ncaa referee bert smith age

I have known that I wanted to referee long before I owned my first whistle. After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. Referee data is available for the 1988-89 through 2022-23 seasons. Referee Bert Smith is taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing during the first half of an Elite 8 game between Gonzaga and Southern California during the first half of an Elite 8 game . Well get there, but right now were moving too fast. The support and love was just overwhelming. I love that we are the only participants who are not allowed to fail. Everyones joking with him now. He mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Bert Smith, Raymond Styons. Im letting the paint dry.. The doctor says, Thats what Im taking you out on., I said: Listen, Doc, Im walking out of here. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their careand understands their stretcher subterfuge. He felt wobbly and the next thing he remembers seeing is the ceiling of the stadium. A former employee at Avis Car Rental, he dropped that job to officiate full time in 2010. No matter who you meet, you have to deal with them as people who deserve the best from you. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Smiths also grateful that his health scare, if it was going to happen,took place during the NCAA Tournament and not when he was driving or sleeping. Smith tested positive for the coronavirus in August, but doctors cant say whether theres a correlation between COVID-19 and his blood clot. Smith's fall to the ground. Bert Smith, the official who collapsed during the Elite Eight, believes his fall could have saved his life. You meet people persons, individual persons, team players and egomaniacs. Might as well walk fast, too. When I am out on the field working a game I am mentally and physically completely focused on doing the job right. Read More Referee Bert Smith collapses on the court during the first half of an Elite 8 game between Gonzaga and Southern California in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Lucas Oil . Smith, have a good night, I thought they had done a good job, he says, but because she wanted to know why I fell, we got the answer. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. They strapped me in! The unnecessary replay of Bert. Smith trains year round on a treadmill or stationary bike, and gets in other workouts like when the family goes to Disney World in Florida and Smith says they dont need a stroller for their grandson, Karter. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Smith says the fall and subsequent battery of testing was a life-saving ordeal. To me, he offers an aside: Hes taking advantage of a guy in a weakened position., The doc says, Swing your legs around. I swing my legs around, and they go: Click-click-click-click. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.. Another was former Indiana State coach Greg Lansing. It does not store any personal data. It was fun and stress-free officiating, and I was able to help pay for college. Being able to handle situations that arise separates the average official from the capable arbiter. Officiating In Perspective with Barry Mano, Amid cancer fight, NBA ref Tony Brown returning to work, Recruiting & Retention: What WorkedWhat Didnt, Next Level Softball Umpiring Free Email Series, High School Volleyball Officials Quiz 2023. Who parks in the farthest spot from the entrance to Kroger? Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital. He wasnt one of those guys you couldnt talk to. Written By. Thats his wife of 33 years. The hugs were pretty intense, Smith says, and hes talking slowly again. Yeah man, you were staggering like you were fighting Ali., You were asking Mark Few for a job application because you were on his bench., Next thing you know, you were back in the ring again with Ali and you went down like a tree in a forest!. We make the calls and put up with the jeers because we love officiating. A few hours later, his officiating friends joined him at the hotel and suggested he go to the hospital to be evaluated for a concussion, just in case. It kept me going.. Their goalie tried leaping to his left View the profiles of professionals named "Bert Smith" on LinkedIn. Smith was admitted into Methodist and put on blood thinners. Officials figure they run at least four miles during a game, and its not a jog but a series of sprints. My uniforms were enormous, and I stepped on my flag but I felt as big as the world! There were ones from coaches, ones from colleagues, ones from family, one even from an NFL official hed never met. Bert Smith . You never know whats going to happen. I thought he was a good official, a fair official, and when you saw him at a game, you knew you were going to get a good whistle from him., Smith says well see him at games next season I could work again in seven to 10 days, he says but for now he wants to thank some people publicly. They insisted more. I continue to coach high school soccer. Im happy I did it around a bunch of people who had the ability to help me.. Over the years Ive been blessed with so many highlights but have found a simple phrase that sums it all up: Special Soccer Moments, derived from the poem June Goal, written by my Dad in 1976. Why I love officiating can be simply put as it has given me the opportunity to work with and be associated with some of the finest individuals that walk the face of this earth. It puts in perspective the value of each day, because we all go through our lives were all guilty of it and we just live, right? He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. I love officiating because of the challenge. Are you going to tell Bert Smith hes out of shape? More than a week later, he hasnt watched the moment. If youve ever experienced a buzzer-beater, thats what Im talking about. Then again, isnt that what Bert Smith has always done? After his nationally televised fall, Smith had more than 500 texts, emails and calls to return, and by Wednesday hed returned them all. He told the Star he's happy it happened during the Elite Eight when he could get the right help he needed rather than during an instance when he was driving or sleeping. The arrival at the arena, the pregame, being with various partners, the competition, the players, coaches, ambience, the focus and concentration needed on each possession. Do we give an extra hug enough? Hes a motivational speaker and diversity recruiter in addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. Another year passed and my father finally allowed me to become a certified referee. I was seven years old and wanted to learn everything he learned each day when he got home from practice. 