This ref's assignments are a true labor of love

By day, Larry Nothnagel works with kids as a guidance counselor at St. Charles North High School.

By night, Nothnagel trades in his shirt and tie for a black and white, vertically striped shirt working with kids as a high school basketball referee at games throughout the Western suburbs.

What began nearly 30 years ago as a way to "make a little extra spending money" while attending Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville, Mo., has evolved into a labor of love for Nothnagel.

"It absolutely is a hobby for me," said Nothnagel, who has been a certified licensed Illinois High School Association official for the past 26 years.

"I started officiating some intramural basketball games back in college. I liked it and had fun doing it - and I still do it for the enjoyment."

Contrary to popular belief, high school basketball officials have more responsibilities than simply showing up at local gyms and blowing a whistle to make a traveling call.

"There's not a lot of money in it when you consider our state license, fees for clinics we attend in the off-season, buying uniforms and travel costs," said Nothnagel, who played basketball in high school.

"But I've met a lot of people and made good friends through the years being an official. It's like a big fraternity."

Nothnagel, who is one of the few referees who officiates both boys and girls basketball games, works primarily with four conferences - the DuPage Valley, Fox Valley, Upstate State and West Suburban.

"Each conference has an assignment chairman and most leagues work on their schedules a year in advance," he said.

"At one point in my career, I worked a full boys varsity basketball schedule. But the travel was extensive - basically from the Indiana border to the Wisconsin border and anywhere in between. Now I'm actually working more girls basketball games than boys."

All officials receive power ratings at the beginning of the school year and are rated by coaches during the course of the season.

"It's a pretty complex rating system," said Nothnagel, who has officiated countless regional and sectional contests throughout the years.

There are other reasons that bring Nothnagel back year after year.

"I like staying involved with the game," he said. "Plus, it keeps you young and in better physical shape."

That's not always easy considering one simple fact.

"Every season, the kids remain 15-, 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds and we're a year older," said Nothnagel.

A rule change made in the last decade has aided both referees and players.

"When the IHSA made the switch from two-man to three-man crews, it changed the game a great deal," said Nothnagel. "I feel it has helped prolong the careers of some of the older referees because there's not as much ground to cover. And it has clearly made the game better for the players."

During pregame meetings, the three-man crews discuss positioning and rotation before taking the court.

Often working with different partners, Nothnagel understands the importance that trust can play.

"It's trusting where your partners are going to be at certain times during the course of a game," he said. "A lot of it is having good people skills."

It can also help to be a little hard of hearing while possessing an equally short memory.

"Every call you make - half of the people aren't going to agree with," said Nothnagel. "There are nights when you go home and you know you nailed it. And there are other nights where things didn't quite click. It's similar to when players have off nights. You've got to put it out of your mind and prepare for the next game.

"It's one of the biggest reasons why younger refs decide to quit. They let the bad calls stay with them."

Along the way, Nothnagel has had an opportunity to watch some of the state's finest high school basketball teams and players - many of whom have moved on to play at the NCAA Division I level and even the NBA/WNBA.

"I've had a chance to work games with Michael Finley (Proviso East), Donnie Boyce (Proviso East), Chris Collins (Glenbrook North), Jarrett Payton (St. Viator) and Jon Scheyer (Glenbrook North, now at Duke)," said Nothnagel, whose son Brandon, a St. Charles North graduate, has worked as a referee at the middle school level.

"And I officiated a lot of Candace Parker's games when she was at Naperville Central. Players like her only come around once in a lifetime."

One particular moment has stayed with Nothnagel.

"The strangest thing that ever happened for me occurred during the last weekend of the girls basketball regular season in February of 1993," Nothnagel recalled. "Cary-Grove, which was undefeated in conference at the time, was playing Crystal Lake Central for the conference championship.

"I was the trail official and there was about a minute left in the first quarter when I felt someone tugging on my arm telling me to 'stop the game, stop the game.' The Cary-Grove assistant coach was trying to get my attention because the head coach (Gary Wadlington) collapsed to the floor.

"It was amazing how quietly everyone left the gym. By the time paramedics arrived, the only people left in the gym were a few administrators and us (officials)."

Wadlington passed away that night.

"It's something I'll never forget," said Nothnagel. "The game never was finished - both schools agreed that Cary-Grove was the conference champion."

As for the sport's toughest call, Nothnagel insists it is not the offensive foul.

"The block-charge is relatively easy as long as you're watching the defensive player," he said. "You don't have to be a statue to draw a charge - you just have to establish a legal guarding position. I think the toughest call to make is on traveling violations, especially as the game has gotten faster."

You can reach Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com.