The Rant. Episode 7 – Vball and Bball with Steve Kaufmann

IF I had to choose two sports, that are near, and are dear to my heart, I would first pick Basketball, of course – my ever-eternal love.  But the other game that’s neck and neck, that I could never for myself officiate, is the game of Volleyball.  For almost 20 years, I have been involved with the Kellenberg Girl’s Varsity Volleyball team.  When it comes to officiating the game of Basketball, you are the closest to the action without being part of it.  When you have the ball in your hands is when it’s dead for the players, and it’s when it’s live ball is when you are invisible-yet-ubiquitous.  But as a Volleyball player and coach, I’ve been close to the action, but always observed as the refs, not imbibing in the same fun as going up and down the court.  Instead of the trail and lead, you substitute those positions for up ref and down ref, where you stay stationary on the up, and move to and fro on each side of the net on the down. It’s stationary as it gets.  Yet, it’s a great avenue to save your knees, and pounding of the hardwood, and a popular choice when you are at the twilight of your officiating career. Make no mistake – it’s still difficult.  Yet it’s a beautiful-yet-rewarding sport when you are officiating a high level game.  

Yet, over the years, people find it surprising on how close I am to the game, yet choose not officiate.  I’m not sure if I’ll ever pick it up.  But just like Justin Bieber, we will never say never.  That hasn’t prevented a lot of guys asking me the best principals in the sport, as I find many Basketball officials seem to enjoy it as a secondary sport when Basketball is out of season.  And so, they get good at the rules, but lack the feel.  Enter Steve Kaufmann.
He is searching for that very feel, the feel that he already has in Basketball.  As he has mastered officiating in the high school ranks, he is trying to double down and do the same with Volleyball.  Will Baseball be next?  We find out in episode 7 of The Rant.  The sit down with Steve occurred after 3 games at Island Garden and we discuss all thing hoops and all things vball.  My conversation with Steve, now.

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln