Girls Ref the World
Learn about an officiating training model making a difference in Omaha
Girls need to see other girls in this field. We have some great examples of great women officials in our community, but we need to have more. Girls' sports are not going away and having representation at all levels is critical to growing the game.
In Nebraska, basketball has the highest number of registered officials out of any sport; close to 1000 basketball officials serve the middle school and high school student-athletes in NSAA member schools. But perennially, the number of females in this group is scant. In a good year, around 50 women will be on the NSAA’s basketball officials roster, a mere 5%. To be clear, it is not common to see a female wearing the stripes in our gyms across the state.
Girls Ref the World (GRoW), a program provided by EPIC for Girls in cooperation with J’s Braintrust, is an initiative that intends to change this.
EPIC for Girls, an Omaha non-profit launched in 2020, “researches, advocates for, and funds innovative solutions that address inequities in sports for girls of color.” The organization provides multiple sports-related opportunities but also seeks to help girls build leadership skills that can be used for a lifetime.
Kimberly Thomas1, Executive Director for EPIC for Girls, and Racquel Henderson, Director of Programs and Strategic Partnerships for the organization, are both facilitators for GRoW. They spend their evenings in sessions with girls who want to learn how to officiate basketball.
“Girls Ref the World started in October 2023 when EPIC for Girls was named a recipient of an internship and crime prevention grant awarded to The Simple Foundation from the Department of Economic Development. The funding was an opportunity for EPIC to pilot an innovative solution for addressing the aging, white-male-dominated industry of officiating. Girls, particularly girls of color, are the least represented individuals in sports and sports administration. This was a way to potentially start a ripple of change,” Thomas explained.
The first cohort started in October 2023, and the fourth cohort in December 2024. Henderson, who was hired in 2024, led the most recent cohort. “She has worked tirelessly on fine-tuning the curriculum to make it even better than previous cohorts,” said Thomas.
The academy lasts 4-weeks with 8 sessions of soft-skill training and beginner basketball officiating techniques. Participants are introduced to female leaders in the Omaha community and offered a pathway to continue growing a career in officiating.
Entry into the program is rigorous for the 14-24 year-olds who apply. Potential participants have to fill out an application and participate in a structured interview to determine readiness and motivation. Girls chosen for the program are paid a stipend for each hour of in-class instruction.
“There have been a total of 58 unique individuals that initially put in their application for the academy and 47 that started the program. Of that number, 35 participants have graduated.” Thomas said.
Thomas and Henderson work alongside Jeffery Williams, a longtime basketball official, and president of J’s Braintrust.
“Kimberly asked if I would be interested in assisting in doing some officiating training with ladies. I accepted. J's Braintrust has been involved with a variety of opportunities related to entrepreneurial training so this seemed like it would be a great fit!” Williams said.
Williams not only teaches the girls the basic mechanics required to officiate basketball, but he also helps the girls with one of the most challenging aspects of the job: communication.
“Data has shown that individuals who can communicate effectively have a greater chance of success, not only in officiating but in other facets of life. It has been wonderful to see how the ladies have embraced this part of the training. The on-court sessions with real coaches giving examples of questions, and situations have helped give the ladies a higher level of respect when it comes to not only understanding the rules and how the ability to communicate a situation can be the difference between a great relationship with a coach or a poor one.” Williams said.
Thomas adds her two cents to this aspect of the training with a focus on soft skills.
“The soft skills taught during the academy include confidence building, communication skills, emotional intelligence, time management, and leadership skills. These skills are important because officiating involves people management - on the court, in the stands, and on the sidelines. Officials set the tone for games and how they interact can positively or negatively impact the event. In addition, we want to create an environment where they stay in the career and that can only happen if they have support on and off the court.” Thomas said.
Thomas, Henderson, and Williams emphasize to the girls another benefit of officiating–the ability to make money and possibly turn a hobby into a career. With recreational and club-level games paying between $20-30 per hour–a significant jump from the typical $10-15 per hour that a teen or young adult might earn–the motivation to learn and grow as an official becomes practical.
Thomas has learned along the way some constructive ways to increase engagement among the program’s participants. But funding is a concern.
“As with any new/pilot program, we would love to have greater flexibility with funding. Having the ability to pay for snacks/food for the sessions has drastically increased engagement. Also, we would love to see professional organizations partnering with EPIC to continue the work we started and/or funding to create that next step in the process.” she said.
Despite these concerns, Thomas loves seeing the fruits of their labors.
“Some of my favorite moments stem from the graduation ceremony when the participants are demonstrating officiating calls for their family and friends. As a teenager/young adult, getting in front of a crowd can be intimidating and then putting a whistle around your neck and performing is even worse. The parents are so proud and that makes us proud. I also just love getting to know the participants and watching them come out of their shells.”
Williams has also observed how their efforts are making a difference.
“I've noticed with a few of the ladies who have gone on to officiate in the youth leagues that they are inspiring other ladies to "give it a try" and not be so fearful of trying something new,” he said. “The hope in future years is to increase the number and levels of officials across all sports as older officials retire. It has been a privilege and honor to be a part of this great initiative!!”
WOWT in Omaha did a segment on GRoW in December—be sure to check it out!
See this article about Thomas in the Women’s Fund of Omaha: “Fighting for Gender Equity in Sports”. Thomas is doing great work!
This is amazing!