how many female nba referees are there

Raven Jemison has witnessed the inclusion first-hand. Referees are most in-demand in Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia, PA pays an annual average wage of $78,501, the highest in the US. Were backing the NBA, really trying to push the boundaries in hiring women, gender equality, and making those opportunities available for women to become professional NBA referees. Danielle Scott is one of three referees bumped up to full-time NBA officiating status for 2021-22. Kallio a native of Edmonton, Alberta has seven years of G League experience, five years of WNBA experience and worked the Tokyo Olympics. When I think back on my coaches as an early athlete, there were just some incredible coaches who are also women. With more female referees officiating games, fans have begun to wonder if there's a pay gap between female referees and male referees. Starting from a list of 250 out LGBTQ people in sports, Outsports has chosen those with the most influence. This is my first year. In terms of explaining certain officiating calls during live games, Moyer-Gleich uses her past experience as a player to translate and articulate the rule book into basketball jargon that players and coaches will understand. A record 12 women worked games last season in the NBA, some getting called up from the G League and non-staff levels to help when the leagues officiating roster was decimated by COVID-19. For our extensive coverage of the 2023 Outsports Power 100, and to see all of the honorees, click here. How the NBA and WNBA created sports premier culture of inclusion, Outsports Power 100 honors the most powerful and influential LGBTQ people in sports. Like Flores, Dannica Mosher refereed 12 regular season games last NBA season as well. Could this have come sooner? Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling is the longest-tenured ref of the group, having begun her NBA career in 2016. Whats the impact of having someone like Jemison the rare gay Black woman with a seat at the table in a front office in American sports, who has also worked in all of the Big Four mens pro sports being so out and proud? Ten women have held that job in league history, with the current eight joining Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner on that list. Today, there are five full-time women referees in the NBA. I knew that I wanted to start my own career. I was just a toddler on the sidelines watching him play. Seeing their place in sport was really inspiring for me. We have to focus. I did [get high school certification] in the state of Missouri and I worked high school. It was the first time that women officiated regular-season games in an all-male U.S. professional league. In his words, all the league had to do was hire the best people for the job. As Welts built a Hall of Fame career in the NBA front office, as well as with the Suns and Golden State Warriors, his secret he was gay with a boyfriend stuck with him. Ive had great experiences so far, so its been great. From the time I got into the G League, I refereed the G League in the winter and I was still reffing womens college. Our paths are all different but we all got to the same end goal.. Holtkamp-Sterling finds comfort in having close working relationships with other NBA officials. That only works if there are sufficient aspirants to form a true competitive pool of candidates. And when you appeal to everyone youre inclusive., The language we have for DEI today, Rick was able to extemporaneously share that back then and get people to align around it. Rip City Remix is an homage to the vintage era of the Portland Trail Blazers. It was cool to share that experience with Natalie as well. I got into it, so that transformed into playing and refereeing. That transition from playing my whole life into becoming a referee was very fluid and definitely fit. I was slinging beers one night, refereeing the next night until I got to the point where I actually could make refereeing a career. Long weekends working tournaments, watching film, a love for basketball and most importantly, capability. Basketball has taught me a lot of lessons. Your login session has expired. She officiated in the G-League and collegiately in the Mid-American and Horizon Leagues before becoming a full-time referee in the NBA two seasons ago. So my predecessors recognized this and put those seeds into the G League. The best person for the job is the best person for the job. Schroeder: I would probably say Lauren Holtkamp she was it. Eventually that evolution gave rise to a WNBA culture that was largely run by women and that embraced social-justice issues like gender, race and sexual orientation. Violet Palmer and Dee Katner became the first two female full-time NBA officials in 1997. Gambling Problem? When I got to college, [refereeing] kind of fell into my lap. [2] 2022-23 NBA season, there are 74 staff officials and 8 non-staff officials: [3] Staff officials Ray Acosta, #54 The current group of eight full-timers all did games, as did Clare Aubry, ShaRae Mitchell, Blanca Burns and Jenna Reneau. Then, I went everywhere. "I look the impact of integrating LGBTQ narratives into sports as my impact," says a sports editor on this list, along with two former Olympians and people from the NBA, MMA, and a college sports. Ive probably been in every gym up and down the California coast, at