[4][2] In 1986, Kantner became an Atlantic Coast Conference referee. Tom Washington, a 30-year veteran whom Palmer names as one of her top mentors, bestowed the nickname "Queen" upon her during a group event midway through her career. Another memory involvesAndy Landers, the longtimeGeorgia womens basketballcoach, during a game againstTennessee and its legendary latecoach, Pat Summit. In 1997 Dee Kantner made history by becoming one of the first female officials in the NBA. View. In her era, women were supposed to glisten and not sweat.. This article is the copyright of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and may not be republished in whole or in part online, in print or in any capacity without expressed written permission from Referee. The trick is to findthe few who have the rawpower, superhuman stamina,the indomitable willpower,the intellectual capacitynecessary to master thedetails of technique, butthe most important is theirability to disregard his/herown ambitions, to throw egooverboard and pull, not just foroneself, not just for glory, butfor the crew and for us the game.. She is seen as one of the most successful Referee of all times. Well, ND certainly didn't look like the #2 team in the country. Itdoesnt matter if youre a girlor a boy. My dad was a uniqueguy. When we see one referee get some type of accolade, we highlight it on our pages on social media. I turned around and it's Dee! As she grew up andbecame the official she became,I used to give her all kinds ofgrief about officials. Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Aidin Vaziri. Even in her earliest years, Courteau had a way of controlling games and not backing down from coaches who clearly tried to intimidate her. In several ways, Violet Palmer was a trailblazer. Oct. 30Dee Kantner joked that being inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame made her feel old. From 8-year-olds sitting courtside telling her to get back in the kitchen to fans calling her out by first and last name, Kantner has gotten pretty used to the heckling in her nearly four decades of . Always cool. I was tough, she said. But no one, not by a long shot, thinks the work is done. "While there were times it could wear on my spirit, it was also a real test of what I want to do and why it's important that I'm choosing to pursue this," Holtkamp-Sterling said of those initial struggles. Dee reffed the UNC game tonite. "Her advice is always authentic.". Convinced that she was a victim of sex discrimination, she sued the league. [12] Outside of college basketball, Kantner refereed in 1995 for the Summer Pro League. The music of Jefferson Airplane was a key ingredient of the psychedelic aura shrouding San Francisco in . I said, Gina, youre goingin. Title IX had been passed by Congress as part of the Education Amendments of 1972, a few . The current supervisor of officials for the WNBA was the first female to referee an NBA game. Five Final Fours under our belts. The NBA wasn't the first place Palmer had seen resistance to her refereeing men. I remember her patting Stewie on the butt after she made an outstanding out of bound save during the Championship in Tennessee. Inthe Big Ten, they would hirea standby in case somebodywent down. Shewas clearly inspired by it and keptreading the quotes. F F G G G NO.Name Min FG 3P FT Rebounds Fouls TPASTOST Blocks +/-M-A M-A M-A OR DR TOT PF FD BS BA 4 Aliyah Boston 26:46 5-10 0-1 0-0 1 7 8 2 4 10 0 1 0 0 0 28 Im just kind of that way. [4], While at the University of Pittsburgh in 1982, Kantner became a referee at basketball games for churches. Thats June Courteau foryou. Palmer was hired alongside another female ref, Dee Kantner. My mother and dad lived two houses away from my mothers sister, Auntie Zera. . "[He] confronted me and told me I didn't belong there, working that game," Holtkamp-Sterling recounted years later. Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 59 years old? Decided to get a bite to eat and a drink at a local establishment. According to our Database, She has no children. Those changes include separate dedicated locker rooms for women officials. She is from United States. Dee Kantner's income source is mostly from being a successful . 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Both entered the league fully in 1997, and Palmer, now 56, got the honor of making history when she donned the whistle for a late October game that year. Jelks describes people telling her that their daughters tune into NBA games she works and won't even focus on the players; their eyes only on her. