Local Referees Share Their Passion for the Game

There’s something magical about a high school football game. It’s the taste of fall in the air, the calming glow of the stadium lights, and the sense of camaraderie in the stands and on the field. But mingled with fun is the enormous sense of pressure on the players and also on the people on the sidelines – the ones dressed in black and white vertical stripes. 

Officials are an essential component of any football game. For many of them, it’s an opportunity to return to the fields they once played on themselves. It’s also a way to stay connected to their communities, teams, and families. But above all, officials are in it for their immense love of the game. 

These former and current referees have served the Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia football communities – and beyond – for years. Here, they share their backstories, what drew them to officiating, and their most memorable moments on the field.

 

By Lindsey June

Bill Cole

Photo by Rich Smith

Bill Cole of Soddy Daisy has been a staple of the Chattanooga area football scene for decades as a player, coach, and now official. He currently serves as a supervisor for the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) and is a member of the Southeast Tennessee Football Officials Association (SETFOA).

How long have you been officiating?

BC: I just received my 40-year award, so I’ve been around. I started in 1981.

 

What was your experience with football prior to becoming an official?

BC: I played in high school at a little place called Church Hill, Tennessee. Then I played for the University of Tennessee back in the ‘70s as a defensive back. I was also a coach at The Howard School, where I had the honor and privilege of being one of Reggie White’s coaches. I’ve always been very proud of that particular fact. Reggie was… I can’t even begin to describe him. He was unlike anything I ever dealt with.  

What makes Chattanooga such a great place for football?

BC: One of the things I like about Chattanooga is that we’re right in the middle of several large cities, but we’re not so big that we can’t know each other. Some of the rivalries around here, you can’t even really explain them. You can only experience it. One of the best examples would be Marion County and South Pittsburg. I’ve done that game before, and you can’t describe it. It’s the same with Baylor and McCallie. 

What has been your most memorable experience on the field as an official?

BC: My very first championship game back in 1991. The guy who invited me to be an official was the head of the crew. Lee Dyer was also a part of that crew. That was probably my greatest experience. Then, I had another one in 2001. That was a wonderful one because a very dear friend of mine, who was the head of the crew, died a few years back. He taught me a lot over the years. 

You know, we try to be as inconspicuous as possible. Things happen sometimes, and we get thrown in the middle of it. I had a situation one time where I went up to a coach during a game. There had been a bad call in the field by one of my crew, and I knew it was bad, and the crowd was going crazy. I walked over to the coach, and I just said, “Coach, before I talk to you, I have one question.” He said, “What’s that?” and I said, “Have you got a hole I can crawl into for about the next 30 minutes?” And he bent over laughing. 

Kirk Lewis

Photo by Rich Smith

Kirk Lewis has been officiating football in the area for many years, moving up the ranks from high school to college. He was a member of the TSSAA from 1995 to 2005; served as the TSSAA Supervisor of High School Officials from 2012 to 2018; and was an official for the South Atlantic Conference, the Ohio Valley Conference, and the Southeastern Conference. Currently, he officiates at a collegiate level for the Atlantic Coast Conference, a position he began in 2018.

How long have you been officiating?

KL: This is my 27th year officiating football and my 21st year of college football.

Prior to officiating, what was
your experience with football? 

KL: I played football at Gallatin High School in Gallatin, Tennessee. 

What is it about the Chattanooga
area that makes it such a great
place for football?

KL: Chattanooga has had many outstanding football officials – from high school officials to those working for the NFL – because of the efforts of the successful ones who gave back and helped train and promote young officials. The likes of George Shuford, Butch Hannah, Jim Jackson, Lee Dyer, and Jeff Flanagan all paved the way for younger officials to move up the ranks. 

What is your most memorable experience on the field as an official?

KL: At the high school level, working the Marion County vs. South Pittsburg game was always a highlight. I also worked the 2001 TSSAA Class A State Championship game.

On the collegiate level, I have a couple. The 2010 Alabama at South Carolina game is one of them. Alabama was ranked No. 1, and South Carolina pulled the upset in front of the loudest crowd I have ever seen in person. The 2019 Notre Dame at Georgia game was similar, with Georgia winning a close game. The stadium was packed and rocking 45 minutes before kickoff, which is very unusual. Again, the crowd noise and energy was off the charts. 

Steve Tompkins

Photo by Emily Pérez Long

Steve Tompkins has been part of the local officiating scene since 1980. He is a member of the TSSAA and the SETFOA, and has officiated at the middle and high school levels in the Chattanooga and North Georgia areas, as well as major games in Nashville and Knoxville.

How long have you been officiating?

ST: I believe it’s been 40 years. I started right out of high school. 

What was your experience with football prior to officiating? 

ST: I played in high school. I was a lineman. If you’re a certain size, you’re going to the line!

What is it about the Chattanooga area that makes it such a great place for football?

ST: The schools are named after their communities. You have Red Bank, Soddy Daisy, Brainerd, and so on. That gives the school immediate community support. The folks from Hixson support Hixson, the folks from Soddy support Soddy. If they’re close together, you’ve got a natural rivalry right there. The private schools also have natural rivalries. The community pride helps stoke the rivalries that we have. 

