80th birthday in the ‘Tank’ just another day for longtime referee
When was the last time you saw a sports referee get a standing ovation?
This is exactly what happened before the Ocracoke Dolphins’ home game Feb. 4 against the Bear Grass Charter Bears.
Before the tip-off, one of the referees, Gene Stoel, approached Ocracoke School Athletic Director Mary McKnight to say he would like to make a special announcement.
With a microphone in hand, he revealed that it was his 80th birthday.
“There’s nowhere I’d rather be than here to referee these games today,” he said to the roar of the crowd as they rose to show their appreciation.
To celebrate this milestone, he asked Amanda Gaskins to bake five sheet cakes, which the school boosters cut and distributed free in the commons next to the court.
Gene is well-known among Ocracoke fans, having officiated games on the island since 2004 when he moved to the Outer Banks.
He is also well known to the Outer Banks region’s many high school basketball fans. He has been a referee for games of the Hatteras Hurricanes, First Flight Nighthawks, Manteo Redskins, Currituck County Knights and “most schools within 2 hours from my house,” he said.
Growing up in Michigan’s farm country, he played football, basketball and track during high school, graduating in 1963.
Gene’s officiating career began in the winter of 1985 while living in Silver Spring, Maryland.
“I had moved in with a lady who had two sons,” he explained in an email. “One of the sons was playing recreational youth football. As I watched the game, I thought, ‘I could do what the officials were doing.’”
So, he inquired about becoming an official and soon after began training.
He worked in youth recreation for three years before joining the Washington, D.C., chapter of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO DC) which assigns officials for high school and various adult games.
In the summer of 1985, his officiating expanded to include softball for schools and adult recreation. Over the years, he also officiated women’s field hockey and lacrosse.
When Stoel moved to the Outer Banks in 2004, he continued officiating basketball and softball. He also began officiating boys’ lacrosse at First Flight High School, Hatteras, and later took on volleyball and football.
In spring 2021, he added baseball umpiring, highlighting his dedication to sports officiating across multiple disciplines.
Becoming a basketball referee is not an easy gig. It requires an in-depth understanding of a multitude of rules and regulations, including the latest updates, and accurately applying them to the games.
Then there is the stamina. Referees must maintain a high level of physical fitness to keep up with fast-paced games, running up and down the court.
Importantly, referees must communicate effectively with players and coaches and use verbal and non-verbal cues to convey decisions. They are conflict resolution specialists, handling disputes calmly and assertively to ensure that games run smoothly.
Stoel lives in Salvo and for years worked at the Joseph “Mac” Midgett Reverse Osmosis Water Plant in Rodanthe and later drove a truck for Rodanthe Recycle Center until late 2022.
“I then became fully retired from everything but officiating,” he said.
To say a referee must have thick skin is putting the description lightly.
“Mostly I ignore the fans at basketball games,” he said. “But since the fans at Ocracoke sit so close to the game floor, I will take the opportunity to explain a rule to them.”
McKnight noted that she has known Gene since she moved here in 2011 and that he also umpires for the school’s baseball and soccer games.
“He’s been our most consistent official,” she said. “Our whole program wouldn’t be what it is now without him, especially back when we had fewer officials who were willing to make the trip to Ocracoke. That kind of dependability and consistency is admirable. We feel very honored that he wanted to spend his 80th birthday with us.”
Gene likes coming to Ocracoke. The Dolphins gym is affectionately known as “The Tank” and “Fear the Pod” is a warning to rival teams venturing to the island.
“The downside is how much time it takes from my day to ride the ferry,” he said, noting that, generally, he has not had a problem with ferries.
Following Hurricane Irene in 2011 the ferries could not run because of the shoaling. The U.S. Coast Guard transported the officials and the Hatteras basketball teams for one game.
The following week Hatteras played again at Ocracoke,
“But the weather was so bad the Coast Guard could not transport us,” he said. “Hatteras drove their bus to Swan Quarter, picking me up on the way to use the ferry there.”
Such is the story of life on a remote island.
