Norris Award to Honor Educator, Mentor
April 18, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Many of Jill Baker-Cooley’s favorite memories of officiating are funny ones, and she laughed last week recalling her first basketball game at the college level.
Fatigue was setting in quickly as she ran up and down the court during a Division III matchup at Calvin College. Teams played 20-minute halves, and she remembered wondering if halftime was coming up soon. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it. I thought I was going to die,” she said – and then she realized only four minutes had come off the clock and she had a long way to go.
She chuckled as well in recollecting another memory, but because it was drenched in irony. As an official starting out, she was encouraged to join an area officials association. She showed up for her first meeting at a local gym – and when she sat down in the bleachers, all of the men around her got up and sat in the stands on the other side.
But that would serve only as motivation, not discouragement, for this year’s Vern L. Norris Award winner.
“When I see how different it is now … back then it was just a fight,” said Baker-Cooley, now living in Big Rapids. “Not only trying to officiate, but you had to prove (yourself) every single time you stepped out there. It was a tough go for a while.
“I think at the time, you don’t realize it. But I’m not a quitter. And if I do quit or retire, it’s going to be on my terms.”
And she’s not done yet. Baker-Cooley is in her 39th year as an MHSAA-registered official, this school year for volleyball, cross country and track & field. She has worked MHSAA Finals in all three sports and 20 championship events total, in addition to officiating college volleyball and track as well and basketball at both levels during the first many years of her career.
The Norris Award is presented annually to a veteran official who has been active in a local officials association, has mentored other officials, and has been involved in officials’ education. It is named for Vern L. Norris, who served as executive director of the MHSAA from 1978-86 and was well-respected by officials on the state and national levels. Baker-Cooley will be honored at the Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 5 at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing. Norris initiated the annual officials celebration in 1980, and this will be the first since his death Feb. 12.
Baker-Cooley’s first MHSAA Final was her only one in cross country, at the end of the 1994 season. She has officiated five Finals for volleyball, most recently the Class C championship match in 2012, and 14 in track & field and as recently as 2015.
“Jill Baker-Cooley has been a strong, pioneering official, and is well-respected not only for her work during competition but for her many contributions to building up the officiating avocation in our state,” MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts said. “She’s personable and approachable, a valued teacher and mentor. We are delighted to honor Jill Baker-Cooley with the Norris Award.”
Baker-Cooley most recently has been affiliated with the West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association, Mid-Michigan Officials Association, Northern Sports Officials Association and Mecosta-Isabella-Clare Officials Association.
As noted above, the Norris Award salutes those who have contributed to mentoring and training officials, and education remains a cornerstone of Baker-Cooley’s work. She served more than 30 years as a school counselor, in admissions at Michigan Technological University and Montcalm Community College, as a grant recipient and academic counselor at Ferris State University and then working with high school students at the Wexford-Missaukee Career Technical Center.
That love of educating has been part of her officiating career as well, as she’s served as a volleyball trainer for three officials associations, presented at MHSAA “Train the Trainers” conferences four times and co-founded with 2006 Norris winner Jeanne Skinner the Ferris State Volleyball Officials Camp for those who work high school matches. She’s also served as president of the Association of Track Officials of Michigan (ATOM) and been involved with USA Track & Field, the Professional Volleyball Officials Association and the Michigan Board of Volleyball Officials.
“Jill Baker-Cooley is an educator in her primary vocation. Over many years, she has been able to translate her vocational skills exceedingly well and often into the realm of high school officiating,” wrote 2005 Norris winner Bruce M. Moss in recommending Baker-Cooley for this year’s award. “She has been a strong and continuous presence in her local officials association. Her efforts have lifted the expertise of innumerable officials across this state in all of the sports she touches, and she has been a true champion for women in sports officiating.”
Baker-Cooley is a 1974 graduate of Cadillac High School, where she raced on the ski team at a time when many schools were adding girls sports or expanding those offerings. She went on to earn bachelor and master’s degrees from Central Michigan University, then received further certification in administration and training from Western Michigan University.
While at CMU, Baker-Cooley took a basketball officiating class taught by Marcy Weston, a nationally recognized advocate for women’s athletics over more than four decades as a teacher, coach, official and athletic director. Baker-Cooley was hooked.
