NFL referee Ron Torbert currently serves as the 42nd Chair of the NASO Board of Directors. He assumed the role in July 2025 and will serve until his term on the board expires in July 2026. Torbert offered various thoughts about the association and the wider officiating industry in a recent conversation with NASO staff.
Why is it so important to have all officials at all levels and in all sports working together as an industry under the NASO umbrella?
TORBERT: Because at the end of the day, we have so much more in common than we do differences. We may not work the same sport, and within each sport we don’t all work the same level of competition, but we all share similar skills like a passion for our sport, discipline and a commitment to integrity. Each of us understands that our most important job is to ensure the contests are safe and fair, and that the outcomes are determined by the skill of the participants. As a football official working at the professional level, I share these traits with every youth soccer official, every high school cheer official, every college lacrosse official and every professional tennis official. In the end, collaboration between sports and levels makes all of us better at what we love to do.
What about NASO is important to you and your colleagues at the highest level?
TORBERT: Every official working at the highest level of their respective sport understands that they did not reach that level without the help and support of a bigger community. Whether they be family, friends, employers or fellow officials, many people helped us move through the various levels of our sport. NASO is a large and special part of that community. Throughout our officiating journey, NASO and its tens of thousands of members have been with us, offering training, moral support, advocacy and, most importantly, insights into what our colleagues across the entire spectrum of officiating are doing. Without question, I am a better NFL referee because of my association with NASO, and knowing that encourages me to reach back to other officials to help them get better as well.
What benefits have you experienced at the annual NASO Sports Officiating Summit and why do you recommend it to officials and officiating leaders?
TORBERT: The Summit rejuvenates me. It is the ultimate affirmation of what we do and why we do it. Nowhere else, and at no other time, do we have the opportunity to see just how big and supportive our community of officials really is. For three days, I get to hear from officials and association leaders in different sports. Some of these sports I know well, or at least think I know them well, while others I know very little about. I listen to my colleagues talk about the challenges they face and the best practices for dealing with those challenges. I learn about mechanics that work, and some that don’t. I learn how to become better at rules study and video review from officials in a variety of sports. And at the end of the Summit, I realize that it doesn’t matter what sport or level we are working. We all want the same things, like learning what it takes to be our very best at what we do. I also get to meet and learn from legendary officials in multiple sports, people of whom I am a genuine fan and who I’ve tried to emulate along my own officiating journey.
What does officiating mean to you in general and why are you so proud to be part of the officiating community?
TORBERT: When I started officiating football games in 1989, it was just a hobby, a fun weekend diversion from the hours I spent building a law practice. Years later, I realized that officiating had become so much more for me. To be sure, it’s still a lot of fun. I get to participate in a sport I love, and I’ve been able to go places and meet people I never would have encountered but for officiating. But now, officiating has become a way for me to impact the world around me, because I see how much officials and officiating matters.
Officials at all levels are role models for so many people including athletes, coaches and parents. We model integrity, focus, discipline and poise under pressure. We model respect for differences and commitment to team. An officiating crew brings together people of different genders, races and backgrounds who collectively care only about being the best team on the field or court.
And along the way, a miracle happens. Strangers get to know each other as people. They find common ground despite their diverse pasts, and they build a strong, effective team. I know that long after I’ve worked my last contest, it won’t be the games or the scores that I will remember, but the people I met along the journey and the lessons in teamwork they taught me. Officiating has made me a better person on and off the field, and that’s why I am honored to be part of this community.
