The Workout
An inside look at fitness routines, by Anahad O'Connor.
As the big college basketball tournaments get underway, many eyes will be on the players scrambling up and down the courts in pursuit of a national championship.
But the players will not be the only ones breaking a sweat. The average college basketball official runs about four miles a game, and they are not taking their sweet time. The referees must race to keep up with the players, make split-second calls and decisions, and try to predict every play so they can get in the right position to have a clear view of the action.
To learn more about how these hardworking officials stay in shape for the job, we spoke with Deldre Carr, 34, who has spent time on the courts during the N.C.A.A. Men's Division 1 Basketball Championship, better known as March Madness.
Carr, who is from Las Vegas, has been officiating college and semi-professional basketball games for about a decade (he also has a full-time job, as an accounting clerk at a law firm). Recently, we caught up with him to talk about how a basketball ref keeps up with the players, how many miles he runs during an average game and what it's like drawing the ire of fans at every arena. Here are edited excerpts from our conversation.
Were you a basketball player yourself?
I've been playing since I was a child. I played soccer too, but basketball was my first love. I played in college for a Division I school, the University of Montana, and finished up my playing career there in 2002. I played shooting guard and small forward.
What made you want to become a basketball referee?
I'm roughly 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds. I thought about playing overseas, but if you're my height and you don't have a 40-inch vertical, you're not really going to be anything. So at the end of my college career, my father and I sat down and he said: "You need to find a hobby. Take up golf." I'm not a fan of golf. So he said I should try officiating. I gave him a funny look and said, "I hate referees — why would I want to become one? The referee is always the one you blame when you have problems."
But you tried it out anyway?
Yes. I reached out to my high school coach and I went to some local referee meetings here in Las Vegas. I saw some of the officials that worked my games in college and they took me under their wings and showed me the ropes. It felt like I was still part of the game, like I was still playing. You're not shooting and making jumpers, but you're out there making calls. I found a new love with officiating.
When did you start?
I started officiating in about 2003 or 2004. I refereed high school basketball for two years and moved up the ranks fairly quickly. My path went from high school to semi-pro and then to college.
Is officiating a physically demanding job?
I have a Nike FuelBand that I carry in my pocket. I run an average of 5.5 to six miles per game. We have to stay physically fit so you can get up and down the court and get into position to referee. You're running a lot and you're constantly making decisions. You have to think, "O.K., was this illegal contact? Was that marginal contact? Was this incidental contact?" These are things that can all become tiresome during a game. But if you take a break for a split second, you can miss something major like a flagrant foul.
Do you exercise during the season?
Yes. On my days off I like to get in the gym. During the season I like to save my legs because I know I'll do a lot of running during games. So when I go to the gym, I'll do the elliptical or stationary bike. I'll do 30 minutes of cardio, and then a little maintenance workout with weights that can range from 30 to 45 minutes. My heavy lifting is done in the off-season. That's when you try to get yourself in the best shape. During the season, it's all about maintaining.
What is your weight-lifting routine like?
I don't do legs during the season because of the burn that I get working games. But in the off-season, I do some light legwork. That's squats with no weight, leg curls and leg extensions to keep my quads and hamstrings in shape for the upcoming season. I'll also do bench press, pull-ups and military press for my shoulders.
How do you stay in shape in the off-season?
I do a mixture of cardio and weights. A couple of summers ago I was doing the Insanity Workout, which was tough and challenging. It's cardio and weights. I also like to do the treadmill. I like to run at least three times a week. I'd say I probably do about 15 miles a week on a treadmill or elliptical.
Do you exercise on game day too?
Yes. I have a routine that I do. I like to get up in the morning prior to the game, bike for 15 minutes, maybe four or five miles, not too hard. Then I'll grab a couple of weights and do some weight training. And then I'll go back to my room and relax until game time.
What is your typical schedule during the season?
In a typical week I'm home in Las Vegas Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday morning I'm usually out on the first plane. I work a game Thursday, sometimes Friday, and then Saturday. And I may get lucky here and there with a rare Sunday night game.
Do you still play basketball?
I stopped playing basketball about five years ago because I realized that referee running and playing basketball are two different things. You have to stay in shape for both of them, but basketball is a little more strenuous because you have to get into a defensive stance or do a lot of jumping and catching rebounds.
I heard the officiating schedule is sometimes stressful. Is that true?
For referees, the time off in between games is a lot shorter than it is for players. The players might do two games a week, whereas some referees with heavy schedules may do six games a week. You have to make sure your body is getting the proper nutrients and proper rest so you can be mentally strong and able to do this.
Do you follow a special diet?
The calories you put in your body are very important. My wife does a great spread. She keeps the meals very healthy. I eat a lot of chicken. She'll bake and grill chicken breasts. I eat brown rice at times, vegetables, and pastas as well. And I'll have the occasional fast food, especially when I'm on the road and I don't get out of a game until 10 o'clock. At that time, everything is closed so I might stop at Carl's Jr. and get a burger or a wrap.
Are there specific foods you like to eat before a game?
I always have a heavy breakfast in the morning. And then two hours before a game I'll have a soup and a salad. I like to keep it light.
Is it different working a March Madness game than a regular-season game?
The atmosphere is much different. Last year, I was selected to work a March Madness game in Dayton, Ohio. And at one point during a time out I had to take a step back and take it all in. And I thought, "This is a huge honor." Because you look up and there's not an empty seat in the house.
Are you ever bothered by taunts from the fans?
The fans pay money and they can boo, yell or whatever they want. They pay money to do that. I'm all for that. The things they do don't affect officials. In every arena we go into, we know we're going to be called terrible [by the fans]. I've yet to go to an arena where they're cheering us on. The only time you go into an arena and you're cheered is if you come out behind the home team. And after that, we know they're going to boo us.
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