Longtime official Lew Clingman – who will receive his 50-year award at next month’s Officials’ Banquet – also served as an early mentor as Baker-Cooley navigated an officiating world where she said she was one of fewer than 10 women working basketball in Michigan when she first registered for 1976-77. Others, including Traverse City’s Barb Beckett (2000 Norris honoree), Skinner and Kentwood’s Betty Near also provided assistance and inspiration.
Baker-Cooley has received ATOM’s Judy Hagman Award recognizing women in track & field and/or cross country officiating. She received multiple honors for her work in education, including the 2014 Governor’s Economic Summit “Creative” Award for her efforts encouraging women to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers.
She retired from counseling at the start of 2016 and stopped officiating basketball a decade ago after knee injuries slowed her. But in addition to her MHSAA Finals, Baker-Cooley has officiated college league playoffs in volleyball and returned to Calvin a few seasons after that first basketball game as a table official for an NCAA Tournament contest in that sport.
Baker-Cooley also has participated in equestrian since childhood and continues to show horses with affiliation with the American Quarter Horse Association and American Paint Horse Association.
Previous recipients of the Norris Award
1992 – Ted Wilson, East Detroit
1993 – Fred Briggs, Burton
1994 – Joe Brodie, Flat Rock
1995 – Jim Massar, Flint
1996 – Jim Lamoreaux, St. Ignace
1997 – Ken Myllyla, Escanaba
1998 – Blake Hagman, Kalamazoo
1999 – Richard Kalahar, Jackson
2000 – Barb Beckett, Traverse City; Karl Newingham, Bay City
2001 – Herb Lipschultz, Kalamazoo
2002 – Robert Scholie, Hancock
2003 – Ron Nagy, Hazel Park
2004 – Carl Van Heck, Grand Rapids
2005 – Bruce Moss, Alma
2006 – Jeanne Skinner, Grand Rapids
2007 – Terry Wakeley, Grayling
2008 – Will Lynch, Honor
2009 – James Danhoff, Richland
2010 – John Juday, Sr., Petoskey
2011 – Robert Williams, Redford
2012 – Lyle Berry, Rockford
2013 – Tom Minter, Okemos
2014 – Hugh R. Jewell, West Bloomfield
2015 – Sam Davis, Lansing
2016 – Linda Hoover, Marshall
2017 – Michael Gentry, Shelby Township
High school game officials with 20, 30, 40, 45 and 50 years of service also will be honored at the Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 5.
Fifteen officials with 50 or more years of service will be honored, along with 42 officials with 45 years. A 40-year award will be presented to 65 officials. In addition, 107 officials with 30 years and 182 officials with 20 years of experience will be honored. With the induction of this year’s group of 411, the honor roll of officials who have aided young student-athletes grows to 11,006 since the inception of the banquet in 1980.
Tickets for the banquet are available to the public and priced at $20. They will not be sold at the door. Tickets can be ordered by calling the MHSAA office at (517) 332-5046 or by sending the order form. Deadline to order is April 27.
MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
20, 30, 40, 45 & 50-YEAR OFFICIALS
The officials on this list will receive their 20, 30, 40, 45 or 50-year service awards at the 39th annual Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 5 at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing.
20 YEAR OFFICIALS
Ada - Douglas R. Gaddy
Adrian - Lisa K. Rickaby
Allegan - Shane A. Wesseldyk
Alma - David H. Justin
Atlantic Mine - Bucky S. Beach
Auburn - Alan M. Berner
Bath - James M. Cramer
Bay City - Craig S. Bauer
Bay City - Dale L. Clyde
Bay City - Tommie R. Gonzales
Bay City - Richard L. Haga
Bay City - Thomas M. Jablonski
Beaverton - James L. Latocki
Berkley - Charles Dzwigalski
Bloomfield Hills - Matthew T. McDermott
Brighton - Stephen V. Pontoni
Brownstown - Anthony Terry
Brownstown Township - Earl C. Duby Jr.
