20151026083053205 (1) 20151026083053205 (1) (1)

IT CERTAINLY HAS STAYED IN THE ROBERTS FAMILY.  LAST NIGHT, PERRY NATIVE BRETT ROBERTS AND HIS CREW WORKED THE OPENING ROUND OF THE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS.  ROBERTS HAS SERVED AS THE WHITE CAP OF THE CREW SINCE 2006 AND WAS BROUGHT INTO THE PROFESSION BY HIS FATHER DENNIS WITHOUT MUCH OF A CHOICE.

“I HAD JUST MOVED BACK TO PERRY IN 2000 AND IMMEDIATELY MY FATHER TOLD ME I WAS GOING TO BE A BACK JUDGE FOR HIS CREW.  IT WAS THE SAME YEAR THAT THE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DECIDED TO EXPAND FROM FOUR MEMBER CREWS TO FIVE.  I WAS LIKE ALRIGHT, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.  DAD HAD BEEN AN OFFICIAL FOR YEARS AND I WAS EXCITED TO JOIN HIS CREW. I STARTED OUT AS A BACK JUDGE AND THEN MOVED TO LINE JUDGE BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO REFEREE IN 2006.”

ROBERTS STILL RECALLS THE SCARY MOMENTS OF ONE PARTICULAR AUTUMN AFTERNOON AND HOW HE REMEMBERS HIS FATHER DENNY AND HONORS HIM EACH AND EVERY GAME.

“I DID IT BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST GOT BACK TO TOWN, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH MY DAD.  WE WERE OFFICIATING A GAME IN AUDUBON AND MY DAD ACTUALLY HAD A HEART ATTACK ON THE FIELD.  HE ACTUALLY TOLD ME AS HE WAS LAYING THERE THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO WHITE HAT THE REST OF THE GAME FOR HIM.  I STILL TO THIS DAY CARRY 3 FLAGS TO EVERY GAME WITH ME.  THE TWO THAT I USE TO CALL THE GAME AND A THIRD ONE IN MY BACK POCKET TO REMEMBER MY FATHER AND HONOR HIM AND REMIND ME WHY I DO IT.”

WE WILL HAVE MORE ON THE OFFICIATING SIDE OF THE GAME IN FUTURE SPORTS CAST.