Robert Supowit was admittedly tired after he worked a basketball doubleheader - one that went into overtime.

The longtime referee noted that he had worked 68 minutes of game time.

For most referees - no matter their age - that would definitely be considered a long workday.

But when you take into account the fact that Supowit is 86-years old, his ability to grind through the long day on the court is even more impressive.

He and some of his peers are proof that age is just a number in a profession that keeps that adage in its proper perspective.

“I was tired when I came home, and that’s not usually the case,” he said. “It was a night of a lot of running.”

For Supowit, being tired after working a game, or games in some cases, isn’t a regular occurrence.

Due to his commitment to a steady, regimented workout schedule, Supowit has defied the odds.

More importantly though, he is an example of the current state of referees in the area and throughout District 11 where there is an obvious referee shortage - not just in basketball, but in all sports.

Supowit and longtime official Jim Strubinger - who just turned 74 - are prime examples of how older officials often have six-day-a-week schedules due to the lack of an influx of young talent.

According to recent statistics, there are 330 registered officials in District 11 - a number believed to be close to just over 300 since a number of the registered PIAA officials are currently inactive.

That total is down from the high of 405 in 2019.

At age 86, Supowit considers himself a late bloomer to the profession. He became a PIAA official in 1991 when he was in his mid-50s. A Hazleton native, Supowit left the area and moved to Arizona in 1981. He returned nearly 10 years later to accept a banking position, and decided to venture into the profession after working summer leagues and CYO games in the Hazleton area.

“I remember going to watch a summer league game in Hazleton, and the person who ran the league asked me if I was interested in refereeing,” recalled Supowit, who belongs to the Hazleton and Tamaqua official chapters. “I didn’t consider myself a referee, but I knew the game. I was paid five dollars a game, and was told that I did pretty good. After that, I became more comfortable with the CYO games, and knew I could move on from there.”

Over the years, Supowit has had many memorable games from the middle to high school levels on both the boys’ and girls’ fronts. His assignments can take him anywhere from Shenandoah to Northern Lehigh.

Supowit’s 30-plus years of officiating has given him a unique view on the changes in the game.

“It certainly has changed,” said Supowit. “I think the game is getting out of hand with the fans’ involvement. I know a referee who was working a game in a rec league, and he got hit in the head by a fan. I recently gave my first technical in 33 years to a JV coach who just wouldn’t stop.

“A few years ago, spectators were banned in a Philadelphia league. If you work at a high school game, there is some distance between you and the fans. In a middle school or a rec game, you are much closer to the fans. I have been fortunate to never have an incident.

“I believe that is one of the main reasons why we don’t have a lot of new guys coming into the game. There are more and more schools who have policies to stop negative fan involvement. It is dangerous now, and it can get worse.”

Tamaqua athletic director Mike Hromyak is well aware that a lack of referees is a growing problem.

“This is an issue in all sports everywhere throughout the state,” said Hromyak. “The PIAA, coaches, athletic directors and fellow referees are doing everything we can to promote the profession, and have new individuals begin because they are desperately needed. “

As a result, Hromyak and other athletic directors have been forced to revamp their traditional schedules of Tuesday and Friday varsity basketball games, and play on a variety of days during the week.

“I believe parents and spectators are beginning to understand that the lack of officials is a real problem, and unfortunately it’s not getting better,” said Homyak. “Obviously, games cannot be played without them. ADs have altered starting times of games, and can’t even reschedule games without contacting the official assignor first to see if officials can even be obtained.

“It’s not just basketball either. We had to play some Thursday night varsity football games this past fall because there aren’t enough officials to officiate all the games on a Friday night.

Athletic directors have also instituted ways to curb negative fan involvement.

“Actions of spectators are certainly a deterrent to increasing the number of officials,” said Hromyak. “Ask anyone what the biggest reason for not becoming an official is, and most people will tell you it’s the verbal attacks toward them during games. Athletic administrators are working hard to prevent that from occurring.

“At Tamaqua, we have become less and less tolerant of negative actions of spectators toward referees.”

Strubinger, who is in his 53rd season as a PIAA official, sees a similar picture.

Like Supowit, he also maintains a busy schedule, and still enjoys donning the pinstripes.

A Jim Thorpe native, Strubinger looks at his venture in a practical vein, and it helped him continue to develop a relentless work ethic.

“My wife and I had five kids,” he said. “She was a stay-at-home mom, and I also didn’t want anyone else raising our kids. So I originally became an official out of necessity trying to make some extra money to support our family.

“At first I was working at the post office part time, and I also had as many as six paper routes. If I had a two-hour lunch break, I would try to shovel snow or cut grass. I did whatever it took to help my family. I wanted to ensure that my children had the opportunity for a great education.”

His refereeing proved to complement his life well.

“As far as officiating, it came really easy to me because I was light on my feet,” added Strubinger. “I loved it. After a game, it was typical of me to stop at the market on the way home for groceries.”

Strubinger is cognizant of the referee shortage, and the rising fan rampage.

“When I was younger, the older guys would tell me not to listen to any of it, and try to get out of the gym as quickly as possible. I still don’t listen to any of the insults today, and it’s easier to do that now because I don’t hear as well as I once did,” he laughed. “I know plenty of younger guys who got out of it because they couldn’t take it.