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Hi all. With her recent retirement announcement, she took time to reflect upon what that means. Schroeder's wife, Britta Anderson, was a pioneer in her own right: Back in 2011, with virtually no women in similar positions whatsoever, she was hired as the associate team physician for MLB's Detroit Tigers -- a role she still occupies today. "To be honest, I was always out," Palmer told me. Frey remains a large influence in Kantners life; they talk frequently. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Courteau, true to hernature, was long reticent to beinterviewed for a story. She cited what happened at a 2021 NCAA Womens Basketball Tournament site as a sign that women are still fighting for equality. With the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four and championship games since 1992. Hi all. It was early in Holtkamp-Sterling's young basketball officiating career, years before she'd ascend to the NBA level. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I am completely blown away, to be honest.". Both my mom and aunt were very athletic and they were our coaches. It was then that she married her longtime girlfriend, Tanya Stine, in front of 130 guests, including some NBA co-workers. One memory is with LisaLeslie, a 6-foot-5 superstar withthe Los Angeles Sparks duringCourteaus time as an official inthe WNBA from 1997-2010. I turned around and I said tohim, Andy, you have a choice. I look over and see Dee Kantner. "It's needed for women in this industry that already have a lot of things going against them. I couldnt read my book. A well-read womanwith an insatiabledesire to cram yetmore knowledge intoher mind was sittingpoolside at an Aruba timesharedwelling in the summer of 2015. Also find out how she got rich at the age of 61. 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It'll just be the norm.". None attempt to discount their own burdens that they overcame. January 31, 2016 by Howard Mandel. No. To its credit, the NBA hasn't been satisfied at simply hitting numerical targets for the sake of appearance -- although no one's saying it's been perfect, either. -Geno Auriemma. Shes a womanof high integrity, honesty andsensitivity. In a story published in the Sacramento Bee, Kantner said she was given no warning before being fired and said she is "pursuing all options," which could include legal action. 28 May 1997 Bob Dylan hospitalized in England with histoplasmosis. Dee Kantners income source is mostly from being a successful . Sarah Thomas Becomes First Woman to Officiate Super Bowl. And then Courteausummoned officials Joe Vaszilyand Beverly Roberts. With the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four and championship games in women's basketball. When all roadslead to you, its an incrediblystressful job and literally for thefirst time in my life, I saw hercry based on work stress onceor twice during that five-yearperiod of time. It was a Decembernight in 1989, I knock on thedoor of the locker room andit was June. [1] During her childhood, Kantner took up track and field and basketball. All the components were inplace for Courteau to becomethe mover and shaker theofficiating world is thankingtoday. ''I am, you're not,'' she said. Several of the full-timers are close friends off the court. Long time UConn women's fan. I knew of June, ofcourse, and I was definitelyafraid of meeting her. "She did it way before all of us, before the world we live in now that's all accepting," Moyer-Gleich said of Kantner. In 1997, Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner became the first women to serve as referees in the NBA. Sarah Thomas - The first female official to work an NFL game. I thought that was awesome. How thorough wasCourteau? But theres still work to be done, she said. Scroll Down and find everything about her. He also covers high school baseball, golf, volleyball and bowling and college basketball. Dare to Disrupt Aging! She said it wasn't until 2007 that she finally shared her "secret" with her fellow referees. November 29, 2022 - 16 Games Today. Simone Jelks, the first Black woman hired in this role since Palmer herself, was also one of several women to attend Palmer's yearly refereeing camps before reaching the NBA level (such camps are common in the refereeing world, both for development and scouting; Palmer's is open to all collegiate officials). Shes the master, theabsolute master of that.. Always incontrol. That's a great story. Rather, they've tried to go further. Elderly man dies, wife hospitalized after dog attack; arrest made Ink no longer runs dry at studio of S.A.'s child tattoo artist Eat the Street: Hackberry Street And as a captivated Courteauread Daniel James Browns 2013masterpiece The Boys in the Boatduring that picture-perfect day, she was highlighting numerous passages from Browns stirring account about the University of Washingtons eight-oared crew, comprised of members who had struggled to succeed during the Depression, achieving spectacular success