Burton - Andrew J. Gehrig
Burton - Kevin R. Hall
Burton - Keith Y. Richardson
Byron Center - Peggy A. Bruin
Cadillac - Robert J. Nelson
Cadillac - Michael L. Stump
Calumet - Joel L. Keranen
Camden - Jeff A. Clark
Canton - Jay S. Obsniuk
Canton - Keith R. Jungquist
Chelsea - Jesse J. Berkebile
Clinton Township - Devlin D. Bell
Clinton Township - Steven N. Price
Clyde Township - Kathie D. Toth
Coleman - Richard L. Bradford
Commerce Township - Rob Witherspoon
Conklin - Michael R. Dunnuck
Davisburg - Christopher J. King Jr.
Davison - Matthew M. Newcomb
Dearborn - William S. Deckert
Detroit - DaCory S. Cooper
Detroit - Timothy J. Ebendick
Detroit - Lamard H. Howell
Detroit - Rickie M. Miller
Detroit - Duane J. Threatt
DeWitt - Martin E. Kolka
DeWitt - Robert Schafer
Dexter - Robert J. Wilker
Dorr - Shawn E. Wyatt
Dowagiac - Bryan C. Henry
Dowagiac - Martin G. Smallbone
Elsie - Sonya K. Latz
Essexville - Bruce K. Moore
Farwell - Bryan M. Wieferich
Fenton - Michael R. Clapp
Fenton - Mike J. Harding
Flint - David Leyton
Flint - Rico L. Phillips
Flint - William E. Sargent
Flint - Harold V. Steinman
Flushing - Eric E. Smith
Galesburg - Patrick R. Griffin
Gaylord - Alan H. Pettis
Gaylord - Gordon H. Richardson
Goodrich - Robert D. Sanborn Jr.
Gowen - John J. Derylo Jr.
Grand Blanc - Randall D. Lewis
Grand Ledge - Dan L. Fuller
Grand Rapids - Christian S. Bileth
Grand Rapids - Paul A. Holwerda
Grand Rapids - Jack L. Wolf
Grandville - Mark P. Howells
Greenville - Linda J. Ruwersma
Grosse Pointe Woods - Bob Blair
Highland Park - Anthony C. Ball
Hillsdale - Jacquelyn K. Snook
Holland - Larry VanWieren
Holt - Jeff P. Therrian
Houghton - Amy M. Evans
Hudson - Robert S. Shewman
Hudsonville - Edward A. Steenbergen
Ironwood - Sam W. Fontecchio
Jackson - Andrew L. Rieman
Jackson - John M. Wilkins
Jenison - Tate A. Jesky
Jenison - Leonid F. Petrenko
Jerome - Ryan K. McClain
Kalamazoo - Michael A. Nowak
Kalamazoo - Nicholas R. Schirripa
Kalamazoo - Delphis Stokes Sr.
Kentwood - Poj Chanopas
Kentwood - William E. Mumper
Kentwood - Daniel R. Stevens
Kincheloe - Jeffrey A. Clark
Kingsford - David A. Paoli
Lansing - Susan K. Cheadle-Holt
Lansing - Fredrick E. Galloway
Lansing - Lonnie Marshall Jr.
Lawrence - Matthew R. Whitman
Livonia - Michael R. Fenbert
Livonia - Anthony K. Hall
Livonia - Mark J. Michels
Lowell - Keith A. Millhisler
Manistee - Robert W. Hallead
Manistique - Everett M. Wood III
Marinette - David L. Klegin
Marinette - Tom P. Mailand
Marquette - Steven D. Holman
Marquette - Curtiss J. Umstead
Marquette - Bret M. Zorza
Mason - Graig A. Hayes
Mason - Angela L. Madden
Maumee - Chris E. Steiner
Mayville - David C. Patterson
Melvindale - Patrick S. Frederick
Midland - Dennis M. Sentz
Midland - Joseph L. Squires
Midland - Patrick D. Wilkins
Midland - Andrew P. Wolf
Mt. Pleasant - David G. Grinzinger
Muskegon - Ken E. Overla
Negaunee - Bryon K. Nelson
Newport - Shaun Demers
Niles - Timothy J. Gean
Oak Park - Wheeler A. Winslow (Tee)
Onsted - Elizabeth A. Chase
Ortonville - Robert A. Eisiminger Jr.