What does it mean to you to be an official in this community?

ST: The officials’ association is one of the most honorable associations and group of individuals I’ve ever been associated with. They really take pride in what they do. We’re not in it to be seen. We’re there to try to eliminate injuries. One of the things we emphasize is safety in the game. There should never be a catastrophic injury, especially in high school football. We want everybody to play fair and have fun. We treat every game like it’s the biggest one in the state. It doesn’t matter who you’ve been assigned for. The players, fans, coaches, and the family members of the players, fans, and coaches – that’s the biggest game being played, and you better treat it like that. They deserve that. 

What has been your most memorable experience on the field as an official?

ST: For me, it’s when you walk off the field and know that you worked a good ball game. You walk off and shake each other’s hand and go back to the locker room and think, “We worked a good ball game, and nobody noticed us.” That’s as good as the check you get. I’ve refereed a ball game where there were no penalties. It was a couple of years ago. I noticed we hadn’t had a single flag. And we don’t have to have one! You take pride in doing things right. 

Kell Harvey and Skipper Fairbanks 

Photo by Emily Pérez Long

Skipper Fairbanks is a legendary name in the Chattanooga sports scene. In addition to coaching and officiating football in the Red Bank area, he was also president of Red Bank Dixie Youth Baseball and a long-time boxing coach. He was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame in 2010, where he received the Walter Lauter Lifetime Achievement Award. His grandson, Kell Harvey, was a quarterback on the Red Bank High School football team before becoming an official himself. Both have dedicated decades of their lives to the sporting community that they call home. 

How long have you been officiating?

KH: 13 years.

SF: 42 years. 

Prior to officiating, what was your experience with football? 

KH: We both played in high school at Red Bank.

SF: I was the head coach at Bridgeport High School in Alabama in 1958. From Bridgeport, I went on to be a United States federal probation and parole officer. After retiring, I went to Red Bank Middle School in 1987, where I was the head football coach for 20 years.

What makes the Chattanooga area such a great place for football?

KH: The communities and the people. We have some of the best communities in the greater Chattanooga area, and those communities have some of the best people – from the kids to the coaches to the fans. They are all passionate about their school and their community.

What has it meant to you to officiate games in this community?

KH: It’s meant a lot to us both. We have both grown up and lived in Chattanooga most of our lives, so we have deep roots in the area. I got to officiate for a number of years with my dad, Mark Harvey, before he passed away in the spring of 2019. I’ll always cherish our time together on the football field.

SF:  I officiated with my brothers Randy, Bill, and Jay, and my son-in-law Mark Harvey, who was married to my daughter Jamie. Officiating has been in our family for years, and we are proud to have served the Chattanooga area as football officials.

KH: I’m well-known in the community as Skipper Fairbanks’ grandson, and I take a lot of pride in that with how I live my life. 

Warren Diegel 

Photo by Rich Smith

Warren Diegel came to the Chattanooga area in 1998, where he quickly found his niche officiating – a job he’d already done at the high school and collegiate level in his native Chicago. Now located in Hixson, Diegel has been a part of the local high school football scene for more than 20 years. He’s a member of the SETFOA
and is the assigning officer for the local branch of the TSSAA. 

How long have you been officiating? 

WD: I started in 1987 when I lived in Chicago and 1999 here in Chattanooga.

What was your experience with football prior to becoming an official? 

WD: I played in high school. After I graduated, I didn’t start officiating until I was about 35 years old. A friend, who had been officiating for a few years, asked me to try it out. I started at high schools and small colleges in Chicago, but when I came here, I realized I’d have to travel a lot to stay at the college level. So I focused on high school from there.  

What makes Chattanooga such a great place for football?

WD: The fans. They’re so into it. To them, this is their life. We didn’t have that in the Chicago area. You didn’t have the type of rivalries that exist here. It makes things a lot more fun as an official.

What does it mean to you to officiate games in this community?

WD: I’ve built great relationships with my fellow officials, many of whom are good friends. But it’s also been wonderful getting to know the coaches. They not only have a passion for the game, but they care about the kids and helping them move along. 

What has been your most memorable experience on the field as an official?

WD: My crew had the Bradley Central at Cleveland game in October 2011. It was one of the first games that aired on ESPNU. A player from Bradley hurdled over a Cleveland player, who still had his two feet on the ground. Both myself and my other wing official threw our flag, but I couldn’t remember what the penalty signal was for this situation. So I went with where I thought it could be in the book, which was a personal foul, and I was correct. I was happy with myself that I got that signal right. That whole game was a lot of fun. 

Garrett Burgner

Photo by Rich Smith

Garrett Burgner lives in and originates from Chattanooga, but officiates in the nearby Northwest Georgia area, where he works as the executive director of health and wellness at Dalton State College. He’s a member of the Northwest Georgia Football Officials Association (NWGFOA), where he serves as the booking secretary, and he is considered a role model in the association and community by fellow officials and coaches. 