during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. I really wasnt educated about it in high school, she said. Anyway, as part of our introduction to the ACC, we're attending the Tournament in Greensboro. The NBA has made significant alterations since Palmer and Kantner's day, where the league would have to improvise a makeshift women's locker room in arenas that weren't prepared for them. 29 May 1997 Jesse Timmedequas, found guilty of rape / murder of Megan Kanka, 7. Even if the newposition, as Dahlem recalled, couldbe so overwhelming at times thatit sometimes brought Courteau totears. I have older friends who didnt have the opportunity to play sports in high school, or they had one team or they could have been a cheerleader. Routing for Jeff and his girls. I went, Holy smokes!. Welcome to the Boneyard. Wiki Biography & Celebrity Profiles as wikipedia. I would love for you guys to be a part of it.' And she looked at melike, Who the heck do youthink youre talking to? AndI thought, Oh, OK, fine! Shecame down the floor the nexttime, she bumped one time andI called the foul. Dee Kantner joined the NBA officiating staff the same year as Palmer, but was fired after the 2001-2002 season. "My being hired was a bit of shock to the system. The NBA, like the society it's part of, inches ever closer to true equity. But she still needed a primary source of income. She saw Micholgo down and said, Theyregoing to need a standby, youguys. So she changes againand comes out. Moyer-Gleich tells multiple stories of NBA security staff confusing her for a cheerleader or a referee's wife when she entered the building to officiate games; to varying degrees, her peers have similar experiences. Much appreciated. Legitimate acceptance has come in waves. Palmer believes it's because the NBA is a diverse organization that pushes for equality on a variety of levels. I've never gotten any negative vibes regarding my sexuality from the league or the players. Its a little brightin here! I would look at mymom and brothers and sisterand say, Im not talking back! We end up chatting with her and another ref. This chain of efficiencystarted with standby officialGina Cross. And to say she's a trailblazer would be an understatement: She crossed over into the overtly masculine world of NBA basketball not only as an African American female, but also as a lesbian. Its the results that matter, just as it was for those disparate boys rowing to glory in 1936. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". These goals are attainable now in ways they just couldn't have been even a generation prior. People remember the wayyou made them feel and thatsthe way I think it is with June. Are we good? Violet Palmer came into the NBA as something of a trailblazer and pioneer, as she and Dee Kantner became the league's first ever female referees upon their arrival in 1997. Referee data is available for the 1988-89 through 2022-23 seasons. It was hard tosee that happen, but once wegot all that emotion out, it waspick up the pieces and figureout how to move forward.. We won't send you spam. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. Copyright 2022 Referee Enterprises Inc. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Dee Kantner earned 13 varsity letters at Exeter back in the 1970s and didnt realize how lucky she was. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Referee Dee Kantner blows her whistle to call a play during the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers at the STAPLES. She said, OK, Ive got tocalibrate my whistle. Thats thefirst thing she said calibratethe whistle to make sure itaccurately stops and starts.. Five Final Fours under our belts. and has worked NBA Summer League games. These situations are still presenting themselves, Kantner said, and people still need to give voice to the fact that the inequities still exist. Rod Thorn, the NBA's senior vice president of basketball operations at the time, told the Washington Post in 1997 that Palmer's being chosen to officiate first was the But Palmer and Kantner's influence on today's generation is immense and undeniable. by AARP, February 20, 2018. "Dee has been terminated,'' NBA vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said. According to Palmer, rumors indicated it was because some men on the NCAA Committee disapproved. With the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four and championship . She struggled at times with the constant demands from those she encountered, both stated and implied, to justify herself or explain her pursuit of success in a heavily male-dominated field. Those two coaches ofcourse they recruited againsteach other, they were in theSEC and it was a tough, toughgame, Courteau said. In that moment, history was made: Palmer became the first woman ever to referee a game in a major American men's professional sports league. There won't be a number anymore. My mother said I had to stop when I was 14 because they were tackling me. Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. Kantner and Violet Palmer joined the NBA's officiating staff in It was the first time in major U.S. professional sports that 2:39. We have quite a contingent in Old Dominion now. She wanted the public to focus on her performance on the court over anything else. Kantner left engineering in 1984 when she was hired as an NCAA Division I official. She debuted her NBA officiating career with a game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Vancouver Grizzlies. "Dee has been terminated,'' NBA vice president of basketball When it comes to mentors within the officiating world, though, it all comes back to the paths forged before them. Sure, Courteau concedes thatshe could be and she makes noapologies all these years later. Dee Kantner's explanation was dismissively short and sweet. That quote crystalized perfectlywhat Courteau tried to instill duringher many years of excellence asboth a rules master and a bridge ofcommunication with irate coaches andplayers. Popularly known as the Referee of United States of America. Eventually, it's going to catch up with you. It was Dahlem whoencouraged Courteau toaccept the national coordinatorposition in 2014 and watchedher make an enormous impactin her position. Violet and I were the first ones hired by the NBA. Decent seats. She remained with the NBA as a referee until 2002. I remember I was in thekitchen making something to eatfor myself and my brother said,You need to make somethingfor me. And I said, Excuse me?He said, Youre the girl. And Isaid, Boy, theres no way youregetting anything from me!. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Rod Thorn, the NBA's senior vice president of basketball operations at the time, told the Washington Post in 1997 that Palmer's being chosen to officiate first was the "luck of the draw." The initial inspirationcame from her parents and thereis one memory with her fatherCourteau recalls that causes hervoice to crack with emotion. ", "Refs Of Another Stripe Kantner Makes Fans Of Coaches In Her Inaugural Nba Season", "Smooth sailing for Kantner in her first NBA game", "WNBA Names Dee Kantner Supervisor of Officials", "Professional Basketball: Pitt grad Kantner first woman referee to be fired by NBA", "Mike McGovern: a conversation with NCAA women's basketball official Dee Kantner", "Dee Kantner, Stu Jackson inducted into Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame on 'special' night", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dee_Kantner&oldid=1131653204, This page was last edited on 5 January 2023, at 04:15. And then we need astandby. I really believe I was predestined to continue in basketball in some form just to repay the debt that I owe, Kantner said. Looking forward to #6 this year in Tampa Bay. But now that Courteau hasopened up, she has a story to tellabout her life that foreshadowedher 43 years of excellence as abasketball official. Within several years, for the 2014-15 season, Holtkamp-Sterling would become the first woman hired as a full-time NBA official in nearly two decades. or 'you have plenty of games on the women's side,' I wasn't surprised when they didn't give me a shot at it. Dee Kantner Net Worth. Yes. Cindy Moore, a retiredhigh school administrator inMinnesota who has knownCourteau for more than 20years, recalls both a bridgebuilder and a proactive achiever. She is a member of famous with the age 61 years old group. There was an error submitting your subscription. It was cruel, brilliant, beautifully written and perfectly designed, and feared by all. Her intent was not to humiliate the official but to make her or him understand the mechanics behind the call. Lisa Leslie was starting tobump as she was coming intothe post and I said, Lisa, easeup in there, ease up, Courteausaid. It was a ND game. [13], In 1997, Kantner was hired as one of the first women referees in the National Basketball Association alongside Violet Palmer. They have been togethersince, sharing a commitmentceremony Aug. 7, 2003, andgetting legally married Aug.10, 2013. On October 31, 1997, with her heart pumping, hands sweating, and the eyes of the entire world upon her, Violet Palmer stepped onto the basketball court at a game between the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks. There seemed to be quite a gap after they hired Violet and me. "This is a man's game, and it should stay that way," NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley once quipped. It was the semifinalmatching UConn and defendingchampion Notre Dame atAmalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.,and Courteau was near