Vitt closes out 28-year college officiating career
After 28 years and nearly 700 games, Frank Vitt has officiated his last college basketball contest.
Vitt, a West Liberty resident, saw his collegiate officiating career come to a close after he worked Wittenberg’s game against Hiram on Feb. 22.
“I guess all good things have to come to an end,” said Vitt, who plans to continue to referee high school games. “I am 67-years-old. God has blessed me with good health and I still have the passion to do it, but I don’t move quite as well as I did five or 10 years ago. I just thought it was time to step down at this level.”
A former high school and college basketball player, Vitt was a high school coach before deciding to pursue officiating.
As he gained more experience, Vitt wanted to move up the ladder and try his hand at college games.
“You had to go to camps to become a college official,” said Vitt. “Denny Dyer helped me find the right camps. I continued to go to referee camps for seven years and continued to move up.”
His first game was in November of 1991 at Cedarville University, where Vitt attended college.
Vitt mainly worked NCAA Division III and NAIA games during his career. In addition, he had the opportunity to officiate a pair of Division I games in the old Great Midwest Conference.
“I did a game at the University of Cincinnati when Bob Huggins was there and I did a game at the University of Dayton,” said Vitt.
Vitt said he had a positive experience with Huggins, who is known for his volatile temper.
“I remember going over to meet him before the game,” Vitt recalled. “There was a guy in my church who knew his family. I brought up his name to Huggins and it surprised him a little. It was an early-season game and it was a conference game. I never had a problem with him, even though I did make a mistake. I called a timeout for the other team when UC had the ball. He didn’t get on me too much, though.”
Also standing out to Vitt was the assignment to work a Division III regional final.
“Probably my biggest game was a regional final at Calvin College 17 years ago,” said Vitt. “The winner went to the Final Four.
“I also always enjoyed working the Wittenberg-Wooster games. That is one of the biggest games in Division III basketball. Those games were always fun to work.”
Throughout his college officiating career, Vitt also worked high school games, sometimes doing a college contest and a high school game on the same day. The change in the speed of the game provided a challenge.
“The higher level you work the better the athletes and the pace of the game is quicker,” said Vitt. “If you want to stay at the college level, you have to be good every game. It doesn’t matter if you were good your last game if you have a bad game the next time.
You also have to know the difference in the rules when you are working different levels.”
In addition to enjoying being around the game of basketball, Vitt also developed numerous friendships.
“I was able to get to know a lot of people and you build respect for each other,” he said. “I have built a lot of great relationships over the years through officiating.”
Vitt credits having a supportive family for being able to officiate has long as he has.
“I have always had great support from my family,” he said. “My wife went to a lot of games with me and I also took friends along, so that was something else I enjoyed.”
Although his college games are done, Vitt is far from completely leaving officiating. He works as an assignor for several levels of basketball and also works a summer camp for young officials. He will also stay busy with his high school schedule.
“As long as the Lord gives me the ability to run up and down the court, I will keep doing it,” he said with a laugh.