KFDM COOP Posted October 12, 2008 Report Posted October 12, 2008 Female referee finds comfort on football field Yvonda Lewis used to wear a hairnet. She doesn’t work in the food service industry, although some have suggested she belongs in the kitchen. Lewis used the nylon net and bobby pins to stuff her hair under a black cap, part of the disguise she wore on the football field as the only female official in the Houston area. Now, Lewis is one of three female high school football officials in Texas. Despite receiving her share of verbal abuse from coaches, players and fans, she is working with the Southwestern Athletic Conference and trying to get a job in the Big 12. Lewis, 37, no longer hides her shoulder-length black hair. She lets it hang loosely from the back of her cap, letting everyone know that yes, she is a woman, and yes, she has a place on a field where many think only men should tread. “I love the game of football,†Lewis said. “I love sports, and although a lot of people don’t think a woman belongs out here on a football field, I know that it is exactly where I belong.†The journey hasn’t always been pleasant. Some coaches have told Lewis to “get back in the kitchen,†and she has heard vulgar shouts from fans at many games. “For a while, there were more downs than ups, but I didn’t give up,†Lewis said. It would have been easy to do so. High school officiating isn’t lucrative, and Lewis has had plenty of success off the field. After graduating from Prairie View A&M, she worked for NASA in Colorado Springs, Colo. When she decided to buy a house in Houston, Lewis earned her real estate license and became an award-winning Realtor. Now, she works for Harris County in the information technology department. A different radio voice In 2004, Lewis began a radio career at KCOH. On The Sports Queens show, she offers a female perspective on local and national sports. “I have been very fortunate to do a lot of things in my lifetime,†she said. “Being a part of sports is something that is really important to me too, though, and I want to keep that a part of my life.†Lewis played basketball at Willowridge High School but doesn’t remember having females referee her games. “It was even uncommon for a female to ref girls sports,†she said. “Back then, I was thinking more about becoming a (basketball) star, so I didn’t think about it too much at the time.†When Lewis started on her mission to become an official, she turned to SWAC officials representative J.J. Johnson, who has more than 40 years of experience in high school and college. Johnson said he tried to talk Lewis out of the idea, but when he saw her determination, he decided he would coach her. “We worked on a lot of things, from knowing the rules to watching every aspect of the game to improving her running speed and sight of the field,†Johnson said. “She put forth a lot of effort in everything and has come a long way.†Johnson told Lewis before she officiated her first game that she would have to have a thick skin. He also encouraged her to learn something from every game. “We all make mistakes,†Johnson said. “I am still learning 40 years later, so I told her to stay calm, use her knowledge and pay attention.†The first high school game Lewis officiated was in Bay City more than four years ago. She heard shouts from fans who disapproved of having a woman on the field. She made it through the game, though, and afterward, one of the coaches told her she proved him wrong. That, Lewis said, was motivation. Enthusiasm abounds She officiates four to five games a week, from freshman to varsity level. She makes a point to always be on top of her game, which has won over some area coaches. “The thing I love about (Lewis) is that she is enthusiastic, and I think we have lost that a little in high school sports,†Foster football coach Mark Wiatrek said. “She knows the game, but more importantly, she loves the game, and you can tell when she is on the field. I think that is important. She doesn’t treat this like a job. It is fun for her.†Wiatrek said he, like others, was baffled the first time he saw Lewis show up to officiate one of his games. “I won’t lie. I thought to myself, ‘What is a woman doing out there?’ †he said. “But it didn’t take long for me to get over it, because she did a good job. I think most coaches would be the same way. It is a little different, but as long as she does a good job, we can’t complain at all.†It hasn’t always been fun. Lewis, 5-1, also used to umpire high school baseball, a job she has given up. Because of all the judgment calls in baseball, she could never prove herself to the coaches and players. “In football, it is a lot more technical,†she said. “If a coach wants to argue with me over a call, I can explain much easier why the call was made. In baseball, a lot of it is opinion.†Lewis is hardly the first female to take her spot on a football field. There have been a handful of college and high school female kickers. Sarah Thomas was the first woman to officiate a Division I football game in 2007 and is a regular in Conference USA. Lewis works the chains in the SWAC and is hoping to become an on-field official. She has also been in contact with the Big 12. “We are looking at making her our first on-the-field female official in the SWAC right now,†Johnson said. “That is how far she has come in a short time.†In order to make it, Lewis said she always brings her best. “You better know all the formations, the rules, be on top of all your P’s and Q’s,†Lewis said. “I don’t have the luxury of getting things wrong. I pay attention and study hard so I can pass every test and answer every question.†Knowing her rights And Lewis knows her way around a football field. She does not hesitate to throw a flag or blow her whistle. She also knows how to handle coaches who get out of line. “I know how to throw a flag and give 15 yards if a coach runs on the field to yell at me,†she said. “I don’t do that much, but I know what my rights as an official are.†Lewis hopes her journey can be instructional for other women. She said a few times a year a mother in the stands or a cheerleader will tell her how inspirational it is to see her on the field. And now, because of advice from Johnson, everyone on the field sees Lewis for who she is. “I told her to let that hair down, let people know she is a female out there,†Johnson said. “She needs to be proud and confident.†Lewis had no problem taking that advice. “When I started, I wanted to blend in with the others and not let on that I was different,†Lewis said. “Now, I am confident with my skills, and there is no reason for me not to be out there and be proud of the woman that I am.â€
HJ-Hawks25 Posted October 12, 2008 Report Posted October 12, 2008 Just like a surgeon, a referee needs to feel as confident as possible. If a surgeon messes up, they get a terrible hearing from people. If a referee messes up they'll get a loud boo from the crowd. (Thats a terrible comparison between a surgeon and a ref, but just saying ;D) Hopefully she'll feel more confident making calls on the field and will do better knowing she's not the only one. We probably need more lady refs anyways for the some guy refs i've seen making terrible calls lately.
Guest LR1969 Posted October 12, 2008 Report Posted October 12, 2008 Good Luck to her...could care less if it's a man or a woman as long as they have good eyesight...ha
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