Many of the players that will take the field for the 39th Annual Kansas Shrine Bowl on July 25 will be performing before the largest crowd that’s ever attended any of their games. And that doesn’t even include a statewide television audience for the state’s premier All-Star game.
But despite the size of the audience, the actions of the players on the field will get the most scrutiny from the on-field officials, themselves all-stars in the sense that they’re among the best the state has to offer.
“If we’re going to have players and coaches that are among the best in Kansas, it makes sense to have the ‘cream of the crop’ in officials as well”, said Shrine Bowl Executive Director Dave Mize. “Each of our officials has proven to be among the elite in the state, and we take pride in having them lend their expertise to our game in order to give our fans the best overall product possible.”
Two area officials, Mike Oplotnik of Girard and Chetopa’s Gary Davis as well as parson’s Paul Yanez will be staffing the 2009 Kansas Shrine Bowl at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 25 at Wichita’s Cessna Stadium.
One reason that Shrine Bowl players are watched more carefully than they were in high school games is simply the number of eyes watching the play.
The Shrine Bowl uses a full complement of 7 officials, the same number used in college games, instead of the 5 officials that normally work high school games.
“It makes our games better managed”, Mize said. “We think that’s important, especially given the fact that the players on the field are elite athletes, and that plays develop at a speed that’s closer to a college game than a high school game.”
Dan Gillig of Pratt, who has officiated three Shrine Bowls, says the game is a lot of fun.
“You meet a lot of good officials from throughout the state, officials you wouldn’t meet otherwise,” Gillig said. “It’s really a laid-back atmosphere. It’s an honor for the kids (players) and an honor for the officials, and it’s a different kind of competition than during league play or the playoffs. It’s a celebration of the kids, and it is fun to officiate those games in that atmosphere.”
Gillig was well-acquainted with the Shrine Bowl even before he officiated his first game. He was a player in 1981 before his officiating career began in 1995. As a player, he remains the only Shrine Bowl participant ever selected from South Barber High School. He says officiating is a way to stay involved in the game.
“As a player, when you’re done with football, you’re done,” Gillig said. “It’s not like you can play a pickup game, like basketball or tennis. Officiating is a good outlet to still be involved in the game and still honor the competition of the game.”
To accommodate as many officials as possible, the Shrine Bowl selects 15 officials for each game. Seven work the first half, with seven new officials taking the field after halftime. The 15th official handles TV time-out duties, communicating information to the on-field officials. He also serves as a “backup” official in the unlikely event one of the on-field officials becomes sick or injured during the game. Officials are only invited to work three years in a row, before becoming inactive for at least one year.
“This system gives us some continuity from year to year”, says Mize, “but also allows us to include as many of our state’s outstanding officials as possible”.
Officiating a Shrine Bowl is a “labor of love” for those involved. The officials aren’t paid, and provide their own transportation to the game. Each receives a commemorative cap and a program, and of course the sincere “thanks” from Shrine Bowl organizers for their invaluable contributions.
Other officials for the 2009 game include Chuck Lozar, Santana; Kirk Simone, Silver Lake; Thomas Kearney, Olathe; Richard Sieker, Hays; Bill Linhart, Emporia; Chet Look, Stockton; Jared Giffin, Emporia; Jim Patton, Hiawatha; Benny Wallace, Clay Center; Tom Hawks, Smolan; Bill Hilbert, Meriden; and Jim Blaaugh, Topeka.
Blaaugh will serve as the time-outs coordinator and backup officials for the 2009 game as well as serving as the Shrine host to the officials.
The Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Game is an annual event featuring two football teams composed of 68 of the best graduated high school players from the East and West.
PITTSBURG —
