When I was in 8th grade, the Covid-19 pandemic locked the nation inside their homes. As a very energetic 13 year old, I found myself playing with a soccer ball; an activity I have done practically all of my life. Then, it occurred to me, I could use this time to obtain my United States Soccer Federation (USSF) grassroot’s officiating license. Upon completion of the course modules—everything was online at this time—I quickly realized that there would probably not be any games to ref until the fall. As the months passed by, I had somewhat forgotten about my licensure, as there was no rampant need for it. This changed when I was at Church one Sunday, and saw a man wearing the USSF Crest on his jacket. Bill Roth was his name, and little did I know he was the assignor for the Ohio North district. We chatted, and I explained to him that I wanted to start officiating matches, but did not exactly know how to get a start on it. With Roth’s help, I found myself at my local community fields reffing U10 & U11 boys games. This was my first taste of an actual “job,” and being a shy kid growing up, it really pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I felt very nervous my first couple of matches, but the coaches knew I was new to the profession, so they were always very supportive of me. I learned that it is okay to make mistakes, but it is crucial to learn from them, in order to grow more confident in yourself. The pressure was turned up a few notches when I began officiating higher level club games. I recall one game was with two nationally recognized club teams, and the girls were all older than me. I still remember this game very vividly, as it was my first time officiating people who were older than me. I followed all the procedures to the T, ensuring that my pressure on the little details would make me seem more credible. Tucked shirts, pens secured, and my assistant referees in position, I felt unstoppable. Until, I realized that I did not have a whistle in my hand. I desperately felt around in my pockets, as I had triple checked to make sure I was 100% ready. 22 older girls, parents, fans, all staring at my blushing face, I felt as though the world was going to cave in on itself. Thankfully, my assistant ref could tell something was off, and asked me if I needed something. I asked him if I could borrow his whistle—out of all things to need 2 years after a pandemic it was a whistle. He laughed, and handed it to me in order to not delay the game any further. This situation reminded me to not be so tense when I operate in life, despite the circumstances. It is very easy to overlook things when you are worried about every detail. I found this story both humorous, but also as inspiration for younger referees who I now help mentor. I hope to continue through my referee pathway, as I am now being asked to officiate high school level matches, as well as amateur adult leagues. I will continue to pursue a career on the pitch, always striving to serve as a role model for younger refs who just do not feel entirely comfortable with the whistle in their mouth yet. After all, it might not always be their whistle!