least at one point. The NBA has the most mens sports execs. A couple years later, for New York City World Pride 2019, every major sports league followed the NBAs lead. The roster was announced on Wednesday by none other than President Biden, the First Lady and some notable friends including Taylor Swift, Megan . The non-profit group has helped students learn fundamental math skills through the game of basketball since 2013. Several of the players have spouses and they are very supportive of them. They couldnt get me out of the gym and I just went from there. Women's National Basketball Association - Wikipedia It was a pretty groundbreaking campaign. When I got to college, [refereeing] kind of fell into my lap. 3 3. And this is not a skill you can learn overnight.. Official release. Every branch of the U.S. military is struggling to meet its 2022 The NBA now has eight women at the full-time referee level, the most the league has ever had at one time. We just had our Pride Day. The biggest challenge is just constantly reminding yourself that you are enough being a woman, being Black. We were staffed in that moment of time where the old white guys were fully entrenched in baseball and football, Welts said. Seeing how all eight of the full-time NBA female referees made a stop in the G-League before getting called up to the show, we're on the cusp of several more joining the party. Games were usually closed to the . Effectively the glue for a crew through consistency, teamwork, and communication - makes partners better by carrying a larger portion of the crew's load than an Umpire. And as McCutchen points out, 42% of G League referees are women. A camera crew came out to the floor to film the in-arena entertainment and there was a woman videographer who approached her and said, I am really glad that youre here.. (Credit: AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File) Born on March 9, 1986, in Cleveland, Ohio, Simone Jelks growing up attended the Charles F. Brush School in Lyndhurst. I could hear them. Second was Dee Kanter. It is the abilities. Void in ONT. As a straight woman, she reciprocally points to people like Thurston who had the courage to come out, be out in the front office, and raise their hand to help lead the LGBTQ-inclusion component of the NBA and WNBA workplace. I first started loving basketball probably before I could even walk and I was going around the playground with him. The NBA feels very strongly that this should be a meritocracy. But again, thats counting. I tried it again a few weeks later and something just clicked. Obviously, the game with me and Natalie [officiating together] was the highlight of my professional career. Absolutely. I was able to share the moment with her and that just meant the world to me. I did my first game fine. Sago would eventually work with all three superstars during her path to the NBA, which included stops at various levels including high school college, the G League and the WNBA. Flores and Mosher earned promotions from the G League level, as did another pair of new hires -- Matt Kallio, who becomes the NBA's first international full-time official, and Robert Hussey. You would probably just call them bad at their job, which is the whole point. BREAKING FOX NEWS June 19, 2023 - Facebook "This is an organization where everyone who walks in the door can be . Menu. Shortly after, Lippard and Welts who had heard about each other in whispers about gay men in the league forged a friendship, and Welts became an important mentor for Lippard. When I got old enough to go by myself with him and sit by myself in the stands, I did that. As of last March, 42% of NBA G-League refs were women. Basketball has always been an important part of my life. When I came into the league front office in 2015, I was out but I didnt explore who I was in a professional setting until I came to the NBA. Now we have to millions to rescue them. See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Behrens is reluctant to take credit, rejecting the architect praise. What do the numbers on NBA referees mean? Laughing, Palmer said, "Oh yes, we . Going by some numbers, the effects of high temperatures on India's population seem remarkably slight. The NBA league office continues to increase its racial and gender diversity with more than 37 percent people of color and more than 39 percent women. This season has seen a record 7 female referees officiate at least one game in the NBA. How many female NBA referees are there? - IronSet Referee Demographics and Statistics In The US - Zippia I did that for three years straight. So, yeah, my dad has been a very big role model for me in this business. Silver was also aiming for a particular ratio of male to female NBA referees. Dannica Mosher: I dont think you know the role until you start looking back at it. John Collins is headed to Utah in exchange for Rudy Gay and a future second-round pick, per multiple reports. Those eight were Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Natalie Sago, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Simone Jelks, Jenna Schroeder, Danielle Scott, Cheryl Flores and Dannica Mosher. I can just tell you my experience. I think its a matter of there being 250 people being considered for this [Outsports Power] list, she said. That was really nice. Its been very fast. Are they from your favorite team? The non-profit group has helped