Wisconsin Athlete Works His Way to ‘Topp’ of Officiating World

As a four-sport high school student- athlete in Germantown, Wisconsin, Bill Topp acknowledges that he was adversarial to the officials who worked his games.

“I am a classic ‘If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em kind of story,’” Topp says many years later. “Competitive to a fault, sometimes, I was a challenge for officials. A veteran referee once said to me, ‘You’ll never be as good as you could be if you focus on us.’ It impacted me.”

Topp did indeed join them. He became an official in high school, began taking it seriously in college and now serves as the president of the 32,000-member National Association of Sports Officials (NASO), a non-profit organization based in Racine, Wisconsin.

Topp started with Referee Magazine and NASO as an intern in 1990. A year later, he became a full-time editor and has worked his way upward in the organization, serving as a chief operation officer, executive editor and NASO secretary. As on official, he has worked high school and small college baseball, basketball and football.

At the high school level, in addition to playing football, basketball, baseball and participating in track and field, Topp also was a reporter for the school newspaper. The thought of being an official wasn’t in his purview; he had visions of being a sports journalist.

Topp, who once umpired a youth baseball game as a 14-yearold in an emergency when an adult umpire didn’t show up, admits he liked the challenge of officiating. He continued to dabble in officiating during his teenage years and officiated intramurals in high school. While he was mostly focused on playing, the officiating seed had been planted.

In another emergency, Topp, who was still in high school, was asked to officiate an adult recreation basketball game with a veteran partner. He held his own and thought something was taking root.

As a sophomore in college, the roots took firmer hold when he took an entry-level officiating class. He quickly began working football, basketball and baseball.

“Little did I know that my passion for journalism and officiating would lead me straight to a career with Referee Magazine and NASO,” Topp said. “Yet, here we are, 34 years later and talking about it.”

Topp says his high school days taught him some important lessons that have carried him far in life.

“Channeling that competitive fire and using it for good is one,” he said. “I was a gym rat kind of kid. I was not the most talented, but I was always a hard worker. It still applies to my officiating and my career. Work hard, do the right thing no matter what and good things usually happen.”

After a 10-year hiatus from officiating while supporting his four children that played multiple high school and small college sports, Topp has returned to work at the high school level.

“After our youngest was done playing, I jumped right back into officiating high school football,” Topp said. “It’s been great. I went from being a decades-long referee to being a back judge so I’m learning a new position. I’m with a great group of people on our crew. We work hard and have fun. I missed the little things: the anticipation in the locker room, the high school bands playing, the National Anthem, the postgame reviews and the incessant razzing among crew members. It is much more than the games.”

Tim Leighton is communications coordinator for the Minnesota State High School League, and he is a member of the High School Today Publications Committee.