Imagine a day where you get up and work your normal job until 5 p.m., but instead of going home to see your family, you have to tend to your second job, which involves having to make quick decisions in front of a sometimes hostile group of observers. By the time you get home, it’s already almost time to go to bed and if you’re lucky you get to say quick goodnight to your loved ones before dozing off for the night. That’s the reality for a lot of local referees and as numbers continue to dwindle for sports officials, there is more being asked of referees and competition judges than ever before. With the MSHSL honoring officials this week, now is as good a time as any to thank all of the referees and respect the hard work they do to keep the games going. As the old saying goes, without refs, there would be no games. Keep in mind that most officials are doing the job because they love being around sports and they want to see the game grow. They do not have an agenda to help one team win and they do not have it out for certain players. The winter season is the most grueling of all high school sports seasons as it is the longest and there are the most contests. If you happen to go to a game in the next month or two, remember how hard the refs are working and thank them if you get a chance. The post Hulne: A salute to officials appeared first on Austin Daily Herald.