students learn fundamental math skills through the game of basketball since 2013. Palmer officiated 919 NBA games before retiring at the age of 52 and became the first woman to helm an NBA playoff game in 2006. It's something that the NBA's senior vice president spoke about last year, pointing out how there hasn't been a concentrated effort to hire female referees. From the time I got into the G League, I refereed the G League in the winter and I was still reffing womens college. My strength and resilience was just really defined [by basketball] at an early age. Flores and Mosher join Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Simone Jelks, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Natalie Sago, Jenna Schroeder and Danielle Scott as women at the full-time NBA referee level. Here are the key stats on players and teams involved. Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling: Ive loved the sport of basketball since I can remember. Women officials now make up 8% of the 75-member officiating staff as the league continues its focus on hiring the most talented and hardest-working referees in the business. Don't be surprised when the number of eight continues to increase. The most common ethnicity of basketball referees is White (68.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.2%), Black or African American (8.0%) and Unknown (6.7%). The first category is WNBA referees, the second is entry-level referees and the third is the top of the line senior referees the best of the best. Any player or coach would be ill-advised to go there. I was the graduate assistant for the womens basketball team. A lot of the people think the biggest challenge is the players or the coaches that were not going to be accepted. Meet the women striving to become NHL's first female officials NBA female referees: The league has been around for more than 70 years Jelks, along with her female counterparts, dont pay much attention to what fans or critics have to say and know they wouldnt be here if it wasnt for their esteemed skillset. I grew up watching [my dad], but its way different when you get out there and try to do [officiate a game]. At least three people have been killed, including a child, and many have been injured after a shopping centre was hit by Russian missiles in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine. Bill Kennedy, too, broke ground by coming out as a gay NBA referee in 2015. NEW YORK NBA G League referees John Conley . As far as challenges on the floor, I havent really gotten there cause Im kind of new, but basketball is just basketball. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Jul 31, 2014 at 9:54 am Expand NBA ref Violet Palmer calls Friday's wedding 'the big coming out.' (Mark Duncan/AP) Violet Palmer made her biggest call yet: The NBA. Were capable and not just capable but like beyond excellent and can do the job just as well as our male counterparts.. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images). Outsports spoke to a half-dozen people involved with the NBA and WNBA about how the leagues became the premier examples of LGBTQ inclusion in American sports. Referee Assignments | NBA Official Not that anyone is counting or, at least, needs to be. How many female NBA referees are there? - Sportskeeda In 2020 when I spoke to the Sacramento Kings, I was surprised to learn the team had seven out employees. The training is just so extensive and its intense on the front end. Just showing them that we belong as females. They make up 8% of the 75-member officiating staff. Not only that, but the grind to becoming a professional referee requires true dedication. But Holtkamp-Sterling believes shes the one paying homage and praises Palmer and Kantner for breaking barriers as the first two women officials in the NBA. At halftime [of one game], I was walking to the locker room and one player tapped me on the shoulder and said, Hell of a half. I was like, wow. And that is where the NBA has been busy in recent years. How do we make people more comfortable being their authentic selves? Their diversity, talent and impact are impressive. Its important to enjoy all the ebbs and flows of your journey. Ive loved it. We eat, sleep, breathe it and talk about it all the time. The U.S. Air Force, on the other hand, has to recruit roughly 100 times as many airmen, about 50,000, but is currently more than 4,000 below where it should be at this point in the fiscal year. . Sago: My path has been different. She played through college and worked her way up the high school, college, G-League and WNBA ranks before becoming a full-time NBA official in 2020. "All we have to do is find the best referees and open our eyes to half of the population.". Get the biggest and best sports news sent directly to your inbox. A family friend who was a referee suggested that I get into officiating. My dad played basketball. The biggest challenge for me, I think coming into this arena is believing in myself, because its so new, you know? And if it were male officials, you wouldnt call them sensitive.. In the beginning, back in 1997, there. "And if it were male officials, you wouldn't call them sensitive," she said. We sold out of our shirts. 