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ruce Buskard has been a men’s game official for 21 years, taking on the stripes shortly after moving from New York to Charlotte, N.C. During the spring season, which for him begins with scrimmages in January, Buskard works anywhere from five to seven games per week, a mix of collegiate and high school contests.
“It’s not uncommon to be out every day of the week,” he says.
The same is true of Jodi Michna, who has been officiating women’s games since finishing her collegiate career at Springfield (Mass.) College in 1992. Going from a full speed spring season to a complete stop has been a hard adjustment.
“I’ve done this so long that it’s just part of my DNA,” said Michna, who lives in Stoughton, Mass., and works NCAA Division I, II and III games. “As officials, we’re very passionate about what we do. It’s so sad that it has all stopped.”
Commonly referred to as “the third team on the field,” lacrosse officials at all levels have been impacted as forcefully by the COVID-19 forced shutdown of lacrosse as players and coaches.
Buskard, 61, retired from corporate life last year. The income from officiating games helps pay bills, including wedding expenses for one of his daughters from earlier this year.
With games having now dried up in North Carolina and elsewhere, Buskard estimates that he has already lost about $5,000 in college game fees, and the tally is growing. He typically earns $60 for working a varsity high school game and $55 for JV or youth level games. That income is also gone.
“Having less money in my pocket makes a significant impact,” he said.