There's no better way to see a football game than by getting close to the action. In college and professional sports, fans pay a lot of money for the best seats, but officials probably get the best view of the action than anyone. However, such a great view can come at a different cost when it comes to safety.
Bill LeMonnier is a Big Ten referee and has been officiating since 1980. He has worked the Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl and the edge-of-your-seat thriller between Boise State and Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
Working as a head referee for the last 12 years, LeMonnier has hardly faced any danger because football plays are usually happening away from him.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time the play is going away from me, so I don't run the risk as much as the other officials do," LeMonnier said. "Sometimes the position work dictates how much contact you may or may not have."
Umpires and back judges are positioned in the area of the linebackers and defensive lineman, making them more vulnerable.
"The umpire and back judge are in the middle and have to read their plays well," LeMonnier said. "They have to recognize point of attack and know where they need to move to stay within a good view, but out of harm's way."
One official wasn't so lucky. When LeMonnier officiated for the former Arena Football League, he said the field was so small that it was very easy for an umpire to have contact with the players.
"We had an official who was hit by a player," LeMonnier said. "The hit didn't hurt him, but when he fell backwards he hit the ground and the whiplash of his head hit the Astroturf. He ended up with a serious head injury and was in a comma for two or three weeks."
The official recovered from the injury, but his officiating career was over. LeMonnier said officials can avoid smaller injuries, but sometimes the nature of the game brings more dangerous collisions.
"In terms of contact with a player, that's why we have to stay wide on the field," LeMonnier said. "We have to not zone in on one area, but have full-field vision."
Suggestions have been made for officials to wear protective gear. In the former Arena Football League, LeMonnier said the league experimented with umpires wearing vests, and thigh and hip padding. He even said they tried helmets.
"They basically came out with a black, baseball batting helmet," LeMonnier said. "And then they were trying to revise it because the umpires felt that it was too restrictive with the earflaps. It was cutting down on hearing."
After about a two to three week trial with the helmet, the league decided not to use them, although a bike-like helmet was being considered.
For the officials who work the sidelines, the head linesman and the line judge, LeMonnier said it's important for them to keep the sidelines clear of players and coaches. When coaches and players get too close to the sidelines, it affects the space for the official.
"We know the coaches and players don't like it, and the officials keep reminding them," LeMonnier said. "That's a safety zone and when the play comes the officials' way, they have to have room to maneuver, whether it's forward, back or sideways."
Staying in shape is another way to avoid injuries during a game. Stretching for officials is just as important as stretching for players.
"Most officials get pretty complacent about stretching," LeMonnier said. "I think I keep myself in pretty good condition year around. But what I know I don't do a good job of is stretching before."
As officials age and players get faster, staying fit is the best way to avoid injuries and stay safe, even though injuries are always still possible.
"It gets harder and harder each year to keep up with these kids," LeMonnier said. "Fitness has got to be the key. Year-round fitness and then doing the stretching."
LeMonnier has stayed out of harm's way for the most part in his officiating career, but about 15 years ago, he suffered two broken ribs from being too close to a play.
"I got two broken ribs from running into a couple of players," he said. "It happened in the first quarter, but I finished the first half. Stubbornness to stay in, and then I didn't come back for the second half."
Fortunately, LeMonnier was back on the field the next week in what he said was "stupidity," but his desire to be out on the field took precedent.
"You just want to be out there so you do whatever you have to do to try to make it work," he said.
And while many officials do what they can to "make it work," keeping safety in mind in a sport like football should always come first.