10,797 Ncaa Referee Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO basketball referee 10,797 Ncaa Referee Premium High Res Photos Browse 10,797 ncaa referee stock photos and images available, or search for basketball referee to find more great stock photos and pictures. Dr. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? He said the fall was related to a blood clot in his lung. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. I hate the fact I passed out in the Elite Eight, he says, but you know what? He gets exercise any time he can and officiates around 90 games a year for the NCAA. No, he said hed walk off under assistance. By age 11, I was organizing all the neighborhood kids in pick up games and by age 14, I got certified to referee and started coaching. So when I went off to college I had to work and was asked what I might enjoy doing, I said, Sports. I was hired on the intramural staff and was paid $3 an hour to officiate co-ed flag football, womens basketball and co-ed softball. When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day. Soccer has enriched my life ever since that fateful day in 1973 when my brother came home and said he made the high school soccer team. Some are destined for greatness, some for failure. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Katie Trammels stock is up with me in the Smith family book, he says, laughing. We Shouldn't Have Watched It Twice. Look at those crossed arms. People in the building, and I was one of them, thought he was dead. After completing my doctorate, I returned to officiating. He'll just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes,they'll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. Referee Bert Smith collapsed on the floor and had to be taken off on a stretcher. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. Brett Smith, an NCAA college basketball referee, collapsed during a game. For the following few years, I officiated some while pursuing my masters in nursing and then my doctorate. Look at that picture again. Smith does rememberthe play before it:Gonzagas Andrew Nembhard stealing the ball and going the other way, but now the action is coming back toward the USC basket, where Smith had remained hed been unable to run the court as Nembhard finished at the rim and Smith is wondering whats going on. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Its deep, and its contagious. Knowing how to communicate with players, coaches and officials when the game is on the line requires great skill and finesse. Hes not wobbly, no blurry vision, nothing. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. As the doctor says: Sometimes you dont get a red flag. Players on both teams returned to their benches. I do it because I love the ballgame. Has it cued up on his iPad and everything. Earlier: Tonight's Elite Eight game between Gonzaga and USC was stopped momentarily after veteran referee Bert Smith collapsed on the court. OK, so the night of March 29. Turns out, nope, no concussion. Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? Bert Smith doesnt remember any of that and hasnt seen a replay of his fall, though he says hes almost ready to watch. First as an athlete growing up in Buffalo, a high school small forward, receiver and 400-meter runner, then some junior college basketball. Each week, Id tag along with dad and his crew to whatever game they had scheduled. They strapped me in! These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Referee Bert Smith is taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing during the first half of an Elite 8 game between Gonzaga and Southern California during the first half of an Elite 8 game . Youre going to get on one side, hes going to get on the other, were going to wave to the fans, and Im walking out of here.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Do we give an extra hug enough? Thats normal to huff-and-puff, right? I appreciate that officiating has contributed lots of exercise and has helped to keep me in good health. Bert. Subscribe to get the Referee.com Review every week plus periodic free training and special offers on the sports you officiate. Smith is the college basketball official who passed out during the 2021 NCAA region final between Gonzaga and Southern California, toppling over like a fallen tree his description his body. Look at that picture again. Im very grateful. Every chance I get, I want to get my heart rate up, says Smith, 56, who takes the court 90 times a year with elite NCAA athletes. Andy Lyons/Getty NCAA Reveals Budget for Men's Basketball Tournament Is Almost Twice as Much the Women's Reporters Ross Dellenger and Jeff Borzello later tweeted that, according. That is definitely what drives me. Hes feeling wobbly, so wobbly. Referee Bert Smith was taken off the court on a stretcher after collapsing to the court during the first half of the NCAA men's tournament Elite Eight matchup between USC and Gonzaga on Tuesday. Smith is the college basketball official who passed out during themen's NCAA Tournamentregional final between Gonzaga and Southern California, toppling over like a fallen tree his description his body prone and unmoving, his eyes open and unseeing, a Gonzaga trainer frantically waving for help. Heres where Im tell him about that Kelly Wilkinson picture, how he looks so angry on the stretcher. Look at his scowl. