DALLAS — It's a Friday night in Texas. Two of the area's best football teams are squaring off.
And as Rory Bernard from the Dallas Football Officials Association notes, you may just have "40,000 or 50,000 people" at the game, especially if it's a game late in the playoffs.
And you're in the middle of it.
"You've gotta have some thick skin," DFOA referee John Matthews said.
"Yes, lots and lots of comments," fellow official Haley Johnson said.
As a football official, the responsibilities are vast.
"You have to be wired for it," Bernard said.
Officials working football games across the state make the decisions that could impact the outcome of the biggest games, involving the best programs.
"There's a process that you have to go through," Bernard said, "to make that big call, in that big game, that we all want to work at the end of the day."
This fall there will be a special officiating crew working games across North Texas -- perhaps the most diverse crew we've seen yet. Matthews, a black man, will serve as the crew chief and referee. And there will be two women on the crew as well.
"It's really a reflection of how our country should be," Matthews said. "We're a melting pot. But our common love is the love of serving coaches, student athletes, family and community."
One of the women on the crew is Haley Johnson.
"I don't want you to put me on the field or on the court, like in a high-level college game or whatever game it is, a football game, because I'm a female," Johnson said. "I want you to put me there because I deserve to be there, and I've worked hard to be there. And I know just as much as the guys do."
Johnson has absolutely worked hard for it. She's been officiating games since she was 12.
Yes, you read that correct. 12.
She did her first varsity basketball game when she was just 16, started doing college basketball games at 19, and last year, she picked up football too. And the officiating prodigy has big goals.
"We'll see where it takes me, but NFL would be crazy," she said, "to do the NBA and NFL.. that will take some time though. Gotta work for it."
She's a part of the next generation of officials. A next generation that is desperately needed, as numbers continue to dwindle.
"We've got a lot of 50-60 year olds," Bernard said. "And when they leave, I don't think we have enough to cover that gap."
So officiating groups across the country are recruiting hard... but it's not easy.
"Because who wants to get yelled at?" Bernard said with a laugh. In truth, each member of the crew, when asked, noted that the 'getting yelled at' part of the job is far less frequent than is commonly perceived.
But that's part of why John Matthews crew is so important, because no matter who you are, or where you come from, you can look at this crew and see someone that looks like you.
"They are paving the way for young ladies, as we as African American men are paving the way for African American males," Matthews said. "We have Hispanic males in our chapter as well. So, all of those ceilings have been shattered now. And I'm proud to be a part of this monumental moment, where kids can see a reflection of themselves on the field as well as off the field."
So maybe, you're next.
By the way -- you can make some money doing this. Officials doing varsity games can make as much as $500-600 during the regular season, and as much as $1300 for playoff games. That's not right from the start -- you have to work up to that point, of course. But there's money to be made, for sure.