Editor’s Note: Information from a KSHSAA Covered press release was used in this story.
Gene Cox, a local high school official for nearly three decades, was just named one of the country’s best officials by the National Federation Officials Association.
A native of Thayer, Cox was named the recipient of the Active Official Award for NFOA’s Section 5, which includes Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.
“I was humbled and surprised and overwhelmed,” Cox said. “I didn’t see it coming. I was happy to get that. It’s good to be rewarded for the work you put in. But I didn’t expect it.”
Cox has served as a KSHSAA official for 29 years, beginning his officiating career in 1996. He officiates baseball (23), basketball (23), softball (4), football (22) and volleyball (8). Cox has served as a KSHSAA Area Supervisor in baseball and basketball for 10 years.
“There’s been a lot of good times,” Cox said. “You meet a lot of different people across the state. A lot of friendships are developed. It’s a great group of men and women you’re involved with. I didn’t know where I’d go with this when I started. But I’ve gone longer than I ever thought I would.”
KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick praised Cox in a report published by the association.
“Mr. Cox is a trusted official that represents excellence in officiating as he is always well prepared for every contest, communicates effectively with players and coaches, and gives unrelenting effort in every game he works. He is certainly worthy of this well-deserved honor and the KSHSAA is grateful Gene Cox is part of the Kansas officiating fraternity,” said Faflick in a press release.
Cox has been integral in navigating the ongoing referee shortage, a nationwide issue that has forced games to be rescheduled and completed with shorthanded crews.
“We hold camps for basketball officials in the summers and we’re trying to encourage kids and anybody to get involved,” Cox said. “Where we fail as officials is that we send a lot of new guys out on their own instead of pairing them with veterans. I try to encourage veteran officials to take younger officials under their wings. But everybody’s got full schedules, so it’s tough. We’re short in every sport.”
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) also named 14 2024 State Officials of the Year:
Baseball – Patrick (PJ) Sarwinski, Shawnee; Boys Basketball – Nicholas Long, Pittsburg; Girls Basketball – Robyn Hobson, Shawnee; Boys Cross County – Scot Henderson, Berryton; Girls Cross Country – Greg Brown, Abilene; Football – Kurt Lohse, Topeka; Girls Gymnastics – John Comstock, Kansas City; Boys Soccer – Anthony Sobolevsky, Overland Park; Girls Soccer – Alan Peil, Wichita; Boys Track & Field – Greg Rosenhagen, Cheney; Girls Track & Field - Shane Ligget, Ness City