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life. Video shows Cowboys Prescott taking snaps, moving well, Thamel: Millers firing tells truth about coaching in NCAA, Former Florida State, Giants WR arrested on murder charges, Rapinoe blasts Warriors Green for takes on womens sports, abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game, Smith told the Indianapolis Star's Gregg Doyel, later in the night that Smith was "alert and stable. Smiths pausing. Trammel wasnt as concerned with a CT scan on his skull as she was on why he fell in the first place. So was Karter. Do you know you went viral? she playfully asked. When I became old enough to referee, in my opinion, at the ripe age of nine I told my father my intentions and he explained that I was still too young to take an entry-level class. But first, Smith had to get stretchered off the floor, something he was adamantly against. Two hours later, she returned into the room with the test results. What I mean is that we are the upholders of the integrity of the game. They strapped me in! The passion I felt when I played is still there for me when I officiate and I can feel that passion on the court. Next thing he remembers, hes looking at the ceiling of Lucas Oil Stadium. Its the best seat in the house. [1] It was the 68th annual edition of the tournament. You could talk to him during a game. Everything was normal. Something doesnt add up. Hell just carry Karter on his shoulders, and yes theyll use the stairs when everyone else rides the escalator. Moves fast? One of those people was Mike Fox, an independent contractor hired by the NCAA to help run the tournament and a basketball official himself. And they found out. You dont know where that clot was going next, he says. Its deep, and its contagious. And when next season arrives, you can expect to find Bert Smith on the hardwood. He's grumpy in the now-famous photo of him on it and told Doyel he was tricked. A replacement official was added to the crew after Smith collapsed. He was surrounded by medical professionals and eventually was helped on to a stretcher. Gallows humor, you call it, and its pretty funny, how Bert Smiths buddies tease him. Smith told the publication. We make mistakes but we make them with the honest attempt to be right 100 percent of the time; I like being held to that high standard. I didnt miss a game that season, because working the games was my therapy. Heres why: The doctor said, Listen, tell you what, why dont you just sit on the stretcher? I said OK, I can do that, Smith says and now hes laughing. Then he becomes a basketball official. Its not some routine youre doing day in and day out. Just over four minutes into the game between USC and Gonzaga, Bert . Before I started officiating I had a sister who lived in another county. You went down because you had a blood clot in your lung.. Hes a motivational speaker anddiversity recruiterin addition to being an NCAA referee, and I imagine hes awfully good at both. Referee Bert Smith is tended to by training staff and medical personnel after collapsing during the first half of the Elite Eight round game between the USC Trojans and the Gonzaga Bulldogs during . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Per the Star, he was treated at the stadium for two hours with vital checks on pulse, blood pressure and oxygen level that came back normal. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 6 seed USC. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". See Bert Smith? Now Bert Smith is laughing again. He is the current president of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, was the 2020 winner of the National Headliner Award as the country's top sports columnist and has twice been named North. By 1993 hes an NCAA Division I official. Do we give an extra hug enough? Well, says one of the doctors, at least sit on the stretcher. Fox News Flash top headlines for April 10. Shes an important part of this story.. He rarely uses the elevator. There was an error submitting your subscription. 2023 www.indystar.com. When hes telling a funny story, which happens quite a bit, Bert Smith talks quickly. the college basketball official who passed out during themen's NCAA Tournamentregional final between Gonzaga and Southern California, Latest NCAA Men's College Basketball Scores and Schedules, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. There is no swaying what we are attempting to do to make sure the game is played as fairly as possible. Also he mentions NCAA officiating coordinator J.D. Hes working Gonzaga-USC the next day, and Bert and his crew are staying in one of the NCAA bubble hotels, Le Meridien. She said: I got the answer to the question. Smith fell and was immediately attended to by medical personnel. Soccer was now firmly in my blood and forever would help mold and shape me. I love officiating because it has a Zen aspect to it: for those two hours, you are completely focused on the task at hand. Youve probably seen him. And how did the court get so blurry all of a sudden, like someone smeared it with. Sometimes it just hits you. I dont know which bucket Im in.. And without any rhyme or reason, the place where I feel the most at home, pacified and comfortable is on that soccer field. The minute my stripes are on, Im a part of a crew not an official with a disability. Smith told the Indianapolis Star's Gregg Doyel he doesn't remember falling and hasn't seen a replay, but what doctors found that night could have been life-saving. or redistributed. Eades, who at age 56 has worked three Final Fours and. They suggest he go to the hospital to get examined for a concussion, just to be sure. Berts on the sixth floor, and hes putting on his mask to run the stairs down to the fifth floor for ice, or to run up to the eighth floor to see his buddies. The doctors who cared for him at Lucas Oil Stadium, Pat Kersey and Luke Berghoff; he appreciates their care, and understands their stretcher subterfuge. I love the smell of the grass when you first walk out on the field when you get to the stadium. Smith abruptly collapsed during an Elite Eight game between No. 1 seed Gonzaga and No. However, minutes into the game, the NCAA tournament ended up experiencing a scary moment. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.

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