In the game of Basketball, the highly criticized participants are the men and women in the striped shirts. They have many names. The Referee, Blue, Stripes, Zebra, Blind Bat, Bum, Idiot, You Suck, and Hey Stupid. The perfect game is their goal.
These are their stories... DUN! DUN!
Paying it Forward
This is that dream idea. I am an artist and a referee, and I wanted to marry my talents together. I wanted to create a project that fosters a conversation between sports officials and people in sports.
I had some thoughts on how it would look, but I wasn’t sold on how it should be done. I have always said that God has a way of putting people in your path to assist you in your process. Sometimes the problem is that you’ll miss the blessing or the lesson if you’re not listening.
When our team brainstormed this magazine, we would throw ideas at a dartboard. We often ended our discussions with, ‘That’s cool, and Way dope.’ I also remember when we would say, ‘No but..maybe this.’ At one point, I remember feeling overwhelmed with ideas and how we would find the time to make them. I was OK with that. We tabled many projects and restructured ideas because of time, but we said we had to get to the printing process. We knew more people in the officiating community had amazing backgrounds and stories in sports, and we wanted to tell their stories. We knew we had to launch this project. So, unapologetically we just printed.
Enjoy the journey.
‘If you are willing to do something that might not work, you’re closer to being an artist.’
-Seth Godin
KEVIN SPARROCK
Kevin Sparrock is the artist and creator of Fouls and Violations, Life of a Referee Uncovered. He is a Brooklyn, New York native who has worked as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator for 30 years. He has officiated basketball for over 22 years. He has worked at the High School level, College Division 1 Men’s, College Division 1 Women’s, the NBA Developmental League, and the Woman’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 2008, he combined the blessings of two careers and created the first webcomic that chronicles the life of a sports official. Everything in the strip has happened or will happen in the future. Welcome to the referee life. Safe Traveling
CREATOR/ ILLUSTRATOR/ WRITER
ASHA PEARL
Asha Pearl is the creator of the Pearls and Cucumbers blog and podcast. Focusing on topics of mental wellness, particularly sharing her own experiences, Asha shares her knowledge of the importance of self care and mental health with The IrREFutable Magazine as a consistent writer and editor. Asha’s goal is to share her stories in hopes to help those who feel alone in their lowest moments. “Know that there is someone who cares for you and wants you to make it to the next day.” Be well.
EDITOR/ WRITER
PURCHASE MY NEW BOOK !
CORRECTABLE ERROR
RULE 2: OFFICIALS AND THEIR DUTIES