“When I first started officiating it first, it took a while to be accepted by your peers and assignors and to get games. Now, with a shortage of officials, it’s about how many games you can do. We are in dire need of younger officials to join.”

Dan Rossino is in his 31st year as a PIAA official, and also serves as an assignor for youth leagues. Rossino has a full weekly slate of games, and is among just 15 officials in the Carbon County chapter.

He has a direct solution to the issue.

“You have to change the culture,” he stated. “The PIAA has been working to incorporate stronger rules as far as player ejections. Officials can ask fans to leave the building, and then the school has to be contacted to not have them at games.

“It truly is a problem. Fans think the middle and high school games are the NBA, where everyone can argue about everything. You do have to have thick skin. But the fans aren’t slowing down at all.”

However, Rossino remains optimistic about improving the scarcity of officials, and cited the usage of workshops and Zoom meetings to further support and inform his workmates.

Rossino also has witnessed a strong bond and chemistry among his fellow officials.

“I think we’ll be OK,” he said about the profession’s future. “The cycle is still on the down swing, but we have to keep working and stay positive.

“It is what it is now. The culture has to be changed. You have guys like Supowit and Strubinger working well at their ages, but I know of 10 or 12 guys right now who are likely not coming back. When the older guys’ times are up on the floor, we are still confident that we can fill their voids.”

Supowit hasn’t put a timetable on his career. Instead, he is relying upon his instincts to determine the time left in his career.

“I take it day-by-day and one year at a time,” he offered. “ I do have my retirement papers. I feel good, and I will know when it is time.

Strubinger also hasn’t quite seen the light at the end of the tunnel. He recently reached a personal milestone when he was the referee for the PIAA Class 5A football final.

“It meant a lot to me,” gushed Strubinger about the football final. “I didn’t think it was going to happen in my career. It gave me a sense that I succeeded in this, and people thought enough of my work. It was my best football season, as I traveled all over to see some places that I haven’t seen before.

“I don’t have any aches and pains. I’ll have a full basketball, softball, and football schedule ahead of me. I look at Bob (Supowit) and see the great work he is still doing - he is amazing doing the work he is doing in his 80s.

“I don’t know if they will want me around in my 80’s. But doing this has been a lot of fun, and it has been good to me.”

It’s obvious that age isn’t slowing down either Supowit or Strubinger.

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CONGRATS COACH … On Saturday, Dec. 31, Tamaqua girls basketball coach Erika Davis reached a milestone. The Blue Raiders’ 56-22 win over visiting Mahanoy Area was the 100th of Davis’ head coaching career. Davis is the third winningest coach in the program’s history, trailing only current Lehighton coach Joe Berezwick (277 wins) - who coached Davis during her playing career at Tamaqua - and Karen Rottet (162 wins).

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1,000 AND COUNTING … Northern Lehigh’s Aubrey Pollard and Palmerton’s Brayden Hosier became the latest Times News area basketball players to reach the coveted 1,000-career point milestone.

Pollard accomplished the feat on Monday, Dec. 18 when she scored seven points in a 37-32 loss to Palmerton. Three days later, Hosier reached the mark by scoring 31 points in the Bombers’ 63-50 victory over Northwestern.

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WRESTLING CHAMPIONS … Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks captured two different girls wrestling tournament championships during the opening month of the season, while Palmerton’s Derek King and Lehighton’s Reese Balk have both won boys wrestling tournament titles.

Banks won the 285-pound title at both the PA National Guard Invitational (Saturday, Dec. 9), and the Elizabethtown Girls BAGUBA Brawl (Sunday, Dec. 17).

King captured the 145-pound title at the Carlisle Classic on Friday, Dec. 15, posting a 3-2 decision over Conestoga Valley’s Teagan Ruble in the title bout. Meanwhile, Balk walked away from the Jim Thorpe Christmas Tournament with a tournament title in the 285-pound weight class after earning a pin over Williams Valley’s Cameron Green in :43 in the finals.

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PALMERTON PROGRAM MILESTONE … On Thursday, Dec. 7, the Palmerton boys’ basketball team defeated Pen Argyl, 55-23, for the 1,400th win in the program’s history. According to the Palmerton boys basketball program’s Facebook page, the Bombers are just the 28th PIAA school to hit that milestone number. The Palmerton program is currently in its 108th season of existence.

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WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES … Two area girls basketball teams have already surpassed the number of wins they finished with a season ago.

Last year, Lehighton (5) and Tamaqua (6) combined for just 11 wins between them in 44 games. This season, the Indians and Blue Raiders are both showing vast improvement. The Indians currently sit at 7-4, while the Raiders have an impressive 9-1 record.

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FILLIES GO DOWNTOWN … The Marian Fillies have stepped up their long-range shooting this season.

Through eight games last season, the Fillies had made 29 three-pointers.

After eight games this season, the Fillies doubled that number with 58 threes. Marian kept up that torrid pace in its last two games, hitting six treys on Saturday against Allentown Central Catholic, and adding seven more on Tuesday against Lincoln Leadership Academy. Through 10 games, the Fillies now have 71 threes - an average of 7.1 per game. That’s the highest average among any boys or girls team in the area, slightly higher than the Lehighton boys’ average of 6.7 threes per game.