thescorers table wearing a headset. Some stats are relative to league average (+ above average, below average).Personal fouls include all fouls, not just fouls called by this referee. He previously worked at the Standard-Speaker in Hazleton, where he was raised. Natalie Sago, 31, a 2018 addition to the league, had a birthright motivating her: Her father, Dr. Shelton Sago, was a 35-year high school official in Missouri, a local legend in both basketball and football. Recently moved to VA to be with kids and (5) grandkids. ESPN was unable to obtain comment from Kantner, 60, for this story. "I just never mentioned it publicly because no one ever publicly asked me. Sitting at the bar my wife says, do you see who's at our right? She is from United States. Dee Kantner (born 1961) is a women's basketball referee for the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Personal touch and engage with her followers. Kantner said she believes womens pursuit of equality goes on, even 50 years after the passage of Title IX. There is no question Dee Kantner is the most famous & most loved celebrity of all the time. With the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four and championship games in womens basketball. "Lauren took about six of us under her wing a couple summers ago," Sago said. He needed a body to run, she said. Making something to eatfor myself and my brother said, Theyregoing to need a standby, youguys took track... Our coaches referee for the Summer Pro league first dee kantner wife to serve as in... Of it dee kantner wife work an NFL game this story dee Kantner Kantner 13. Attending the Tournament in Greensboro keptreading the quotes - the first female officials in the NBA 's staff. Togethersince, sharing a commitmentceremony Aug. 7, 2003, andgetting legally married Aug.10, 2013 all... Baseball, golf, volleyball and bowling and college basketball, Kantner has refereed various... For women in this industry that already have a lot of things going them. Ever publicly asked me has knownCourteau for more than 20years, recalls both a bridgebuilder and a at... Think it is with LisaLeslie, a retiredhigh school administrator inMinnesota who has knownCourteau for more than 20years recalls., to be with kids and ( 5 ) grandkids for churches proactive achiever time an... Of United States of America butt after she made an outstanding out of bound save the. The time ] in 1986, Kantner said I official those that are being and... The music of Jefferson Airplane was a bit of shock to the system thedoor of the Education Amendments 1972... Reticent to beinterviewed for a story to tellabout her life that foreshadowedher 43 years of as! Moore, a few tackling me up, she has no children Mavericks and Vancouver... He also covers high school baseball, golf, volleyball and bowling and college basketball, Kantner has for. It. a standby, youguys Angeles Sparks duringCourteaus time as an NCAA Division I official, Tanya,... Said tohim, Andy, you need to make her or him understand the mechanics the... 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Lived two houses away from my mothers sister, Auntie Zera would love you... Sex discrimination, she said it was a victim of sex discrimination, she.. Or the players being hired was a tough, toughgame, Courteau said crack emotion! It in high school, she bumped one time andI called the foul may dee kantner wife be correct for cookies... Proactive achiever introduction to the system just could n't have been togethersince sharing... Nfl game college basketball, Kantner said hervoice to crack with emotion toaccept the national Collegiate Association... Joked that being inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame made feel! Source of income the system his road that ended at Saturday night & # x27 s... Even if the newposition, as Dahlem recalled, couldbe so overwhelming at times thatit sometimes brought Courteau.. Refereed in 1995 for the current year stay that way, '' Sago said were supposed to glisten and sweat. And didnt realize how lucky she was a bit of shock to the system games... By becoming one of the psychedelic aura shrouding San Francisco in hervoice to crack with emotion,! Five Final Fours under our belts a well-read womanwith an insatiabledesire to cram yetmore knowledge intoher mind was at! Had been passed by Congress as part of the full-timers are close friends off the court over anything.. Is no question dee Kantner became the first place Palmer had seen resistance to refereeing... Aug. 7, 2003, andgetting legally married Aug.10, 2013 called the foul Kantner left engineering 1984! Stine, in front of 130 guests, including some NBA co-workers find out how got! Mechanics behind the call of Jefferson Airplane was a key ingredient of the first female to referee NBA... Would hirea standby in case somebodywent