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Millions of college basketball fans across the country are starting their annual rite of spring this week – watching the NCAA tournament. You’ll only see the best on the court – the best teams, the best players… and the game’s best referees.
You’ll watch the players and the coaches, but veteran referee John Higgins of Omaha hopes you don’t even notice him.
"To me, that’s the highest compliment you could say about a referee," Higgins said. "If we’ve stayed out of the way and let the kids play and let them play legally and they’re not talking about me, amen. Thank you. That means you’ve done a good job.
NCAA basketball official John Higgins talks with a fellow official during a timeout. (Image by Chris Flanery, NET)
"You don’t want to be the highlight of the ESPN missing the call and everybody knowing your name," Higgins added. "That’s your goal is to be invisible."
Higgins, who grew up in Omaha and still lives there, has made a name for himself in college basketball. He’s among the sport's top referees. He has been selected to officiate seven NCAA Final Fours and two national championship games.
It’s a far cry from how he got started at Kearney State College, jumping at the chance to earn $25 to fill in when the referees for a freshman game didn’t show up. Basketball has always been a constant companion for Higgins.
"Through grade school, through high school, through college, I’ve been in basketball, involved in it, probably every day of my life. I’ve talked about it every day of my life," Higgins said.
That’s partly because of his dad Roger, who coached basketball and just about every other sport at Omaha’s Cathedral High School.
John Higgins says being away from his wife and family so much of the time during the basketball season is the hardest part about officiating. (Image by Dylan Tilley, NET)
His dad was a fiery competitor and as a coach, not afraid to give his young son the referee feedback on his work.
"I took him to three or four games and he critiqued me, mostly all the plays that I missed. I said, 'How about the plays I got right?' He was good at it, though. In the long run, he was really proud," Higgins said.
Higgins needed the drive his dad passed on to him to make it as a referee. He started with rec league and elementary school games, then eventually got noticed at a referee camp and started to work some college games. Refereeing, though, isn’t his full-time job.
More than three decades ago, he started a roofing company that he still owns and operates today. It’s named appropriately enough "Rooferees."
When you’re on the road refereeing 90-some games a year, it makes it hard to run a business, and Higgins says it’s also hard being away from his family.
Watch NET's "Nebraska Stories" video segment on NCAA basketball referee John Higgins of Omaha.
It’s hard on my family and myself being away. I like to be home because when I’m home I’m with my family," Higgins said. "The travel part is hard. That’s the hardest part about officiating. When I do quit that will probably be the reason why I quit."
The travel isn’t the only drawback, either. Being a high-profile referee means you’re constantly being scrutinized by the fans. And not just those in the arena. Now there’s internet chat boards where fans can sound off. And there’s even a parody Twitter account someone runs anonymously called John Higgins Hair. And then there’s the fans who cross the line…
Nebraska basketball coach Tim Miles says John Higgins has "tremendous poise" as an official. (Image by Dylan Tilley, NET)
Creighton basketball coach Greg McDermott says John Higgins is "one of the best in the business" when it comes to making the right call. (Image by Ralph Hammack, NET)
"I threw out a coach and then the next day our website got hacked into at our office and then they put all kinds of really bad stuff on there, put pictures of our kids and where they went to school and our telephone numbers. It was not very good," Higgins said.
Higgins knows as a referee, though, you can’t let the fans affect you. Even when they’re screaming at you.
"You don’t hear that one individual. You hear the whole thing," he said. "I don’t think about it anymore. In fact, sometimes you get a rush when you’re right on plays and they’re booing the heck out of you."
Coaches also aren’t afraid to let Higgins know when they don’t agree with his calls. He’s earned the respect of most, though, including Nebraska’s Tim Miles.
"His poise is really good," Miles said. "You can see when an official gets upset, you can see when a guy’s nervous or stressed, just like you can see it in a coach. John’s got tremendous poise. John is one of the best officials in the country."
Creighton coach Greg McDermott agrees.
"When I go back and think, alright I remember arguing with him about this call. Most times he’s right," McDermott said. "He’s got a gift and he sees things well and I think he communicates the game well to players and coaches.
NCAA basketball official John Higgins usually referees more than 90 college games across the country during the basketball season.
"At the end of the day, the great ones, they make the right call most of the time. John is one of the best in the business in that regard," McDermott added.
That's why Higgins often earns the assignment to officiate college basketball’s biggest games.
"I remember I worked at my first Final Four and the boss said, what do you think? I just said, I’m pinching myself from going back to when I started at third, fourth grade basketball to seventh, eighth grade girls and boys to junior high and I’m pinching myself. Am I really here at this place? It’s a dream come true," Higgins said.
John Higgins gets to live more of that dream this week as another NCAA tournament begins. He’ll be on college basketball’s biggest stage, and still hoping nobody notices him.