Diverse official staff working on matches throughout DFW

Dallas — Friday night in Texas. His two best football teams in the region go head-to-head.

and as Rory Bernard Dallas Football Association Note that the game may have “40,000 or 50,000 spectators”, especially for late playoff games.

And you are in the middle of it.

DFOA chair umpire John Matthews said, “You have to have a thick skin.”

“Yes, we have a lot of comments,” said fellow staff member Haley Johnson.

As someone involved in football, the responsibility is huge.

“You have to be prepared for that,” Barnard said.

Officials in charge of football games statewide make decisions that can affect the outcome of the biggest games with the best programs.

“There’s a process that you have to go through to make a big decision that everyone wants to work for at the end of the day in a big game,” Bernard said.

A special refereeing staff will be playing games throughout North Texas this fall. Probably the most diverse staff I have ever seen. Matthews, who is black, will serve as chief flight attendant and referee. And 2 female staff will also participate.

“This really reflects what our country should be like,” Matthews said. “We are a melting pot. But our common love is a love of serving coaches, student-athletes, families and communities.”

One of the women on the crew is Haley Johnson.

“You don’t want me on the field or on the court, like high-level college games or football games, because I’m a woman,” Johnson said. “They want me there because I deserve to be there, because I worked hard to be there, and I know them as well as the players. increase.”

Johnson worked really hard for that. She has been hosting matches since she was 12 years old.

yes i read it correctly. 12.

She played her first varsity basketball game when she was just 16, started playing college basketball at 19, and started playing football last year. And the genius boy who serves as the moderator has a big goal.

“We’ll see how it goes, but the NFL is going to be crazy. Doing the NBA and the NFL…but it’s going to take time. We’ve got to work hard for that,” she said.

She is part of the next generation of bureaucrats. The next generation that is desperately needed while the number continues to decrease.

“We have a lot of young people in their 50s and 60s,” Bernard said. “And when they’re gone, I don’t think we’re doing enough to fill that gap.”

That’s why executive groups across the country are eagerly recruiting… but it’s not easy.

“Because who wants to be yelled at?” Bernard said with a laugh. In fact, when I asked each member of the crew, they said that the “yelled at” part of their job was far less than commonly perceived.

But that’s part of why John Matthews’ crew is so important. Because no matter who you are or where you come from, you can find someone who looks like you in this crew.

“They’re paving the way for young women in the same way that we African-American men are paving the way for African-American men,” Matthews said. “We also have Hispanic men in our chapter, so now all that ceiling has been shattered. I am proud to be able to” off the field. “

By the way, you can make some money doing this. Officials who attend national team games can earn up to $500-$600 during the regular season and up to $1300 in playoff games. It’s not right the first time. Of course, you have to work hard to get to that point. But there is certainly money to be made.