinley Park, Joliet, and Lemont.

Like many new referees, his first games were nerve-racking.

“Refereeing is a lot about confidence,” Schaller said. “I was nervous during my first couple games and it affected me. But one of the best pieces of advice I got was: when you blow the whistle, blow it with authority.”

Following that advice helped him settle into the role. In the games he’s officiated so far, Schaller says he has only had a handful of calls questioned.

Beyond gaining confidence, Schaller says refereeing has two big benefits: the people and the potential to earn and save money.

“The pay is great,” he said. “You can choose what days you’re available, most games only last two or three hours, and you can get assigned a lot during the season.”

He also enjoys meeting other officials.

“You meet great people who help you with calls and situations,” Schaller said. “I’ve even refereed with Ms. Mary Colbert, a former Providence Catholic English teacher and coach.”

With nearly two dozen games already under his belt, Schaller plans to continue officiating in the future.

“I do plan to keep refereeing while I’m in college as long as my schedule allows,” he said. This is a great opportunity to fit a job into a busy college schedule.

What started as a class selection has turned into a real-world opportunity – and a way for Schaller to stay connected to sports long after the final whistle.