No more travelling calls. No more technicals. Jim Inglis and Chris Lynch are putting away their whistles after lengthy high school basketball referee careers.
They’ve been partners on the court and are now good friends who work together on the Spallumcheen Golf &Country Club grounds crew.
“Father Time is telling me that if I want to leave on my own terms while I can still keep up, this is the time to step away at least into a support role,” said Inglis, 65 and in his second tour as allocator of the Vernon Basketball Officials Association. “This ends a 40-year career on the court (coaching and officiating and often both) and it is with sadness that I step away…I will miss the action but it has been a great run for a hockey guy who got eight years of the 40 to spend with his daughters playing at the highest level travelling the province and Pacific Northwest.”
Inglis, who played three seasons of Junior A hockey as a defenceman for the Vernon Essos and three years at the University of Victoria, began coaching senior boys at Charles Bloom in Lumby. He later taught and coached at Silver Star, West Vernon and Okanagan Landing elementary schools before landing at Fulton Secondary. He coached at the Landing and Fulton in 1999 before solely concentrating on Fulton from 2000-2010.
After refereeing from 1983-99, Inglis took a break and returned to the floor six years ago. He worked 132 games last year and loves the physical aspect.
“You run up and down the court four or five times a day; you wouldn’t ask your basketball team to do that,” said Inglis, who has done three to four tournament games in a day.
Inglis, born and raised in Lumby, said there is also a trust factor required for a successful officiating partnership.
“With referees, it’s not like building a relationship with a team, it’s a relationship with a person. They literally have to like you and be watching your back. Chris and I have become friends on and off the court.”
Inglis used to finish teaching and run to referee a 3 p.m. game. He gives props to the late, great allocator and official Mel Briggeman, and longtime ref John Ross, who “taught me everything.”
Coaching his daughters, Megan and Robyn, from Grades 3-12, was a major thrill for Inglis, who obtained his master’s degree at Gonzaga University near Spokane.
“I taught them and coached them so we were joined at the hip. We would have practices at 7 a.m. and after school. Then I would see them until they went to bed. Those were the best days of my life.”
He guided the Fulton senior girls Maroons for more than a decade, especially loving the 2011 season.
“We had Cassandra Brown, Danica Rybachuk and Janice Phung that year and it was a very special group. We lost by five to York House in the provincial final.”
Lynch, a 61-year-old retired postie, began officiating 20 years ago when Briggeman, a longtime allocator, met Chris when Lynch was watching his daughter, Lindsay, play the game at VS.S
“Mel wanted a warm body and he called me,” said Lynch. “Jim was my mentor. Hustle, be firm, eyes on the game. It was all about people skills: communication was the key.”
“It keeps me moving,” said Lynch. “In basketball, you have to think quickly on your feet. Those senior players will attest every shot. I used to closely watch Randy Novakowski referee because he had good mechanics.”
Lynch was a hoop sponge for information officiating alongside Inglis in his rookie years.
“He was my mentor. Hustle, be firm, eyes on the game. It was all about people skills; communication was the key.”
After a lengthy successful career as a player and coach in baseball and fastball, Lynch switched to umpiring 15 years ago.
Lynch was winner of the 2014 Kelly Roste Memorial Trophy, awarded by the Vernon Umpires Association for dedication and determination. Lynch spent three years as the group’s president and umpire in chief.
Born in Vancouver, Lynch began playing baseball at age eight in Kitsilano before switching to fastball at 18. He saw action at shortstop, third base and catcher,
He coached his daughters, Lindsay and Melissa, both pitchers, all through minor fastball, taking them to a few provincials and B.C. Summer Games, where both girls bagged bronze medals.
There are 17 active basketball officials this year and more are needed.
“It would be nice to have 20,” said Inglis. “We’re probably going to lose our best official, Andy Collins, because he will be coaching his kids. Not a ton of guys are going on to play college hoops so there has to be bucketloads of guys who could referee and make some spending money. We have a clinic in the fall and camps in the summer.”
Veteran Fulton senior boys coach Dale Olson says both Inglis and Lynch put huge energy into officiating.
“It’s not always the most rewarding job getting in arguments every game,” said the UVic Viking hoop grad. “You won’t find many people that are willing to do a thankless job for so many years yet still retire in their prime (lol). They have battled through insult and injury to retire from officiating with their heads held high. They will be remembered forever by the players and coaches that they were involved with, some with good thoughts, others not so good thoughts. Rest in peace boys.”
Anyone interested in refereeing may call Inglis at 250-545-3629.