Giving Back to the Game with Kristopher Loving, Sr.

Back in the Game is a sports education and workforce development program. But its purpose runs deeper than rulebooks and mechanics. It is about giving system-impacted individuals a legitimate pathway into the referee workforce. Kristopher Loving, Big Ten football official and founder of Save Our Sports, delivered the keynote address at our second cohort completion ceremony at Arizona State Prison Kingman.

What he brought to that room was exactly what Back in the Game is built on.

On Purpose With Purpose

He drew a distinction that I think about often in the design of Back in the Game. Doing things on purpose means doing them willingly, with intention and choice. Doing things with purpose means doing them for a reason greater than what you can see on the surface.

In his address, Kristopher spoke directly to what would sustain the cohort long after the ceremony ended.

“In this officiating journey, you are going to study the rules. You are going to learn the mechanics. You are going to watch film and go to camps. And you do that on purpose. But with purpose is doing things greater than just getting better on the court, or working the next big game, or making a certain amount of money. That purpose should be bigger than something tangible. Because that is honestly what is going to keep you.”

That landed differently in that room than it would anywhere else. These are men who have navigated systems that were not designed to keep them. Choosing to complete a five session officiating curriculum without the promise of immediate benefit is itself an act of purpose. Kristopher named that directly.

Ministry Through a Whistle

One of the most striking moments in Kristopher’s address was when he described how his purpose shifted. He had been active in church ministry for years. Preaching, teaching, youth leadership. And then something unexpected happened.

“God was taking me to a whole nother level of doing ministry outside the four walls of a church. And that was through the strangest thing, through blowing a whistle and running up and down a court and later a field. So my purpose totally changed.”

I have always believed that officiating is one of the most underestimated platforms in sports. Kristopher gave that belief a language. The whistle is not just a tool for managing a game. In the right hands, it is a tool for shaping people.

Honor the Game and Earn Your Stripes

During the Q&A, Larry Stephens, the peer facilitator of Back in the Game, introduced himself by name and role before directing a question to Kristopher that set the tone for everything that followed.

“As I embark on my journey to becoming a higher level official, what do you think the necessary amount of time to spend working at each level before looking to advance and move on to the next level of officiating?”

Kristopher responded with the kind of honesty that only someone who has lived the journey can offer.

“The good and challenging part of officiating is everybody’s timeline is totally different. And that’s good because that means you’re not bound to, okay, it’s going to take this long or that long. But then also you don’t know how long it’s going to take.”

“What I would encourage all of you, and this is just in life, just be the best where you are today. Max out your effort, your work, your study, your growth. Whatever level you are today, truly strive to be the top dog at that level. Because in officiating, especially as you build your network and start kind of learning how it operates, they’re going to find you. If you’re good, if you’ve got the right personality, the right reputation, the right skillset, they will find you.”

“There are politics to this. In some instances, it’s not fair, but that’s life. That’s a great life teacher.”

“Was I the best football official in the country when they brought me into D1? No. Was I the best when they brought me from the Missouri Valley to the Mac? No. Was I the best from the Mac to the Big Ten? No, probably not. I’m in the NFL program now. I’m one of the 30 top guys in the country.”

“Just ball out where you are and enjoy the journey.”

On the Earning Potential Nobody Talks About

One of the participants, Devante, asked about money. It was a fair question and Kristopher answered it without hesitation or condescension.

At the Power Four college football level, officials can potentially surpass $60,000 in earnings within a full season. In the NFL, it is six figures. But what stood out most to me was what he said about the youth level, which is exactly where Back in the Game graduates will begin.

“Even at the youth and recreational levels where you will begin, the volume of games is there. Stay consistent, build your reputation, and the income adds up faster than most people expect.”

“Can you do this full time? You could, you really could.”

That answer matters. Back in the Game is opening a real second chance employment pathway into sports officiating, with earning potential that grows at every level. In any other room those would just be statistics. In that room they were a roadmap.

The Trail Starts Here

Participant Christopher Davis asked Kristopher a question that I believe gets to the heart of what this program is trying to prove. He asked whether Kristopher had ever encountered anyone who started where they are and made it through. Kristopher was honest. He could think of one person. A Big Ten umpire from Detroit with some background in the system. And then he said something I will not forget.

“You guys can be part of a new wave. It is a great testimony. Somebody will give you a chance, knock it out the park, and then you are going to pave the way for other people behind you. We made some mistakes in our past and we made some decisions we would do differently, but we are not letting that be the end of our story. Let us change that narrative.”

That is exactly what Back in the Game is about.

Why This Ceremony Mattered

Nine participants completed the second cohort of Back in the Game. Across both cohorts, nineteen men have now earned certificates and a post-release career pathway through sports officiating.

Kristopher Loving did not have to show up for us. He is a Big Ten referee with an NFL program appointment on the horizon and a full ministry practice running alongside his officiating career. He chose to be part of this.

The referee shortage is real and growing. Veteran officials and sports leaders have an opportunity to champion opening doors for system-impacted individuals to join the ranks. Kristopher Loving answered that call.