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Kirby Wells is one of the youngest in his field or court, to be exact.
The 17-year-old senior at Grand Island Senior High is a varsity basketball referee one of the youngest, if not the youngest, in the state.
"I started at 16," Wells said.
He will turn 18 on March 30.
But already, Wells has officiated more than 100 games. Many have been on the middle school and junior varsity level, but this year alone he's racked up 15 varsity games.
"At his age, he's reffed a tremendous number of games," said certified referee Kurt Hinrichs of Hastings.
To get the striped shirt, Wells had to pass a written test from the Nebraska School Activities Association with 80 percent or better. Wells scored a 97.
He then became a registered referee, but he won't be certified until he gets more games under his belt something he can only do if he's doing a good job.
"You're only as good as your last game," said Wells' dad, Joe, who is also a referee.
So the real test comes on the basketball court to be in the right place at the right time, to make calls and to stand behind them.
Wells dropped 30 pounds after football season to be more agile.
"You have to hustle just as fast as they do," Wells said.
He's also attended more than 1,000 games growing up where he watched the officials their positions, their method of controlling the game, their way of explaining calls.
"His hard work shows. It's not an easy job," Hinrichs said. "His mechanics are very good. He observes very well and learns very well. His judgment is good."
Observing officials has come a bit as second nature considering that Wells' older brother, Brooks, is a referee, just as their father is. Their grandfather also umpired ball games.
It's a tradition that Wells hopes to continue or even beat.
Last month, at age 22, Brooks became the youngest-ever referee at the Girls State Basketball Tournament. He broke the previous record of age 24, set by Joe Wells.
Under state rules, an official must have at least five years of experience before being eligible to ref a state tournament.
That means Kirby could be eligible to officiate at state at age 20.
Wells is often refereeing kids his own age, which can be tough, Hinrichs said. Coaches, players, even fans may question why "this kid" is in control of the game, Hinrichs said.
But once coaches, players and fans see Wells in action, "he gains their respect," Hinrichs said. "He knows how to relate to people."
Part of that relating is staying calm when things get hot, explaining calls in a confident manner and being willing to learn.
"He's a great kid," said certified referee Doug Stevenson of Grand Island, who has paired with Wells on games in Cozad and Kearney. "He's young. He's new. He asks a lot of questions, and he wants to get better.
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