Behind the Whistle: Navigating Bias, Privilege, and the Culture of Evaluation in Officiating

As officials, we step on the court each game with the responsibility of ensuring fairness, consistency, and professionalism. Yet, behind the whistle and beyond the box scores, there’s a deeper reality that affects how we grow, how we advance, and how we’re seen.

I want to speak candidly about that reality—and the quiet but powerful forces that shape our careers as officials: favoritism, reputation-based advancement, and the moral complexity of evaluations.

The Privilege Few Talk About, But Many Feel

If you’ve officiated long enough, you’ve likely witnessed this: two officials work the same game, but only one gets critiqued. And it’s often the less-known, younger, or less-connected one.

“I walked on the court with a respected veteran official—someone everyone knows by name,” one younger varsity ref shared. “They missed rotations, didn’t hustle, and failed to communicate. Afterward, the evaluator sat me and the other junior ref down and gave us 20 minutes of critique. The older official wasn’t mentioned once. It felt like the evaluator just didn’t want to go there.”

There are seasoned officials who, while meeting only the minimum required games, still benefit from their reputation. They get choice assignments, minimal critique, and their presence is rarely questioned—regardless of performance.

When Reputation Replaces Reality

“I know I’ve benefited from having more visibility and access to college-level evaluators,” said one official candidly. “It’s not something I asked for, but I understand why people might see it as unfair. The truth is, relationships matter in every field. That said, I still believe everyone should be judged by how they perform—not just by who they know.”

This perspective isn’t uncommon—and it’s not always malicious. But it is a reality that those of us dedicated to growth can’t ignore.

As someone who works in evaluation and development through COR Academy, I’ve seen both sides. And here’s what I believe:

If you put in the work—if you study the rules, stay physically fit, hustle every game, go to camps (even college camps just to get better), watch film, and have strong mentorship—you will get better. You will stand out.

But the uncomfortable truth is: some evaluators—and some systems—default to comfort, familiarity, and reputation. It’s a kind of passive favoritism I’ve seen in many forms. And from my perspective as a high school official and evaluator, that comfort is a cop-out.

I refuse to be part of that. I dial in to those who want to work, grow, and lead the right way.

When Systems Enable Stagnation

If you believe your privilege is a free pass to stop improving, then it may be time to retire from the court and help in a new way—become an evaluator and truly give back. But don’t clog the pipeline for others who are doing the work, sacrificing weekends, attending clinics, and grinding through tough games to earn their place.

“When I realized younger officials were being judged more harshly than I ever was at their stage, I couldn’t stay quiet,” one veteran shared. “I started advocating for blind evaluations and rotating evaluators more often. Some didn’t like it, but fairness isn’t always comfortable. If we don’t change the way we develop officials, we’re only repeating the same broken cycle.”

Conflicts of Interest Are Real—and Harmful

In regions like California, I’ve personally seen officials running tournaments who are also active members of the assigning association, while evaluators (paid by the same association) stand courtside. Everyone knows the relationships. Everyone sees the conflicts of interest. And everyone understands how power and proximity can influence outcomes.

This dual role—tournament organizer and official—creates two financial incentives in one body. And it creates doubt about the integrity of advancement.

The history of evaluations, from day one, has been filled with well-meaning people—but also with processes easily corrupted by bias, ego, and convenience.

Change Starts with Leadership

Culture shifts when leadership draws the line. Here’s how some associations are doing it right:

• They bring in evaluators from outside the region—no friends, no attachments.

• They ignore past rankings and reputation.

• They watch film and call games by the book.

• They judge performance—not personality, resume, or history.

At COR Academy, when we conduct evaluations, we want one thing: to do it right. We aren't interested in resumes, connections, or past glory. We’re interested in what we see on the floor—right now.

What This Means for You

If you’re an official trying to grow, and you feel like the odds are stacked—don’t stop.

Control what you can:

• Know the rulebook

• Stay in shape

• Be a student of the game

• Get mentored

• Ask for feedback

• Hustle on every possession

Yes, favoritism exists. Yes, flawed systems exist. But growth still cuts through when you do the work with consistency and humility.

If you’re in a position of influence, ask yourself: Are you making it easier or harder for hard-working officials to succeed? Are you leading with courage—or comfort?