2023 NBA Summer League Schedules: Las Vegas, Sacramento and Salt Lake When I got old enough to go by myself with him and sit by myself in the stands, I did that. I did a little bit of Division I, and thats when the [NBA] D League wanted me to try-out. The same goes for how coaches and players treat refs. Its not uncommon, to be honest with you, Schroeder said with a laugh. Ninety percent of the rest of the staff are management its all male-dominated. I can remember walking out on the court and it almost brought tears to my eyes, seeing them in the stands and cheering for me. We knew we were going to work together when the schedule came out on Christmas Eve. Sameness is a word of emphasis when talking about officiating in the NBA. So, I started officiating my freshman year of college. All we have to do is find the best referees and open our eyes to half of the population.. It was a wrap from there. That's it. Flores has spent nine seasons in the G League and 10 in the WNBA, and is also an accomplished women's college referee with two Final Fours on her resume. And share on social media with #Outsports100. Both Thurston and Behrens also mentioned Athlete Ally, an organization working to build LGBTQ inclusion in sports, as a valued and trusted partner in their work within the league. College Park Skyhawks GM Tori Miller is breaking barriers in the landscape of pro sports. McCutchen has long said that the NBA will hire the best people to fill the job, regardless of gender. I think that because the game is always evolving, so is our training and thats both the challenge of it and what is so gratifying about the work. Russia-Ukraine war latest: People 'screaming under rubble' after They congratulated me for getting hired and being in the WNBA, I was like, thats crazy because I was watching you guys when I was 12 years old and now were working together.. When I got in the G League, Violet [Palmer] had retired and Lauren was the only woman in the NBA at the time. At 31, Scott has loads of experience at all levels of basketball and looks to be a staple in the NBA for a long time. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. After seeing an overwhelmingly male-dominated officiating staff through the late 1990s and early 2000s, fans began to notice more female referees. She was doing what we all wanted to do. Basketball Referee Demographics and Statistics In The US - Zippia At halftime [of one game], I was walking to the locker room and one player tapped me on the shoulder and said, Hell of a half. I was like, wow. Finding a path that I was more interested in than coaching, which was officiating. You dont know what it did until you look back at it, but its huge because I just love the sport. So, that was more of a challenge in life and deciding where I wanted to go. I was part of the D-League for six years and I refereed in the WNBA for four years and Im in my seventh season in the NBA. I was pretty apprehensive at first. The WNBA is the most represented league on the Outsports Power 100. How many female referees are there in the NBA? - Quora According to Career Trend, those who officiate WNBA games earn a salary of $180,000 per year to start. Ive loved the sport of basketball since I can remember. NBA.com spoke with each of the six women to learn more about their unique journeys to the league: Jenna Schroeder talks with Spurs guard Dejounte Murray before a game. Im 31 years old, so thats my entire life. Certainly millions of people know of Collins, the first active out gay athlete in any of the Big Four Leagues. Life is the more complicated issue. Basketball pretty much saved my adolescents because adolescents can be a very challenging time. Schroeder: I dont think people understand the work we do off the floor and actually what it takes to get into the NBA. Capable of handling some plays in secondary area of coverage. Its a profession with constant criticism. At the same time, no mens league has more team and league executive honorees than the NBA. In 1997, Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner became the first women to serve as referees in the NBA. G League referee ShaRae Mitchell becomes the 15th woman in NBA history picked to work a regular-season game. Of all the things Ive done, this is one that will last long after Im gone, and its been incredibly meaningful in my professional and personal life, Thurston said. Please logout and login again. Fay Vincent was commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1989 to 1992. How do we build more representation and make more room for out members of the LGBT community having a seat at the table? A lot of assumptions we made were horribly wrong. California Classic Summer League . Women officials are often generalized as being too sensitive when they dont tolerate or permit certain forms of disrespect on the court. 