Otsego - Richard L. Sincler
Owosso - Jon C. Carroll
Owosso - Kyle W. Nesbit
Paw Paw - James H. Alden
Peck - Jeffrey A. Kosal
Petoskey - William R. Brown
Pinckney - William T. Shaw
Pontiac - Peter T. Long
Port Huron - Philip J. Jensen
Portage - Michael A. Baker
Rochester Hills - Angelo P. Matera
Rockford - Anthony R. Kuhtz
Rockford - Sandy J. Peterson
Rockford - Danny R. Sapp
Rosebush - Jeffrey E. Hohlbein
Rudyard - James A. Myers
Saginaw - James R. Clark
Saginaw - Steven E. Swanton
Sanford - John P. VanHolstyn
Sault Ste. Marie - Brad M. Bosbous
Sault Ste. Marie - Theo J. Hendriks
Schoolcraft - Paul L. Schonveld
Shelby Township - Christopher H. Craft
South Lyon - Kenneth M. Landis
Southfield - Timothy J. Adams
Southfield - John H. Barnhill III
Southgate - Gregory S. St. John
Spring Arbor - Michael D. Raffin
Spring Lake - Rollie C. Madison II
St. Ignace - Mark Elmblad
St. Johns - Frederick G. Gibbs
St. Louis - Richard W. Crowley
Sterling Heights - Daniel M. Kellogg
Sterling Heights - Raymond E. Lemanski
Sterling Heights - James M. Whitbread
Swartz Creek - Ronald H. Huffman
Three Rivers - David T. McGee
Traverse City - Thomas A. Cosgrove
Traverse City - Benjamin R. Post
Trenton - Frank R. Garcia
Trenton - Gary A. Gilliand
Troy - Shane F. Bies
Tustin - Ron l. Thompson
Union Lake – D. John Andrews
Wakefield - Loraine S. Mussatti
Walker - Erin L. Windemuller
Walled Lake - Larry E. Wilinski
Warren - Dennis W. Donald
Warren - Richard D. Massad
Warren - Gary L. Wagenschutz
West Bloomfield Township - Charles O. Redden
West Branch - John C. Dowd
West Branch - Jeffrey M. Wade
Whitmore Lake - Brian Bower
Whitmore Lake - Jeremy R. Valentine
Whittemore - Brian K. Ragels
Woodhaven - John G. Presnell
Wyoming - Travis M. Plain
30 YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian - Carl J. Harsh
Allen Park - Timothy Turgyan
Ann Arbor - Curtis T. Howard
Ann Arbor - Godwin C. Okonkwo
Bath - Russell A. Hewitt
Battle Creek - Russell D. Bortell
Battle Creek - Michael L. Brown
Bay City - Robert .J Kohn
Belmont - Douglas J. Peterman
Berrien Springs - Dale R. Yoder
Beulah - Robert B. Bennett
Boyne City - Jim A. Kozlowski
Byron Center - Donald E. Walker
Cadillac - Douglas J. Sprik
Caledonia - David A. Poplawski
Caro - DJ J. Svacha
Channing - Michael R. Roell
Charlevoix - Thomas W. Dycio
Davison - Roger L. Westenfeld
Dearborn Heights - Andrew T. Sitarski
Deckerville - Douglas B. Kirkpatrick
Detroit - Nikito K. Merchant
Detroit - Walter R. Strong Sr.
