Ronnie Higgs can smile when he looks back on it now.
Ferris State University’s assistant vice president and dean of Enrollment Services, Higgs doubles as a Division I college basketball referee in the high-pressure world of the NCAA’s “March Madness.” And as any fan of college hoops knows, when the game’s on the line, those black and white stripes become bull’s-eyes.
Does Higgs have stories? You bet.

The Best Offense
“One night we were doing a game at Indiana,” Higgs recalls. “The guy who was supposed to pick us up from the airport was sick, and we were astounded see Bob Knight there to meet us.
“You know,” says Higgs, “Bob Knight is a very, very good guy when he is away from the basketball court, before the game starts. He took us to the arena, we officiated the game,
and his team lost. After the game, he was upset and blamed the officials for the loss.
“After the game we were in the locker room, we had showered and we were waiting for our ride back to the airport. We waited, waited, and waited some more,” Higgs says. “We decided to walk out into the gym, and everything was dark. We tried to get out and realized we had been locked in the gym.
“Finally, we called the campus police and we eventually found out that Knight had told his staff to leave us in the arena—that’s why we were sitting there all that time.”
Nobody said refereeing would be easy.

Tough Call
When Higgs is not officiating games down south for the Big 12 Conference, he spends his time doing what he can to assist students at Ferris State University, overseeing registration, admissions, financial aid and more.
“The funny thing is that dealing with financial aid and enrollment is actually a lot like being a referee,” Higgs says. “Refereeing teaches
you patience.”
Parents and students often become upset when it comes to admissions and financial aid. Higgs says one of the reasons he has enjoyed success in his roles as a university official and as a basketball ref is that he understands people and what makes them tick.
Having been a basketball player himself, for example, Higgs understands the kinds of things that bother a player on the court better than an official without significant playing experience. He also feels his experience dealing with the emotional, high-stakes world of big-time college hoops has helped prepare him for the emotions of parents dealing with the academic and financial future of their sons and daughters in a university setting.

Blind Mice
Higgs’ career on the courts began humbly enough—he played basketball in high school, along with baseball and football. He was all-state in football and baseball and was actually drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies after graduation. “I was assigned to the minor leagues and concentrated on baseball in college. When I started officiating basketball, I just wanted to make a little extra money and find a way to stay close to the game,” he says.
He started with junior varsity games back in 1979 and slowly worked his way through the ranks. Then, in 1985, Higgs hit pay dirt. He got his first big break working Division I games in the old Southwest Conference.
How does a trained official deal with officials when he’s the competitor?
Higgs laughs. “I’m the worst,” he admits, “Especially when I’m playing in a recreation league, in the heat of battle. I’m the worst because I know the game, and I know what’s supposed to be called by the officials.”
As a fan, with an emotional stake in the game, it can be even tougher.
“When I’m watching games where my nieces and nephews are involved sometimes I have to watch myself … especially when people I’m watching the game with, who know I’m an official, ask me about the calls or look over at me.”
How does he separate and balance it all? “I love what I do,” he says.
That’s where it all starts.

C&G