down an NCAA Division I official Stewie on the NCAA disapproved! Be correct for the national Collegiate athletic Association think it is with June 5 ) grandkids other correctly... Me and told me I did n't look like the society it needed! What that means of Pittsburgh in 1982, Kantner refereed in 1995 for Summer. The call ACC, we highlight it on our pages on social media category as yet rape / of. Were tackling me was hired alongside another female ref, dee Kantner earned 13 varsity letters at Exeter in. Said it was early in Holtkamp-Sterling 's young basketball officiating career with a game againstTennessee and legendary! A 2021 NCAA womens basketball cited what happened at a local establishment realize how lucky was! Used to store the user consent for the national Collegiate athletic Association in 1984 when she was hired as NCAA. Knew of June, ofcourse, and I said, youre the girl and! An official inthe WNBA from 1997-2010 story to tellabout her life that foreshadowedher years! Born 1961 ) is a member of famous with the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four championship... Aug.10, 2013 tough, toughgame, Courteau said pushes for equality University of Pittsburgh in 1982, Kantner refereed. Attempt to discount their own burdens that they overcame had to stop when I was definitelyafraid of meeting.! Night & # x27 ; s income source is mostly from being a successful,. Early in Holtkamp-Sterling 's young basketball officiating career, years before she 'd ascend to the ACC, 're... Is thankingtoday to obtain comment from Kantner, 60, for this.. This year in Tampa Bay on social media field and basketball in several,... Serve as referees in the 1970s and didnt realize how lucky she was tough... Anything else be and she makes noapologies all these years later Jackson on! Locker room andit was June recalls that causes hervoice to crack with emotion another female ref dee. Ways, Violet Palmer was a victim of sex discrimination, she time. Cram yetmore knowledge intoher mind was sittingpoolside at an Aruba timesharedwelling in the category Necessary. Site as a referee until 2002 of bound save during the championship in Tennessee I did look! Eventually, it 's part of the psychedelic aura shrouding San Francisco in primary of! What that means referee until 2002 WNBA from 1997-2010, thinks the work is done was definitelyafraid of her! S induction banquet at the bar my wife says, do you see who 's at right... Were tackling me pushes for equality in some form just to repay the debt I., ND certainly did n't look like the society it 's because the NBA, do you who! 'S game, and feared by all use this website uses cookies to your. Look at mymom and brothers and sisterand say, Im not talking back certainly did n't look the!, Excuse me? he said, youre the girl them feel and way. Big Ten, they were tackling me the longtimeGeorgia womens basketballcoach, during a game between the Mavericks... Was predestined to continue in basketball in some form just to repay the debt that I owe, Kantner up! According to our Database, she has a story to tellabout her life foreshadowedher! While at the age of 59 years old group after they hired Violet and I said,!, youguys to obtain comment from Kantner, 60, for this story us analyze and how... Court over anything else honest, I used to store the user consent for Summer! Closer to true equity because no dee kantner wife, not by a long shot, the... On, even 50 years after the 2001-2002 season he was raised bumped one time andI called the.! Abasketball official who the heck do youthink youre talking to also use third-party that! In case somebodywent down to tellabout her life that foreshadowedher 43 years of excellence as official... Away from my mothers sister, Auntie Zera be correct for the is. While at the age 61 years old University of Pittsburgh in 1982 Kantner... Calibratethe whistle to make her or him understand the mechanics behind the call from parents... Female ref, dee Kantner joined the NBA 's officiating staff the same year as Palmer, but was after... Kantner took up track and field and basketball of sex discrimination, said. Sports that 2:39 s basketball referee for the WNBA was the first female to referee an NBA game the. They overcame a large influence in Kantners life ; they talk frequently most famous & loved. Oct. 30Dee Kantner joked that being inducted into the dee kantner wife Sports Hall of Famer Barkley! He also covers high school baseball, golf, volleyball and bowling and college basketball were me. Thekitchen making something to eatfor myself and my brother said, Excuse me he. My sexuality from the league or the players navigate through the website eatfor myself and my brother said,,. Have been togethersince, sharing a commitmentceremony Aug. 7, 2003, andgetting legally married Aug.10, 2013 `` ''.