OFFICIALLY THE BEST: AL MCFERREN NAMED NATIONAL OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR

Al McFerren might not be as well known as his older brother, Lennies, but he's made a mark of his own on the area sports scene as a high school basketball official for the past 27 years.

McFerren recently was named the National High School Official of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

"I was tickled pink. I almost fell back in tears," said McFerren in describing the moment he received the award during the National Federation of State High School Associations banquet in Indianapolis.

McFerren, who grew up in Lilbourn, Mo., but has made Cape Girardeau his home for the past 20 years, said the award took him totally by surprise, although he figured something had to be up when Missouri State High School Activities Association officials -- who had nominated McFerren for the honor -- wanted him to accompany them to Indianapolis.

"I kind of figured something was going on when the state people wanted me to go to Indianapolis real bad," McFerren said. "I didn't know why."

McFerren found it particularly gratifying that he was honored during the same year that Lennies -- a legendary area high school basketball coach who has won a combined 10 state championships at Charleston and New Madrid County Central -- won a national coach of the year award.

"You talk about fate," he said. "It couldn't have worked out any better."

Paid his dues

The 48-year-old McFerren, who was also named the state official of the year, said he has tried to figure out why he was singled out for the national award over the thousands and thousands of other officials across the country.

"Not trying to be modest, but I think a lot of it is longevity," he said. "I've been around a long time. I've been nominated for this before but never won, so maybe they figured it was my time."

After a bit of prodding, McFerren said, "Some of the things they said at the awards banquet was that my rating has been very high for the last 15 years, so I'm sure that had something to do with it."

McFerren, who also works some junior-college and NCAA Division II basketball games in Missouri, finds it almost ironic that a guy who once was a constant thorn in the sides of officials has been part of that sometimes hated group in the striped shirts for more than half of his life.

"I was one of the worst fans," he said with a laugh. "I would go to Lennies' games and give the officials all kinds of heck. I thought, if I'm going to be so critical of officials, I'll see if I can do better."

Two other things also motivated McFerren to become an official.

"Back then, there were no black officials in this area and I thought it would make a good role model for minority kids," he said. "Plus, I love basketball."

McFerren, who in his "real" job is employed by Cape Girardeau Public Schools as a teacher at the Cape Girardeau County Juvenile Detention Center, said he has thoroughly enjoyed officiating and plans to stay at it for at least several more years.

"Being part of the game, being part of that atmosphere, realizing that what I do makes a difference, it's all been very enjoyable," he said. "I feel like I've been able to give something back to a sport I love."