Dexter - Mark R. Stroia
Fairgrove - Sky L. Carolan
Flint - Roger R. Brownell
Flint - Stephen P. Tesler
Flushing - Alvin D. Calloway
Flushing - Betty M. Cowden
Gaylord - Charles J. Lovelace
Gladstone - Kendall L. Apelgren
Gladstone - Gregory T. Rubick
Gladstone - Todd A. Salo
Goshen - Larry Nantkes
Grand Rapids - Scott E. Allen
Grand Rapids - Joel L. Potter
Grand Rapids - Daniel Powell
Grand Rapids - Kevin J. Raymond
Grand Rapids - Jeffrey A. Trimpe
Grayling - Richard Robbins
Hartford - George D. Friday
Hillsdale - Brian M. Eves
Howell - James D. Garofalo
Hudsonville - William P. VanderVelde
Iron Mountain - Robert J. Boyle
Jackson - Kenneth D. King
Jackson - Mick D. Linderman
Jackson - Mary Anne Papiersky
Jenison - Joe T. Piccione
Kalamazoo - John A. Du Bois
Kalamazoo - Jerry A. Mastenbrook
Lansing - Mark A. Bates
Ludington - Dale D. Horowski
Ludington - Mike Winczewski
Manistee - Randy M. Ronning
Midland - James L. Martin
Milford - Douglas A. Flees
Millington - Jeffrey Yorke
Monroe - Jon P. La Beau
Mt. Morris - John C. Montney
Muskegon - Dennis R. Jones
Muskegon - William F. Sorensen
Muskegon - William J. Young
New Baltimore - Daniel P. DiCristofaro
Northville - Leonard J. Piner
Northville - Lee A. Scafidi
Norton Shores - Scott R. Wieman
Okemos - Keith W. Byrd
Osseo - Bruce W. Keeling
Parchment - Kirk J. Strehlow
Paw Paw - Terry R. Fosdick
Perry - Joel R. Crane
Plymouth - David J. Workman
Portage - Randall S. Schau
Portland - Frederick L. Kramer
Rockford - Douglas J. McIntyre
Roseville - Robert W. Meyer
Rudyard - David Bourgeault
Rudyard - Gary W. Davis
Saginaw - Dale W. Brown
Saginaw - Patrick W. Hart
Saginaw - Brad Rhora
Sault Ste Marie - Bryan D. Marger
Southgate - Reginald E. Smith
St. Johns - Fred E. Wright
St. Joseph - Gregg A. Buschlen
Stevensville - Denny L. Dock
Taylor - Mickey G. Turcheck
Toledo - Mark T. DeNucci Sr.
Twin Lake - Joseph J. Gabriel
Ubly – H. Jerry Osentoski
Warren - Malcolm D. Pennington III
Warren - Jackson D. White Jr.
Washington - Thomas J. Polite
West Bloomfield - Daniel Camarena
Westland - Gary S. Gaspas
Westland - William J. Strang
White Cloud - James J. Smith Jr.
White Lake - Bruno H. Molin
Whitehall - Charles Hiltz
Wixom - Charles A. Phillipson
Wyandotte - Jay F. Steffensky
Wyoming - Steven A. Bilski
Wyoming - Theodore R. Simons
Wyoming - Paul E. Titchenell
Ypsilanti - Jerry L Massey
40 YEAR OFFICIALS
Alpena - Scott A. MacKenzie
Ann Arbor - Erich S. Schifter
Battle Creek - Daniel V. Eversole
Berkley - Charles A. Tyrrell
Boyne City - Peter C. Moss
Bronson - Randy H. Houtz
Brown City - Curt D. Lowe
Bruce Crossing - Robert J. Franti
Buchanan - Dale E. Matteson
Buchanan - Larry A. Monsma
Burton - Thomas E. Rau Sr.
Cheboygan - Peter A. Stempky
Conklin - Gary J. Meerman
East Lansing - Bruce W. Heeder
Flint - Joseph H. Johnson Sr.
Flushing - David P. Cowden
Fowler - Dean L. Schrauben
Frankenmuth - David C. Auernhamer
Frankfort - Peter T. Olson
Grand Rapids - William D. Dripchak Jr.
Grand Rapids - Delbert M. Fend
Grand Rapids - Todd M. VandenAkker
Grosse Pointe Park - Joseph M. Macksoud
Holland - Craig K. Kuipers
Holt - Michael A. Clark
Houghton - Roy A. Britz
Iron Mountain - Robert C. Barkle
Ironwood - Dennis L. Routheaux
Jackson - Steven C. Town
Jenison - James Kerbel
Lake Isabella - James L. Novar
Lambertville - Jon D. Jones
Lansing - Archie C. Mills
Linden - John Cross
Ludington - Richard Catt
Madison Heights - Joseph E. Marcinkowski
Manistee - Rod K. Worch
Midland - David C. Millhisler
Midland - Bob W. Ribble
Muskegon Heights - Johnny R. Robinson
Negaunee - Megs S. Collins
Novi - James S. Kowalczyk
Okemos - Heidi J. Doherty
Oxford - Donald J. Maskill Jr.
