When basketball referee April Martin made history as part of an all-female crew—the first in the state of Michigan and one of only a few nationally to officiate at a high school championship series—it was a proud moment, but also an opportunity.
The DTE Energy specialist in gas measurement makes a point of being a mentor to the girls she referees and encourages them to step outside of expected roles.
After all, it’s a position Martin has often been in herself.
When she was just 19, her dad—who was a basketball coach—asked his daughter if she’d accompany one of his assistant coaches to a referee training camp. Then, as now, the field was predominantly male. “I recall easily counting the number of women—there were about three of us out of 30,” she said.
Martin refereed all during her college years, graduating from the University of Detroit Mercy with a dual degree in mechanical engineering and math—also male-dominated fields. Then, after working in design and engineering for Chrysler, she joined DTE.
Through it all, refereeing has consumed her time during basketball season, when she might officiate six games a week at both the high school and collegiate levels. Whether it’s lending a ponytail holder or offering heartfelt advice, she feels a responsibility to be an example to the young girls she works with.
And she has been surprised at the number of girls who have reached out to her with an interest in following in her footsteps.
“I explain that refereeing is a stepping stone,” she said. “It’s about networking and dealing with multiple personalities and conflict resolution.”
She hopes that historic moment with her “sorority” of fellow female referees won’t be that unusual in the future.
“I think it’s important for young girls to know that they can do anything they really want to do, including roles that exist outside of traditional roles for women,” she said. “And with the Nassar incident in U.S. gymnastics, it’s also important for these young athletes to have someone they can talk to and relay information to.”