Basketball referee Bruce Parker earns trip to first State Tournament
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| From left, Bruce Parker (Slaughters), Craig Henson (Murray) and Jason Wilkins (Greenville) |
By CHARLIE HUST
After 23 years of refereeing high school basketball, Bruce Parker reached the pinnacle in his career in March. The 58-year-old Slaughters resident earned a trip to the 2014 KHSAA Boys State Tournament, his first ever assignment to the prestigious event.
“It was a dream come true,” Parker stated. “I just can’t put into words how exciting it was and what an honor to represent the Second Region at the high school state tournament.”
Parker, who began his officiating career working local Junior Pro and junior high basketball games, has been one of the top referees in the Second Region for many years, working numerous District and Regional tournament games. But he’d never been selected to work a state tournament until the announcement in late February.
And that selection, as the top official in the region, was a total surprise to Parker when Second Region Assigning Secretary Duane Crick called his name.
“We were at our year-end banquet and Duane was finishing-up his remarks about officiating assignments and I really wasn’t paying that much attention,” Parker said with a laugh. “Then Duane said, ‘Oh yeah ... we have one more recognition, we have one guy going to the boys State Tournament ... and that guy is Bruce Parker.’ I thought he’d made a mistake! I thought Holy Cow, are you sure you got the right person! I was totally shocked. It was an unbelievable moment but also very satisfying.”
After working several District and Regional Tournament games, Parker headed to Lexington as one of the 16 referees selected to the state championship. He was a standby official (sitting at the scorer’s table) during a first-round game on Wednesday. Parker then took to the floor on Thursday for his first-ever state tournament game.
“The atmosphere was absolutely electric. It’s amazing how much noise a big crowd like that can make. You can take the excitement of a Regional tournament game and multiply it by 20 times ... that’s the level of energy you feel. It’s really hard to describe but it sure gets your adrenaline going.
“I have to admit, when I was standby on Wednesday, I had a few ‘butterflies’ in the stomach. I was a bit nervous. But when I walked out onto the floor for my first game on Thursday I was pretty calm,” he continued.
Parker received very good reviews from tournament officials after his first game and was selected to work a quarter-final game on Friday.
“I think I showed I can work (referee) with those boys up there. I felt really good about how I called the games. It was such a thrill to be in Rupp Arena and be a part of it all. Awesome is the only way I can describe it,” Parker added. “Now I have that ‘taste in my mouth’ I want to go back. I know what to expect and I think I could really be more relaxed and do an even better job (officiating) if I got another opportunity.”
He noted that he shared his experience with several local officials and was thinking of retiring after next year. Now with his new-found state tournament status, he thinking about extending his working days on the court.
“I told Duane at the beginning of this year that this year, maybe next (2015) would be my last. With this happening, he may have bought my services for three or four more years ... as long as my knees hold out,” Parker exclaimed with a chuckle.
A career that seemed to be in its last days, now energized and extended as one of the best in the area.
“I had pretty much accepted the fact that I had gone through my prime and that I was in my final year or two (of officiating) and I was ‘OK’ with that. But with happening, I compared myself to that last kid on the bench ... the kid who has worked his rear off, done all the right things, comes to practice everyday and gives his all but never gets into the game. Then all of a sudden the coach points to that kid at the end of bench and says .... ‘hey, it’s your time ... get in there and do your best!’
“That’s the way I felt about being selected to the state tournament. I finally got my chance to get into the game and it was more awesome than I could have ever imagined,” Parker concluded.
And after 23 years of preparation, that ‘kid at the end of the bench’ did shine ... on the biggest stage and under the brightest lights ... a packed-house in Rupp Arena. The pinnacle of Kentucky high school basketball and the highest reward for basketball referee Bruce Parker, no matter the age.