Litzelfelner likes going to court

Mike Litzelfelner began officiating area basketball games about 15 years ago primarily as a way to re-connect with athletics and to stay in shape.

Little did the lifelong Jackson resident realize that he would eventually graduate to calling Division I college hoops at some of the nation's most storied venues.

"It's kind of interesting how it's all worked out," Litzelfelner said recently.

The 51-year-old Litzelfelner's "real" job is co-owner and general manager at Jackson's Bent Creek Golf Course, which his family has owned and operated since they built the facility in1990.

But during the winter months for the last couple years, Litzelfelner has been just as busy officiating college basketball for various Division I conferences, including the Big 12, Conference USA, Missouri Valley, Sun Belt and Ohio Valley.

Referee Mike Litzelfelner, right, officiated the Ohio Valley Conference game between Southeast Missouri State's and Tennessee State game at the Show Me Center on Jan. 18. (Kit Doyle)

In the past eight days alone, Litzelfelner was in Denton, Texas, on Feb. 3 for a Sun Belt game at North Texas; in Omaha, Neb., on Wednesday for a Missouri Valley game at Creighton; and in Little Rock, Ark., on Saturday for a Sun Belt game at Arkansas-Little Rock.

He squeezed in a Division II contest at Missouri-St. Louis on Thursday.

Litzelfelner said he averages about 60 games per year, which adds up to about three games each week. He either flies or drives, depending on the location.

"I could never have a better job than what I have for doing this, because it's so seasonal," Litzelfelner said of his work at Bent Creek. "If it wasn't in the winter, I'm not sure if I could do it."

He added with a laugh: "One thing I have going for me that a lot of people don't, I have very understanding bosses, since I'm my own boss."

Referee Mike Litzelfelner, right, officiating the Southeast Missouri State versus Tennessee State game at the Show Me Center on Jan. 18, 2007. (Kit Doyle)

After graduating from Jackson High School, Litzelfelner attended the University of Missouri, where he was a walk-on football player as a defensive back from 1974 through 1978.

Litzelfelner returned to the area after graduating from Missouri and got into coaching. From 1979 through 1982 he was an assistant football coach and head girls basketball coach at Central High School in Cape Girardeau.

Litzelfelner then spent about 10 years in the local banking industry before joining his family in the operation at Bent Creek in 1992, which is about the same time he decided to start officiating basketball games.

"I started out doing parochial games, junior high games, high school games," he said.

In 1994, Litzelfelner attended two camps to learn more about officiating. They were run by noted college basketball official Ron Zetcher, who was also a supervisor of officials.

"I didn't know it at the time, but it was a tryout," Litzelfelner said. "He [Zetcher] actually hired me. He said 'Hey, I liked you, would you work a few games for me?'

"I did a handful of small college games and became acquainted with some other officials and supervisors from other leagues."

About 10 years ago, Litzelfelner said he started calling NAIA games in the St. Louis area, along with junior college games in Missouri and Illinois.

After attending more tryout-type camps, Litzelfelner moved up to doing a few Missouri Valley games in 2001.

But Litzelfelner said his big breakthrough came about four years ago when he was hired by Dale Kelley, who as supervisor of officials for several Division I conferences assigns officials for games in those leagues.

Kelley has been the supervisor of officials for the Big 12, Conference USA, Sun Belt and other leagues, and just this season he assumed similar duties for the Ohio Valley, of which Southeast Missouri State is a member.

"It's all tryouts and it's all camp driven," Litzelfelner explained. "A lot of the guys you see on television on a regular basis have come through those camp systems.

"Everybody who has aspirations for Division I basketball, you actually go to those tryout camps. Dale Kelley has three tryout camps every summer, and at those camps you are evaluated. It's not just calling games, it's classroom settings, tests, things like that."

Although Litzelfelner still calls Division II games in the region, he began working a full slate of Division I games about three years ago.

This season, he has officiated Division I games in the Big 12, Missouri Valley, Sun Belt and Ohio Valley. Litzelfelner has even worked three Southeast contests this year, including two at the Show Me Center.

Although Litzelfelner said he has not done as many Big 12 games this year as in the past -- primarily because of his added duties with the OVC -- he has in recent years officiated games at Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, which all rank among the nation's most notable programs.

"I'd say Kansas is probably at the top of my list as far as atmosphere," Litzelfelner said. "But Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, they're all very good.

"And the Missouri Valley has gotten to the point where every single night in that conference is just an awesome atmosphere."

Litzelfelner said he relishes the opportunity to officiate Division I basketball and tries to enjoy it as much as possible.

"Officiating is not unlike a lot of other things," he said. "It's opportunity, being in the right place at the right time, knowing the right people, and when you get the opportunity, make the most of it.

"I enjoy it. It's fun. I guess most of the guys involved, we're former athletes or coaches or both. For me, it kind of takes care of my competitive nature."

Litzelfelner said he hesitates to call what he's doing a hobby, because of how big a business Division I basketball is, with livelihoods of coaches largely depending on the outcomes of games.

In addition, Litzelfelner acknowledges that he is well-compensated for what he does.

Most Division I conferences pay each official at least several hundred dollars per game, with some of the bigger leagues paying substantially more than that.

"For me, the money was never a factor. It was a way to spend my winters, to stay in shape," Litzelfelner said. "But now it's a very, very big business. The compensation is significant."

As for his philosphy on handing out technical fouls, Litzelfelner said he simply tries to be as fair as possible.

"I would say only when warranted," he said. "But it's part of the game. In my mind, it's no different than breaking any other rule in the game.

"I don't want to be involved in the game, but if I have to be involved in the game by use of the technical, I certainly won't ignore it."

As far as notable games he has officiated over the years, Litzelfelner hesitated to single any out, but he indicated there have been plenty.

"Where do you want me to start?" he said. "I tell the young guys, now that you're starting, if you're smart, you'll get yourselves a journal.

"I have probably 100 or more stories that I could tell you, all the way from junior high to Division I. The things that come out of coaches' mouths, fans, timers, everything in between ... there are probably things that happen every night that are memorable."

As a relative new kid on the block regarding Division I officiating, Litzelfelner said he has spent most of the last few postseasons calling Division II conference tournaments, along with NAIA and junior college national tournaments.

He has not yet had the opportunity to work an NCAA tournament game, but he hopes that eventually changes.

"I would hope I would get that opportunity down the road, but that's totally up to my bosses," he said. "It's definitely a goal of mine, but it's hard to say whether that will ever happen."