BY CY PETERS

STAR CORRESPONDENT

    There is nothing more an official looks forward to than working in big games – district tournaments, regional tournaments, maybe a sub-state game and the big reward, a state tournament.

Being able to work with your son or daughter is another reward that a referee looks forward to but getting to work with your brother or sister is more unique.

Chase Haney joined the TSSAA in 2012 with the thoughts of getting to work some games with his sister, Heather, who begin officiating several years earlier.

The dream came true this year when they officiated together in the District 2-A girls semi-finals between Elizabethton and Sullivan East.

The game went into double overtime with the Cyclones making one of their greatest comebacks of the season. It was the biggest game so far the brother and sister team have worked.

Heather Haney isn’t new to basketball as she played on two state tournament teams for South Greene and finished runner-up in one of those years.

Heather begin as a referee back in 2004 when she was 18. “George Hall groomed me starting with the Greene County booster leagues and then moved my way into weekend AAU in Pigeon Forge,  before advancing to TSSAA calling until 2009,” said Heather.

She then took a coaching job at Dobyns Bennett where she spent eight years. In 2017 she re-joined the TSSAA and begin officiating basketball.

Heather stated “I really enjoy refereeing with Chase, it’s like reliving our childhood. We can aggravate each other or we can help each other out with mechanics or calls that we made.

“It’s nice to share a love for the game and be able to stay connected and bonded through something that has always been a part of our lives.”

Chase also was groomed by Hall in the Greene County booster league back in 2012. Their stepdad, LeeRoy Kesterson, was a  referee that got them interested in officiating.

They both played sports all their lives and felt like officiating was the best way to still be a part of the high school pageantry. Chase always enjoyed going down to Murfreesboro and watching the state games.

He spent two years in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Arizona.

In 2012, Chase registered with the TSSAA and begin working elementary and middle school games. He and Heather worked a couple of middle school games together but the district semi-final was a big feat for them.

“When Heather first started I would take her over to ETSU to ref the Lady Bucs scrimmages back when Coach Karen Kemp was there,” stated referee Bart Lyon. “I knew then she was pretty good.

“Chase is a solid official as well. I look for him to continue rising to the top of the ranks and be one of our top guys pretty soon,” Lyon added.

Heather also has a son that she coaches in youth leagues when not officiating. Chase and Heather look forward to working more games together in the future.