A Space to Make History – Setting Precedent on the Gridiron

It’s not every day that someone has the opportunity to make history. However, Hanna Keller, a football official in Ohio, did just that on December 2, when she became the first woman to officiate an Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state finals football game.

For Keller, the game assignment was emotional and a result of her dedication on the field. After each game, officials are reviewed and assigned a grade on how well they performed. The better an official does, the more likely he or she will get a postseason assignment. In Ohio, if an official is listed with crew numbered 1-7, he or she will have a spot in a state finals game.

As assignments were sent out, her father, who is also an official, texted her asking if she had received an assignment, as he had just gotten his. When she checked her email, she saw that she was on crew No. 3.

“I definitely had to take a minute in between my set there for a second and just soak it in,” Keller said. “You know, I would be lying if I said I didn’t tear up a little bit just because, you know, it’s something that you want to do, it’s a goal that you have as a referee. But knowing you have the opportunity to be in that space to make history kind of adds an additional layer of emotion. I might be the first, but obviously I don’t want to be the last.”

Keller got into officiating when she was 16 years old, just after she had quit playing basketball. Her father wanted her to stay involved in the game, so he encouraged her to move into the world of officiating.

“He thought it was a no-brainer,” Keller said. “He said, ‘I think you should referee, stay involved with the game and save some money.’ So, he was the big push as far as getting me involved for sure.”

Keller’s father has always been there to support her through her officiating career. He would bring her to games when she was younger; he went to classes with her to ensure she would understand everything and has been there in the stands to encourage her throughout her games.

“He’s been a huge advocate for me, specifically in football. I don’t think he ever thought twice about it. He’s always seen that whatever I’m going to do, I’m going to work hard at it,” Keller said.

Despite her age and inexperience with officiating in the beginning, it wasn’t hard for Keller to find local games to work in her area. However, after graduating high school and moving to college, finding work proved to be more difficult.

“I went to college, after I graduated high school, and that was a little bit more difficult kind of getting started in that scene. You get established in one area, and then you have to move in and get established in another. That was a little difficult, but I was thankful I met some people as soon as I got to college. I started working intramurals and club sports. And my boss, Billy Willis, that was the head of the intramural programs, was also an official in the area. He kind of helped me get connected and involved in that space,” Keller said.

Keller’s work through high school and college laid a great foundation for her to build her skills and become more confident on the field or court. Two years after she began officiating basketball, she decided to add football to her repertoire, which had its own set of challenges.

Football, especially officiating, is a male-dominated space. While there are more and more women participating in football as players and officials, it’s generally viewed as a male sport. However, this isn’t an issue for Keller.

“It’s kind of in the back of your mind that you’re aware of the fact that you’re a woman in a male-dominated field,” Keller said. “I would say the majority of my experiences have been positive. I’ve only had a few situations where my gender has been brought up in a derogatory way. Honestly, I’ve never had a coach or a player say anything to me. It’s always fans. But, I mean, that can go on in all our sports, right? It’s an awareness that I have, but it’s not something that I constantly think about.”

However, an accomplishment like this is hard to keep in the back of your mind. Being the first person to achieve something within sports is a monumental feat. But Keller knew she had a job to do, and that was to proceed as normal. At the end of the day, she is an official, and as an official, the job is to work the game to the best of her ability.

This opportunity has allowed Keller to be a pioneer, and even a role model for any women who may want to follow in her footsteps. She doesn’t want to be the last person to achieve this.

“Do it, take a leap [into officiating],” Keller said. “I know that there’s probably a lot of social stigmas and things around that I think to a point in our society where that stuff is starting not to matter as much. There’s been plenty of women before me that have doubted themselves professionally and socially. If you have a passion to serve a sport in any capacity, regardless of what it is, if you have a passion for it, go ahead and step out. You know, there are plenty of people that will support you and be there for you.”