Petoskey - Paul A. VanWagoner
Plymouth - Charles M. Hempel
Port Hope - Gene Schuett
Port Huron - Donald A. Button Sr.
Portage - Richard M. Bird
Portage - Robert J. Burch
Posen - Donna M. Couture
Prescott - Charles J. Wren
Rapid River - Dale M. Jamison
Richland - Mike A. Foster
Richland - Michael W. Stripp
Roseville - Robert W. Iwasko Sr.
Shelby Township - Michael R. Gentry
South Lyon - Dan Riggs
Sterling Heights - Jack Abbate Jr.
Taylor - Clayton S. Conner
Toivola - Joe A. Romano
Toledo - Tom Ladd
Trenton - Richard B. Weiss
Warren - Vern C. Rottmann
White Lake - Bob W. Lorenz
45 YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian - Gary E. Laskowsky
Ann Arbor - Michael H. Parsons
Bay City - Paul A. Anderson
Bronson - Keith R. Dykman
Canton - David H. Mattingly
Caseville - Daniel Korbutt
Comstock Park - Stanley J. Hill
DeWitt - Raymond L. Barnes
Dowagiac - Randy J. Melvin
East Jordan - H. Michael Burr
East Lansing - John H. Southwick
Escanaba - Daniel T. Flynn
Fenton - Hewitt R. Judson
Fruitport - David W. Fisher
Grand Blanc - William R. Chilcutt
Grand Rapids - James L. Groendyke
Grandville - William R. Garrett
Kalamazoo - Charles Hartman
Kalamazoo - David L. Turley
Lansing - Jerry Sutter
Leesburg - John F. Long
Livonia - Steven A. Boyak
Livonia - John D. Dunn
Ludington - Roger D. Chappel
Marlette - Jerry L. Sauder
Marquette - Gene E. Aho
Monroe - Gary E. Nowitzke
North Muskegon - Donald E. Bourdon
Norway - Raymond P. Bray
Ontonagon - John E. Gravier
Port Huron - James E. Allen Jr.
Posen - Charles S. Wozniak
Rodney - Jeffrey C. Greene
Rogers City - Michael J. Grulke
Saginaw - Richard L. Havercroft
South Haven - Robert W. Linderman
South Lyon - Richard M. Gibson
Stevensville - Bruce P. Arter
Traverse City - Tom C. Post
Trenton - Frank Jaskula
West Bloomfield - Anthony Magni
Whitehall - Chuck Hulce
50 YEAR OFFICIALS
Bad Axe - Lee W. Kahler
Dearborn - Eugene L. Smith
Flint - Joseph D. Ragnone
Grand Blanc - Thomas W. Evans
Grand Rapids - Lewis B. Clingman
Grandville - Steve D. Start
Grayling - Clayton F. Brown
Hopkins - Mark F. Austin
Iron Mountain - Richard P. Olds
Lake Orion - G. Timothy Curtis
Muskegon - Michael R. Henry
New Boston - Richard F. Nicholson
Paw Paw - Robert C. Adams
Roseville - James D. Hillock
Wyandotte - Stephen J. Semetko
PHOTO: MHSAA official Jill Baker-Cooley monitors the action during the 2012 Class C championship match at Kellogg Arena.
Working Together to Give Teams Their Best, Dechow & Crew Win Every Time Out
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
October 22, 2021
Football historians can debate this forever.
Tonight at Rodes Field in Kingsley – perhaps for the first time in Michigan High School Athletic Association history – three teams with perfect records will meet each other on the same football field in the same game.
Two of them, Traverse City St. Francis, and Kingsley, are playing for the right to boast of an undefeated regular season and an outright conference championship. The third team and its captain — better known as the referee crew — has already been assigned a first-round playoff game by the MHSAA.
Where they will go hasn’t been determined, but Joe Dechow’s crew knows it will referee at least two rounds this postseason. The veteran crew already has assignments from MHSAA but just like the schools, the crew is waiting for the postseason pairings to be announced Sunday.
