Marty Kmetz, background, a referee from Easthampton, officiates a game at Springfield College last night. (Photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
EASTHAMPTON – Easthampton resident Marty Kmetz has blown the whistle on a couple of big name NBA stars.
In fact, Kmetz, 41, a high school and college basketball official, continues to make the calls on the floor of area arenas. But he would much rather let the players on the court decide the outcomes of games.
“We don’t want to be glorified,” Kmetz said during an exclusive interview with the Westfield News.
Kmetz said if he is doing his job the right way, nobody should even remember that he ever officiated a game. But while this longtime official seeks anonymity, he easily recollects some of the more memorable players from the games he has called, as well as one well-known fellow official.
Kmetz officiated a prep school hoops game featuring Blair Academy (N.J.) stars Luol Deng and Charlie Villanueva. Deng now plays for the Chicago Bulls, and Villanueva for the Detroit Pistons.
Kmetz has patrolled the basketball court alongside Matt Palumb, a three-time national champion lacrosse goalie from Syracuse University.
But just like his calls on the hardwood, he doesn’t dwell on his place in the game.
“You can’t live in the past,” Kmetz said. “You’re only as good as your next call.”
Kmetz, who is a senior claims examiner at Mass Mutual during the day, is entering his 22nd season as a boys’ high school basketball official. He has officiated college women’s hoops games for nearly 18 years.
“It’s something that has allowed me to stay within the game,” Kmetz said, referring to his playing days as a guard for an area basketball team. “It was a way for me to get some exercise. I fell in love with it.”
Kmetz is currently a referee in Franklin County, and often times, calls games involving some local teams. He is also an official in the Northeast-10 Conference, as well as for the ECAC and WCBO, and can often be spotted at Westfield State University, Western New England College, Springfield College, Elms, Mount Holyoke, STCC, or HCC.
He officiates between 50 to 60 games a year.
Kmetz has earned playoff assignments for the NCAA Division II and III women’s college basketball tournaments, and state high school boys’ finals. But whether it is a junior varsity game featuring a pair of less-than-stellar teams or a title tilt, it is the people he crosses paths with that provide him with the most enjoyment.
MARTY KMETZ
“One of the best things (working as an official) is the friendships I have made,” Kmetz said. “Some nights I ask myself why I do this after getting screamed at all game…but it’s because of the hundreds of people I meet. Officials are good people.”
Kmetz became a basketball referee while attending Springfield College in the early 1990s. He was able to become familiar with the position through a member of his local golf club.
Kmetz went through all the training to become a high school official, attending classes to earn certification, passing a national test and floor exam, and surviving the probationary period. He continues to take a refresher exam made of close to 75 questions annually, attends some six pre-season meetings every year, and attends summer camp in the offseason.
As far as becoming a collegiate official, Kmetz said he passed a tryout and has stayed on ever since.
