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Div. 1 final finale for referee
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| Van Galder |
By Jim Franz
Sports Editor
Van Galder figures this is the game to go out on
Rev. Gene Van Galder has officiated more than his share of weddings, baptisms and funerals.
Tonight in Madison, he'll officiate his final high school football game.
Ballplayers love to retire after championships. It's not that much different for referees. Van Galder's final game as a prep official will be the WIAA Division 1 state final between undefeated rivals Hartland Arrowhead and Homestead at Camp Randall Stadium.
“I figure I'm going out on top,” Van Galder said. “This is a great game to go out on.”
It's his ninth state final, dating back to the now-defunct WISAA.
“I've been blessed and had a wonderful run,” the former Beloit Memorial High School basketball coach and educator said. “I've worked with basically the same crew for the past 20 years.”
The newcomer on that crew is his son-in-law, Tim Duffy, who joined up two years ago.
“I work with the same guys on Saturday doing college games so even though I'm leaving I'll still be seeing everybody,” said Van Galder, the minister at First Baptist Church in Beloit.
His health is no issue. In fact, the 60-year-old Van Galder said he's more fit now than he was 10 years ago. But he just figures it's time he stops driving all over southern Wisconsin on Friday nights. This past season he worked games in the Big Eight, Rock Valley and Southeast conferences as well as a Level 1 playoff game between Waunakee and Monona Grove.
“We've always had a full schedule,” said Van Galder, who also works as a WIAA rules interpreter.
The high temperature today might approach 30 degrees.
“It's going to be a cold one, but I've worked in all conditions,” Van Galder said. “I've had snow games, near-zero games, plenty of rainy games. I've done them all.”
Saturdays, he works mainly Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association games.
Van Galder was thrilled when Dave Anderson of the WIAA selected his crew for the Division 1 title game.
“He uses several criteria to make the assignments,” Van Galder said. “How much experience your crew has at state is one, along with how your crew has been evaluated over the year by coaches. You also can't have anyone affiliated with the teams playing. One of our guys is a top administrator at Middleton, so if they were playing we couldn't have worked it.”
Van Galder never permitted himself to officiate a Beloit Memorial football game, whether in the playoffs or regular season.
“That would really be difficult with my long-standing ties to the Purple Knights,” he said with a chuckle.
Van Galder doesn't say he's perfect, but he doesn't ever remember blowing a call that cost a team a game. Not that there haven't been a lot of close calls to be determined, including one last week at River Falls.
“That call wasn't just controversial, it was devastating,” Van Galder said. “Oshkosh was down by six with two seconds left on River Falls' 2-yard-line. The Oshkosh running back took the handoff, went into the line, stopped, pivoted and pitched the ball back to the quarterback, who then threw a touchdown pass. Oshkosh kicked the point-after and won the game (13-12).
“River Falls thought the running back's forward progress had stopped and the play should have been whistled dead. But our supervisor watched it and determined we made the right call. You have seven guys officiating in college and three of us had (the call), but I think it was really my call.
“You always wonder, so you like it when you can have it independently verified.”
Van Galder isn't sure how long he will continue to referee college football.
“I've worked every game short of the (Division III) national championship game,” he said. “If I could get that, that might be one to go out on, too.”
Rev. Gene Van Galder has officiated more than his share of weddings, baptisms and funerals.
Tonight in Madison, he'll officiate his final high school football game.
Ballplayers love to retire after championships. It's not that much different for referees. Van Galder's final game as a prep official will be the WIAA Division 1 state final between undefeated rivals Hartland Arrowhead and Homestead at Camp Randall Stadium.
“I figure I'm going out on top,” Van Galder said. “This is a great game to go out on.”
It's his ninth state final, dating back to the now-defunct WISAA.
“I've been blessed and had a wonderful run,” the former Beloit Memorial High School basketball coach and educator said. “I've worked with basically the same crew for the past 20 years.”
The newcomer on that crew is his son-in-law, Tim Duffy, who joined up two years ago.
“I work with the same guys on Saturday doing college games so even though I'm leaving I'll still be seeing everybody,” said Van Galder, the minister at First Baptist Church in Beloit.
His health is no issue. In fact, the 60-year-old Van Galder said he's more fit now than he was 10 years ago. But he just figures it's time he stops driving all over southern Wisconsin on Friday nights. This past season he worked games in the Big Eight, Rock Valley and Southeast conferences as well as a Level 1 playoff game between Waunakee and Monona Grove.
“We've always had a full schedule,” said Van Galder, who also works as a WIAA rules interpreter.
The high temperature today might approach 30 degrees.
“It's going to be a cold one, but I've worked in all conditions,” Van Galder said. “I've had snow games, near-zero games, plenty of rainy games. I've done them all.”
Saturdays, he works mainly Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association games.
Van Galder was thrilled when Dave Anderson of the WIAA selected his crew for the Division 1 title game.
“He uses several criteria to make the assignments,” Van Galder said. “How much experience your crew has at state is one, along with how your crew has been evaluated over the year by coaches. You also can't have anyone affiliated with the teams playing. One of our guys is a top administrator at Middleton, so if they were playing we couldn't have worked it.”
Van Galder never permitted himself to officiate a Beloit Memorial football game, whether in the playoffs or regular season.
“That would really be difficult with my long-standing ties to the Purple Knights,” he said with a chuckle.
Van Galder doesn't say he's perfect, but he doesn't ever remember blowing a call that cost a team a game. Not that there haven't been a lot of close calls to be determined, including one last week at River Falls.
“That call wasn't just controversial, it was devastating,” Van Galder said. “Oshkosh was down by six with two seconds left on River Falls' 2-yard-line. The Oshkosh running back took the handoff, went into the line, stopped, pivoted and pitched the ball back to the quarterback, who then threw a touchdown pass. Oshkosh kicked the point-after and won the game (13-12).
“River Falls thought the running back's forward progress had stopped and the play should have been whistled dead. But our supervisor watched it and determined we made the right call. You have seven guys officiating in college and three of us had (the call), but I think it was really my call.
“You always wonder, so you like it when you can have it independently verified.”
Van Galder isn't sure how long he will continue to referee college football.
“I've worked every game short of the (Division III) national championship game,” he said. “If I could get that, that might be one to go out on, too.”
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