How long have you been officiating?

GB: This season will be my 14th year as a high school official. I feel like this is something I will continue to do until I am unable to keep up with the players. Every year I get older, but the players remain 15 to 18 years old.

Prior to officiating, what was your experience with football?

GB: I played football in high school. My father was a high school football coach in Chattanooga, so I have been around football since I could walk. I understand a little more what these coaches go through each week since that is how I grew up, and I think that helps me as an official.

What makes the Chattanooga area such a great place for football?

GB: The Chattanooga area and North Georgia are great communities for high school football. The rivalries and intensity of the fan bases make such a great atmosphere. We have some great coaches, players, and programs in our area. 

What does it mean to you to officiate games in this community? 

GB: I enjoy officiating in this community because of the friendships and contacts I have made over the past 14 years, whether they are officials, coaches, or fans. It’s just a great community environment. I enjoy seeing how each community supports their team and rallies behind them. It’s great for the kids and coaches, but it helps to bring these communities together. 

What is your most memorable experience on the field as an official?

GB: One of the most exciting games I’ve officiated was the 2015 AAA State Championship game between Westminster and Blessed Trinity. Westminster was trailing by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and came back to tie the game at the end, forcing overtime. Westminster scored a touchdown on their first OT possession. BT was heading in to score and fumbled into the end zone from the one-yard line, and Westminster recovered for a touchback to end the game. It was memorable because of the excitement of the game itself, but also because of the guys who were officiating that game. We are all friends, which made it that much more special.

Randy Shuford

Photo by Emily Pérez Long

Officiating is a family tradition for many in the Chattanooga area. That’s certainly true for Randy Shuford, son of the late George Shuford, a star athlete and long-time member of the TSSAA. Randy has kept on with the family legacy, with four decades of work in the local officiating scene. Like his father, he’s a member of the TSSAA as well as the SETFOA. He’s also officiated at the collegiate level as a member of the South Atlantic Conference and the Southern Conference.

How long have you been officiating?

RS: This season is my 40th year of being involved with the TSSAA. I grew up around it. My father started officiating in 1965, and I was around it all my life. 

What was your experience with football prior to becoming an official? 

RS: I played football for Baylor in the late ‘70s. After I graduated, my father suggested officiating as a way to make some side money. At first, it was for the money, but then it became about prestige. Now, it’s something I really take pride in doing.

What makes the Chattanooga area such a great place for football?

RS: We have a lot of good people from all walks of life who want to give something back to the community. We also have a lot of coaches and fans with an excessive amount of pride. 

What has it meant to you to officiate games in this community?

RS: I take it very personally. I go out there to do the best job that I can. Hopefully, the rest of my life carries over like the passion I have for football. It’s a sense of accomplishment. If you can’t play, there’s no better place in the world to be than on the field as an official. Of course, there are times that you wish you never went out. But the good times and the exhilaration of walking off the ball field knowing that you just gave them the best – there’s nothing like that. It makes you feel euphoric.

What has been your most memorable experience on the field as an official?

RS: I was accepted as a South Atlantic Conference football official in 2001. I think I cried for three days when I found out. That sense of accomplishment was a big moment for me. Then moving into the Southern Conference was quite rewarding as well. Getting to the collegiate level was the highlight of my career. 

Lee Dyer

Photo by Rich Smith

Lee Dyer is a very well-known name in the Chattanooga area officiating scene. In fact, almost everyone we spoke to for this article mentioned Dyer, for both his service to the local football community and the leadership he provided to up-and-coming officials. He spent 10 years as a TSSAA official, nine years in the Southern Conference, five years in the Southeastern Conference, and 17 years in the NFL. Though he’s now retired from officiating, Dyer still works with the TSSAA as a supervisor-at-large and with the SEC, Southern Conference, and Sun Belt Conference as a downfield trainer and film grader. 

How long have you been officiating?

LD: I officiated for 41 years. 

What was your experience with football prior to officiating?

LD: I played football at Baylor and had the opportunity to play football in college as well, but I chose baseball, which I played at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. 

What makes the Chattanooga area such a great place for football?

LD: The number of schools that we have, along with some of the oldest rivalries in the state, makes this a great place for football. Some of the players who have played at our schools have gone on to successful college and NFL careers. Also, the wealth of experience and knowledge the coaches bring to each of these schools. Chattanooga is not only a good place for football; it is also a good place for those who are interested in getting into officiating. 

What is your most memorable experience on the field as an official?

LD: Two stand out. The first was working the first game ever played at Finley Stadium between UTC and Tennessee State. I worked with two other local college officials, Jim Jackson and John Layne. Our supervisor set this up since all of us were from the Chattanooga area. He knew how much we would appreciate the opportunity and what it would mean to us many years later. The other was being at a Marion County and South Pittsburg game several years ago and observing the officials. I remember sitting in the press box and leaning out to film the crowd, which was standing eight to 10 people deep around the field with the stands full. I texted this to my NFL crew saying, “This is what football is all about!”