23) and Rayan Rupert (at No. March 26, 2021 7:32 PM Ashley Moyer-Gleich has been a full-time referee in the NBA since 2018. Those women are Cheryl Flores and Dannica Mosher, who were both promoted to full-time status. I had a college scholarship to play basketball, so thankfully I didnt have to pay for schooling. showed us the way and was always there to help answer questions. My path has been very fast because Ive only been refereeing for a total of seven years of my life from when I picked up that first whistle to referee that AAU game and I didnt like it. The players and the coaches when I came in this is my third season now they were literally welcoming Natalie [Sago] and me when we got hired together with open arms, and definitely seemed very supportive and encouraging. Although she considers herself a basketball junkie, the former collegiate softball player is also a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan and follows the sport closely. My strength and resilience was just really defined [by basketball] at an early age. Probably. Jarace Walker, Cason Wallace and Gradey Dick, all lottery picks in the 2023 NBA Draft, set a high standard for the programs next generation of talent. Thats where she remembers watching Candace Parker with Tennessee, and Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird with UConn. Then my dad, as I got older, he really wanted me to get into officiating and try it. Basketball played a very substantial role in my life. We put a lot behind it, Behrens said. I wanted to do as many games as I could to prepare me to work in the NBA. My dad played basketball. Basketballs played a huge role in my life. Her husband, Jonathan Sterling, is also an NBA referee. As far as challenges on the floor, I havent really gotten there cause Im kind of new, but basketball is just basketball. This is a very thankless job, and so I think the biggest challenge is to every day realize your self-worth, remind yourself that you are enough and that you are capable. Add onto that insurance, retirement plans and the opportunity to travel the country for free, it's no wonder referees stick around for the long haul. And Grant and Jared were great. Ashley Moyer-Gleich has been a hooper her whole life. McCutchen has long said that the NBA will hire the best people to fill the job, regardless of gender. Pair of women among five new full-time NBA referees | Reuters And certainly people like Bonnie, people like Rick Welts, like Jason Collins ultimately Adam Silver and David Stern this has always been a place where people felt comfortable and able to be who they were when they were ready.. The league recently announced the promotion of Simone Jelks to full-time official status for the 2020-21 season. In recent years there has been a massive uptick in female referees in the NBA. I told my dad that I was serious about it and wanted to get my high school certification. Mosher: Its just challenging to get to this level. Yes, those early days of the WNBA were a bit rougher with conversations within the league about how to address the gay and lesbian presence in the league. I look at growing up, playing YMCA, and then all through middle school and high school. Bob Levey/Getty Images (left), Dylan Buell/Getty Images (right). While the NBA continues to be at the forefront of providing more opportunities for women officials, other leagues such as the NFL and the American Hockey Association (the NHLs minor league affiliate) have taken strides in recent years with hiring their first women officials. My dad has been my biggest role model as a referee, but my mom and brother have been right there along the way, too. Jelks, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, has joined a select group of female NBA referees which includes Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Natalie Sago, Jenna Schroeder, Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling. All that self-affirmation has finally come full circle. The high-level developmental league had 4 players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. Cheryl Flores refereed 12 regular season games during the 2021-22 NBA season. Thirteen of the 31 referees in the WNBA are women. Here are the key stats on players and teams involved. What role has basketball played in your life and how did it lead to a career as an official? Simone Jelks worked her first game in the NBA in 2019. Behrens observed that there was an inclusive culture before she arrived at the NBA and WNBA in 2000, and she executed a plan to amplify it. I can remember walking out on the court and it almost brought tears to my eyes, seeing them in the stands and cheering for me. I think theres a culture of inclusion here that everyone has a part in, she said. Played in high school, went to college, and played Division II. Early on, the opportunities to even get on the floor with a high school association came through the father of a teammate that I played with in college. It seemed overdue.. Then, I went everywhere. I got into it, so that transformed into playing and refereeing. It is the abilities. I started bartending. While standing on the free-throw extended line during a timeout, Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling recalls a quiet yet powerful moment early in her NBA officiating career. I first started loving basketball probably before I could even walk and I was going around the playground with him. Natalie Sago has reffing in her blood. She spends most of her free time digesting film or talking with her coworkers about ways to improve her craft when she's not spending time with her family. Sometimes when youre doing new challenges, it can create insecurities and self-doubt. Cheryl, Robert, Matt and Dannica have demonstrated the ability and professionalism required to be a full-time NBA officiating staff member, said Monty McCutchen, the NBAs senior vice president overseeing referee development and training. However, women referees face different kinds of scrutiny than their male counterparts. NBA female refs: Who are all the female referees in the NBA

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