Dechow, the crew leader and an MHSAA 41-year veteran official, will put on his white cap and be ready for the 7 p.m. kickoff tonight knowing Kingsley/St. Francis is a big, big game. Dechow’s crew members will go into kickoff confident they know at least one team that will win, just like every game they’ve done together for about the last 20 years are so.
“We always win,” Dechow jested.
But how officials define their victories is different, Dechow explained.
Taking the field with Dechow tonight will be umpire Joe Johnson, back judge Roark Pargeon, line judge Brett Spalding, head linesman Jeff Bretzke, side judge Peter Moss, and field judge Rick Zych. All seven officials worked together in the Betsie Valley Officials Association for many years and have continued together as a crew with the Northern Sport Officials Association after the two combined a few years ago.
“We don’t win or lose, but we’re a still a team,” he said. “One of the great things about working with the same guys for years and years is you know where people are going to be, and you know how they’re going to take care of things.
“It is a trust factor, ‘cuz it’s a team.”
Dechow’s team has taken the field every week for decades for the benefit of student-athletes. Moss has been an MHSAA registered official for 44 years. Spalding and Zych have been registered 36 years. Bretzke, Johnson and Paragon follow with 22, 20 and 16 years of MHSAA service, respectively. All officiate at least two sports.
Dechow was on the wrestling and football teams at Maple City Glen Lake High School. Upon graduating, he started officiating wrestling — at the age of just 18.
“That got interesting, you know, because you go from a player to a ref all at once and all these old coaches are looking at you like ‘Who are you, kid?’” Dechow recalled.
Dechow has been officiating football for 36 years and was a registered wrestling official for 15. There have been a few times he’s considered giving up the white cap that signals he’s the game’s referee. (The white cap originated to benefit television viewers for college and the National Football League.)
The referee has general oversight and control of the game. Dechow is the final authority for the score, the number of a down in case of a disagreement, and all rule interpretations when a debate arises among the other officials. He’s also the only official who wears a white hat; all the other officials wear black hats.
The “white hat” also announces all penalties and confers with the offending team’s captain, monitors the quarterback area during the game, requests the linesmen to bring the yardage chains in for first down measurements and notifies the head coach of player ejections.
Dechow was ready to put his white hat down for a while when he first attempted to give up refereeing due to family and career demands. He was planning to get out and was asked to help another crew for a “few” games.
“I was going to just do a couple of games, and then somebody else quit and I wound up getting back into it,” he said. “There was another white hat that had left just before the season started … so all of sudden I started hearing ‘Do you still have a white hat? Would you like to maybe …’
“So I did.”
Dechow’s crew has seen a lot of changes in MHSAA football during their careers. Rules to improve safety have been their favorites. They have also seen the addition of 8-player football and the use of two-way radios.
But it’s positive changes in sportsmanlike conduct among players, coaches and fans Dechow excitedly singles out.
Everyone, Dechow notes, is noticing the lower number of recruits joining the current officials in all MHSAA sports.
“More people appreciate the fact that we have to be out there, and we’re not out there to get anybody,” he said. “By and large the coaches are great.
“Of course they are emotional and of course they are pulling for their team and they’re going to argue for the right outcome for them,” he continued. “Over the last several years we have seen an absolutely marked change in people – spectators, players and coaches — all providing a lot more respect the officials.”
The crew had tonight’s game on its schedule at the beginning of the season. The guys couldn’t help looking ahead to how big a game it could be.
St. Francis coach Josh Sellers and Kingsley coach Tim Wooer probably had a better idea of how big a game it could be when they — and football enthusiasts all over Northern Michigan — likely circled it on the calendar. Kingsley won last year’s match 36-23 at Thirlby Field, the Gladiators’ home turf.
This year the Stags host with the Northern Michigan Football Conference’s Legends division championship on the line.
“Sports mean a lot to kids,” Dechow pointed out. “They meant a lot to us.
“That’s why we’re out there.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) “White hat” Joe Dechow talks things over with crew members Roark Pargeon (left) and Brett Spalding during this season’s Mancelona/LeRoy Pine River varsity football game. (Middle) Those three plus Jeff Bretzke (middle) and Joe Johnson (second from right) huddle up. (Below) Dechow and Johnson confer with Mancelona coach Dan Derrer. (Photos by Miles Postema.)