IMPRESSIVE crossovers, long-range shooting, dunks, or chase-down blocks are elements of basketball that keep fans on the edge of their seats. Then, there is the part that always divides opinions. It often riles players, coaches, players and fans, but it is necessary for maintaining order in the game. Officiating!
Referee Gerda Gatling has taken on this high-pressure role. She was one of the officials during the recently concluded Basketball Africa League (BAL) Kalahari Conference.
In an interview with The Big Tip Off, Gatling talked about her time as a student-athlete, the importance of networking and relationship building, and the BAL4Her initiative.
Gatling started playing basketball at age seven in Virginia, United States. She was inspired to play by watching her father, one of her first coaches, and older cousin play pick-up games. But she was also an all-state track athlete. It is the sense of community that basketball provided that ultimately won her heart.
“I was naturally good at running track, but I decided to play basketball because it was more of a team sport,” says Gatling. “I liked the idea of working together as a team towards a common goal.”
The idea for Gatling to become a referee took hold during and after her playing days at Stony Brook University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and Business Management in 2013. That college experience gave her something precious – the ability to handle adversity, a quality key to officiating.
She was also able to build and maintain connections within the Stony Brooks alumni network. She remained a part of the Black and Latino alumni network, even after graduating and starting a career in corporate finance. It is this connection that ultimately opened the door to officiating and also led to her leaving what had become an unfulfilling office job.
“I attended a bi-monthly meeting of the black and Latino alumni group. It was an in-person meeting, and during a conversation with one of the board members (Morgan Cato) about our plans for the weekend, I mentioned that I would be refereeing. Little did I know that she was working on a program within the NBA office,” explained Gatling.
The conversation proved life-changing, as Gatling signed up for an early career development program (Referee Development Program), which assists former players to become referees. This opportunity allowed her to transition out of corporate and back to the game of basketball.
“It was good to get back on the court but to now be working professionally in a different craft,” says Gatling. “It feels like you are a player because you are constantly working on something. Working on a skill. Whether it’s working on the different roles, on knowledge, positioning, signals, court presence, it was just awesome to get back into that mindset.”
Gatling now works across various competitions including; the G-League, The BIG 3, Athletes Unlimited, as well as Division 1 Women’s Basketball games across the BIG10, The Big East, Atlantic 10, The MEC, The Ivy, The Sun Belt, and most recently the BAL’s Kalahari Conference.
Gatling – who has Nigerian heritage – has paid close attention to Africa’s premier club basketball competition. She says nothing could have prepared her for the experience.
“I did not know what to expect. But my initial expectations got completely blown out of the water. The experience was awesome, the games were competitive and the atmosphere was electric. But what is most exciting is that it is only going to grow bigger and bigger,” says Gatling. “I am grateful that I got to be a part of the South African leg… It’s an honour to get chosen to work at the BAL. It is a great experience and an opportunity to grow as an official.”
During the Kalahari Conference, Gatling was one of 20 mentors who participated in the BAL4Her Career in Sports Workshop. BAL4Her is a platform created by BAL to promote gender equity in the African sports ecosystem.
The workshop highlighted opportunities for young women and gave them tools to tackle day-to-day challenges. “There is a lot of opportunity to work in sports and the realm of basketball. And you don’t have to be on the court. A lot of times you do not know what is possible unless you have those conversations, especially with people who look like you and have had those experiences,” says Gatling.
“It is amazing that in year four and even before, it (the BAL) has prioritised giving women the opportunity to engage with other influential women in the space to get that exposure and mentorship.”
The workshop debunked the idea that only sports management degrees can lead to a career in the sports industry. Gatling, a qualified software developer, echoed this point.
“People are multifaceted, and there are multiple things that a person can like. I feel like sometimes we limit ourselves when it comes to our professions and what we do professionally,” says Gatling.
“It is tough to do both at times and it can be mentally exhausting. But I find it important to work in both industries. The tech space is parallel to the sports space in so many ways. Whether it is the on-court stuff that we test at Summer League or what our analytics team does in the office. Just like there is a push for women to be in sports, there is also the same push on the tech side.”
The popularity of women’s basketball has surged in recent years. Gatling hopes that the sport’s popularity will expand to the global stage.
“Women’s basketball is consistently growing. We hope to see more ambassadors like Jewell Loyd, who we had at the recent Kalahari Conference, come to the BAL. It’s crucial to continue expanding the sport, domestically and globally, especially for women. I believe the sport will continue to grow. It’s only a matter of time before it receives the respect it deserves.”
