WHITEHOUSE, Ohio — The latest Anthony Wayne girls basketball season was one of the best in school history for head coach Jami Carter and the Generals.
Carter's team went 23-3, won their third consecutive Northern Lakes League championship by going undefeated in conference play and won another district title.
During the day, Carter teaches physical education classes at the high school. A few years ago, she and other teachers wanted to develop a course that was different from her other gym classes.
"We looked into how to make our department more employable for our kids, giving them an avenue to make some money," Carter said.
She began offering a sports officiating class, a semester-long course that lets students learn the rules needed to referee games.
"Our students are able to earn their OHSAA license for baseball and basketball through this course," Carter said. "They can start to officiate games as soon as they get their certification."
A few of Carter's students got certified in just two weeks and started officiating junior high basketball games almost immediately.
"I saw the class and knew Coach Carter made the class for students," said Brooke Bender, course participant and junior on the Anthony Wayne basketball team. "It was always something that I thought was cool and I just wanted to try it."
Others have made significant earnings since becoming certified.
"I've done almost 50 games," said Anthony Wayne junior Cam Payne.
Others like Brayden Cole, an Anthony Wayne sophomore and offensive lineman for the football team, quickly developed a love for refereeing.
"It's just fun," Cole said. "The way I explain it to people, it's addicting, calling fouls and stuff like that. I find it fun."
Carter said about 50 kids are taking the class in the 2023-24 academic year. It's gotten so popular that other school districts in the NLL are in discussions with Carter about bringing similar offerings to their schools.
"With the shortage of officials, a lot of different districts are starting to ask questions about how we run our program," she said.
Aside from learning a practical skill and making money, the kids are also helping alleviate the shortage of sports officials throughout Ohio.
"There have been times where I've done youth events where I'd have to be the only official," Cole said. "It's hard reffing basketball when there's only one official."
Carter said the most straightforward solution is creating a generation of young officials to replace the current, aging one.
"It's dire," she said. "What we need is younger students or younger adults to come in and officiate."
Carter's students will be the first to admit they are not perfect officials. But there is certainly no lack of opportunities and Carter thinks it could be one of the ways Ohio solves its referee shortage.
"That's our hope," Carter said. "It's our job to motivate these kids to find their passion. I do believe some of the kids in my class right now have found what they hopefully will make a career out of."