The One Percent
Meet Kelli Kaps, a football official from Sutherland, NE.
“One of the clinicians said, ‘I don’t care if it’s a man or a woman. I want someone willing to listen and learn. We’re so glad women are out here. We’ve had shortages for years. Now maybe women can help make that up.’”
Women are starting to fill the ranks of Nebraska’s football officials, albeit at a slow pace. This year, six females registered with the NSAA and have been working games.
Kelli Kaps is one of them–the one percent–and her story continues our series.
A Gering native, Kelli lives just down the road from Heather Lee, in Sutherland, Nebraska. This is her second year as a registered football official in Nebraska.
Kelli took a unique approach to getting started as an official.
“When my oldest son played, I noticed that the sub-varsity levels had a hard time finding officials. I kept thinking to myself, I’d really enjoy doing that. I could do that. And so I kept watching and learning. Last year was his senior year so I started the process.”
She contacted Nate Neuhaus, the NSAA's Director of Officials, who helped her register.
“He walked me through the process. I got my rule books, took my (NSAA) test, attended a rules meeting, and got approved as an official,” she said. However, Kelli didn’t officiate any games during that first year; she spent her time just learning the game.
This year she was able to become a substitute for a local crew.
“At the start of the summer, I reached out to Nate and he suggested some mentors in the area. I reached out to one of the crew chiefs and said, ‘I’m getting started and I’m looking for a mentor and experience’, and he immediately called me and got me on a sub list. He also helped make sure I knew about clinics that would be offered for training.”
Kelli attended one of these clinics this summer and was pleasantly surprised by the welcoming environment.
“The clinicians were older guys, in their 60s and 70s, and they were so encouraging. I was shocked. It’s not that I expected something terrible, I just thought there might be more friction.” By Kelli’s account, everyone who has helped her has cheered her addition to the officiating ranks.
Kelli has found training videos on YouTube to help her learn the game.
“The videos have been helpful. I was terrified to get out there on the field, but then I just told myself, you’re going to make mistakes. In my first game, for example, I went to the wrong side of the field for a kickoff. But I found it wasn’t the end of the world. I would get it right the next time.”
Kelli says that everyone she’s worked with has offered suggestions for doing things more efficiently.
“You can get all these different ways of doing things from the guys, and figure out what works best for you. It has helped me find my balance.”
Listen to Kelli talk about what has surprised her, and learn about some unlikely recruitment partners!
Do you know any “football moms” who want to get in the game? Share this story with them! Now is the time to start those conversations. If they live in Nebraska, Nate Neuhaus would love to help them get started.
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