Check out who is calling the shots— literally!
Jonathan Sanders, a senior majoring in psychology at the University of South Carolina, represented the Gamecocks April 21-24, 2016, at Ohio State University for the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) National Basketball Tournament. Sanders is a basketball official for Campus Recreation Intramural Sports at the University of South Carolina. In addition, he works with the South Carolina High School League and the Junior College League.
His journey started four years ago when he was asked to participate in intramural basketball. At the time, he knew nothing about the game. After intense training at the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center and studying the rulebook, Sanders was hooked.
“My experiences at the University of South Carolina have given me the opportunity to go to state and regional tournaments where I learned more advanced things, like specific rules and how to be a game manager,” Sanders said. “I learned how to deal with coaches when I got involved in the high schools.”
All of the student officials at the NIRSA National Basketball Tournament learned from past and current National Basketball Association (NBA) officials during the four days of training. NBA officials like Tyler Ford and Monty McCutchen taught students refereeing techniques. Sanders earned one of 12 spots for college students to officiate at the tournament. His most exciting moment was getting the opportunity to officiate one of the last games, and it went into triple overtime. Officials, like athletes, must put in hard work and preparation for success.
“I review film to see how I can improve for the next game, just like a player would,” he said. “I am looking to officiate higher levels of basketball sometime in my future. It’s funny because four years ago, I didn’t know anything about basketball. Now I have this passion to officiate for as long as I can.”
Sometimes the fate of a game lies in the decisions made by basketball officials. Any team would be fortunate to have an official like Sanders calling the shots, maintaining fairness, and honoring the game.