Jordyn Keeney wasn’t quite ready to give up basketball.
To that end, you’ll find the 21-year-old working part time as a referee — a job some might not envy.
“I love still being involved and I can make some extra money,” she said. “It’s a good way to stay in the game.”
Keeney played varsity basketball for three years but missed her final season because of a knee injury. The 2014 Cedar Bluffs graduate now attends Nebraska, where she is majoring in special education.
It was her dad, also a referee, who got her interested in officiating. She started working games at the YMCA a few years ago and advanced to varsity competition.
“I liked doing it from the start,” she said. “I picked it up pretty quickly and I feel as though I’ve got the right temperament for it.”
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With the added help of officiating mentor Brent Robinson, Keeney has become a regular addition to the high school scene. She refereed a girls game at the recent Metro Conference holiday tournament and worked last Saturday’s girls game between Lincoln Pius X and Millard North.
She also has worked girls games in the Lincoln area and has done some boys games at the lower-class level. You might also find her working some small-college women’s games.
To get certified, Keeney had to become familiar with all of the rules and pass an online test. She’s not the only female referee, but it’s a job usually dominated by men.
“I think the players like to see me out there,” she said. “I’m not much older than they are.”
Keeney added that officiating has given her a new perspective on the game.
“When I played, I sometimes felt like the refs were out to get me,” she said. “Now I know they were just doing their job.”
Not surprisingly, Keeney said one of the toughest aspects of officiating is ignoring fans who yell at you constantly — and not exactly friendly encouragement.
“At first it was kind of a shock,” she said. “To be in the official’s shoes and put up with that is tough, but you can’t let it get to you.”
Keeney said one of the best pieces of officiating advice came from Robinson, who has helped with her on-court demeanor.
“He told me that you’ve got to look confident,” she said. “You have to believe that you’re going to do a great job out there.”
Still, nobody’s perfect.
“I made a call one game and I knew I was wrong as soon as I blew my whistle,” Keeney said. “But I talked it out with the other refs and the coaches and we moved on.”
She added that she also has gotten her share of compliments after games.
“They tell me it’s a positive thing, having a young woman work games,” Keeney said. “That’s always nice to hear.”
Keeney said she hopes to stay with officiating and to keep advancing up the ranks. More immediately, she is looking forward to working Saturday’s Grand Island-Omaha Westside girls game as part of an all-woman crew.
“Working as an official, I have a new appreciation for the game,” she said. “You just go out there and do the best job you can.”
mike.patterson@owh.com, 402-444-1350, twitter.com/MPattersonOWH