SISSETON – In 1984, Scott Deutsch walked into a gym in New Effington to officiate his first ever varsity girls’ basketball game.

When he left the building that night, he thought his career as a referee was finished before it even got started. He recalled telling his family, “There’s no way I could ever do it again.”

Now, 40 years later, the Sisseton man has become a familiar fixture whether on the football field, volleyball court, basketball floor or baseball diamond.

Through the years, Deutsch has learned that regardless of what call he makes, there will always be somebody who takes issue.

“I have to understand that when I make a call, half the people are going to like it and half aren’t going to like it,” Deutsch said.

The ability to have thick skin and not take things personally began when Deutsch first put the whistle around his neck as a 17-year-old junior at Sisseton High School. His coach played on an amateur basketball team that needed to provide its own official.

Deutsch soon found out what being a referee was all about.

“These guys were old guys,” Deutsch said, “and they were hollering at me and of course you never got the call right.”

Still, there was something about being around sports that hooked Deutsch and this weekend he received his 40-year official award at the Class A Girls’ State Basketball Tournament, the same event that his nephew Patrick, and son Justin are working at as officials.

“I think what really keeps me going, is I have the honor of working with my nephew Patrick and son Justin a lot,” Deutsch said.

He has taught the pair some of the same keys to officiating that someone taught him when he started.

“I was blessed with having a good mentor that said to me if you have great mechanics, you can blow a call,” Deutsch said, “but if you sell that call and have great mechanics, and you don’t hesitate and make that call, the other referees, the coaches, the fans, they’re going to go great call even though it might have been wrong.”

The elder Deutsch took that lesson a step further when explaining the importance of having solid mechanics.

“I told both Justin and Patrick, you go home and stand in front of a mirror with your whistle in your mouth and pretend you call a foul,” Deutsch said. “Put your fist up in the air and you give the number in the mirror, and you watch yourself. Call double dribble, call travel. Watch yourself in the mirror so you can see what you look like.”

Deutsch is always willing to share his knowledge with younger officials and there is one thing that makes him especially proud.

“There’s no bigger honor for me,” he said, “(than) to go watch a state tournament and know I mentored that guy.”

Deutsch, who also works track and field meets, said there are a couple of sports that are his personal favorites. One of them is football.

“Friday night lights is probably the one I really look forward to,” he said, “but you only work once a week.”

So, when it comes right down to it, his ultimate choice is the hardwood.

“My favorite is basketball just because there’s something that happens on every play, you have to be really focused on every play,” Deutsch said noting that in football there are sometimes 30 to 40 seconds between plays. “Basketball is one that I truly love, because I have the best seat in the house, but you have to really be involved in the game the whole time.”

Deutsch, who will also receive his 40-year award in baseball this summer, isn’t sure how long he’ll continue to officiate, but at least long enough to get his 40-year award in football in three more years.

He said there have been many changes in sports since he got started, especially in basketball where kids are more athletic, and the game has added a three-point line and a shot clock.

“When you take those three aspects and you put them into the game from when we first started, and then of course when I first started, we had worked everything two man and now you have that third referee on the floor,” Deutsch said. “The whole concept of the game has changed.”

While there have been numerous alterations through the years, the one thing that hasn’t changed is the feeling that Deutsch has whenever he works a contest. He hopes other officials feel the same way.

“Know the rules, have great mechanics, and work every game,” Deutsch said. “Every game is like a state tournament for those kids. That’s their game of the week, so go out and work hard.”

Deutsch, who said he has only given out seven technical fouls during his four decades of officiating, tries to do his best to be objective and treat others with kindness.

“When I take the floor, I try to be professional. I don’t think I’m better than anybody else,” Deutsch said. “I respect the coaches, I respect the fans, and I respect the game, whether it’s football, baseball, whatever. I try to show that respect, because if you show respect, you get respect.”