Best Moments Of The Week
Not everyone can pinpoint their best moments of each week. At this time of year, I certainly can. It’s a well-orchestrated special event.
I’ve been officiating high school football for 25 years and was recently recognized by the Arizona Football Officials Association (AZFOA) for hanging around so long. A tremendous honor from a peer group for which I have tremendous respect.
So – on Friday nights during the football season for two-and-a-half decades, there’s that specific time that highlights my week:
6:45 p.m. – local high school public address announcer, often a teacher or other volunteer, uses his best voice to thank all the 
sponsors, which usually include a local pizza place, a nearby insurance agency and a couple businesses owned by parents of football or band parents.
6:50 p.m. — R.O.T.C. students march to the 50-yard line to present colors.
6:52 p.m. – high school band plays its best rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.
6:57 p.m. – captains of the football team come to the center of the field for the coin toss.
6:59 p.m. – after a weekly joke for our huddled-up crew from one of my co-officials, I jog to my position on the goal line, often with blaring, ground-shaking “kick-off” music, such as:
- “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC
- “Enter Sandman” by Metallica
- “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses
7 p.m. – kick-off!
I get goosebumps every time I think about it!
Do you have 15 minutes that great in your week?
