PODCAST · sports
The Crown Refs Podcast
by Paul Diasparra
The Crown Refs Podcast is the ultimate audio experience for basketball officials looking to elevate their craft, build confidence, and achieve long-term success on and off the court. Hosted by Paul Diasparra, this podcast helps referees master their skills, refine their judgment, and develop a strong officiating mindset. It features top names in officiating like Joey Crawford, Roger Ayers, Dee Kantner, Maia Chaka, Lisa Mattingly, Tyler Ford, Penny Davis, Reggie Greenwood, Scott Foster, Al Battista, Crystal Hogan, Bo Boroski, Gary Vee, Clarence Armstrong, and more. #Servethegame
Episodes
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#440 | Building the Complete Official w/ Karleena Tobin
Building the complete official requires more than getting plays right. It means developing the rules knowledge, fitness, film habits, communication skills, self-awareness, and leadership needed to serve the game when the pressure rises. In Episode 440, Karleena Tobin shares the lessons behind her...
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#439 — Referee Terminology | w/ Chris
Referee language is more than vocabulary—it is how a crew sees the same play, processes it on time, and communicates decisions with consistency. In episode #439, Chris walks through terminology that can sharpen how officials read movement, coverage, and contact. Inside the episode: Start →…
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#438 From the Court to the Content | Interview with Faros | A Career Discovery Paltform
Passion creates energy. Purpose gives it direction. The work is turning both into action. Farro invited me to talk about getting started in officiating. That conversation opened up into something bigger: the purpose behind Crown Refs, my approach to creating content, and the energy that goes into...
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#437 Building Your Officiating Skillset | Crown Refs Camp Presentation
Getting the call right is only the beginning. The officials who become dependable learn how to prepare before the ball is live, create a better angle before the play arrives, and stay composed when the game becomes emotional. In this Crown Refs camp presentation, you will hear practical ways to...
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#436 The Skills Nobody Teaches: Standard, Ownership, and Preparation | w/ Tommy Short
The standard you bring to a game begins long before tip-off—and becomes especially visible when something goes wrong. In this presentation from Crown Refs camp, Tommy Short explores the habits behind dependable officiating: taking ownership of your development, preparing consistently, and...
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#435 Before the Buzzer | Building the Foundation for a Successful Season | w/Montrell Cade
In this Crown Refs Community Session, Montrell Cade shares the habits, mindset, and preparation that have helped fuel his continued rise as an official. Fresh off earning opportunities in the Big Ten and other Division I conferences, Montrell brings the same approach that made him such an…
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#434 The Crown Refs Community Show Ep. 1 | Co-Hosted by Gabe Lind | Podcast Season 9
In Episode 1 of The Crown Refs Community Show, we introduce Gabe Lind as the new Crown Refs Program Coordinator and pull back the curtain on everything happening inside the community. We recap the Crown Refs Skill Development Camp, including the people, teaching, and experiences that made the...
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#433 Upgrading your Communication & Leadership Skills | w/JD Collins
Recorded at the 2026 Crown Refs Skill Development Camp, this episode features former NCAA Men’s Division I National Coordinator and Final Four official J.D. Collins delivering a powerful presentation on communication, leadership, mentorship, trust, and personal responsibility. Through detailed...
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#432 Why YOU should Join the Crown Refs Community in 2026 | w/Chris Griffin | Austin Basketball Officials Association
In this episode, we break down "Why You Should Join the Crown Refs Community in 2026" and highlight the richness, depth, and year-round value built into the Crown Refs ecosystem. What started as weekly content in 2018 has grown into a full training community for officials who want more than...
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#431 What Coaches, Players, & Fans don't know about Officiating
In this episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, I join The Game Time Guru Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the officiating profession and the people behind the whistle. Topics include the origin story of Crown Refs, why there is an ongoing official shortage, how referees prepare for…
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#430 Common Ground for Officials & Coaches | w/Austin McBeth | Creator of The Film Room
What happens when a coach, a former D1 athlete, and a veteran basketball official sit down and actually watch game film together? This episode features Austin — former Iowa State basketball and football player, high school head coach, and creator of the fast-growing YouTube channel The Film Room…
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#429 The Call I almost Missed | A year without a cell phone | Tommy Short | Former Pac-12 Official, Author, Speaker
Tommy Short is a former NCAA Division I men’s basketball official who built an impressive career working across multiple conferences before making the rare decision to step away in his mid-30s — not because he was “done,” but because he was crystal clear on his priorities. In this in-person...
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#428 Disabled, Not Unable | with Ryan Cadres | IAABO Board 54 President | Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month
In this moving episode, Ryan Cadres joins the Crown Refs Podcast in honor of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month to share his powerful journey through officiating, leadership, and life. A 27-year official, current president of IAABO Board 54 in Massachusetts, and longtime varsity girls basketball...
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#427 Raising the Standards | The Rocky Road to Good Sportsmanship | with Brenda Hilton | Officiallyhuman.org
Brenda Hilton returns to the Crown Refs Podcast for a thoughtful conversation about her pioneering work through Officially Human and the long-term mission of restoring respect for sports officials. Brenda shares the evolution of the organization from its early days to its current nonprofit model,...
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#426 Rapid Responses 14 | The Heavy-Duty Toolset for Stronger Communication | Read the article on SubStack
Rapid Responses 14 is a heavy-duty toolset built to help officials communicate with coaches more effectively and manage games with confidence. This episode goes beyond quick one-liners — it lays out a complete game management system for handling everything from demands for explanations to bench...
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#425 Community Chats 4 | February "26
In this community chat, we connect with officials from across the country—talking weather cancellations, getting back on the floor, and sharing real-game updates from recent varsity and college assignments. From there, we get into coach management: why predicting “this coach never says a word” is…
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#424 quiet CONFIDENCE | Handling Coaches, Critics, & Pressure
In this episode, Paul sits down for a wide-ranging conversation that traces his journey from physical education teacher to multi-level basketball official — and ultimately to building Crown Refs as a global education and mentorship platform. He opens up about his early years in officiating, the...
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#423 Community Chats | Join the Crown Refs Community on Patreon
This community chat covers real challenges basketball officials face every week — from difficult coach interactions and rule disputes to game control, mechanics, and critical decision-making under fire. This discussion explores how officials can maintain authority without escalating situations…
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#422 The Clinician's Corner 3 | Attend our 2026 Camp
In this Clinician’s Corner, the focus was on the small details that separate “solid” from truly sharp officiating — especially in end-of-period situations and administrative moments that can quietly swing a game. The crew emphasized mechanical discipline: confirming 2 vs. 3, holding signals an...
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#421 Beyond the Whistle | feat. Dr. David Walker | Leadership Speaker & Former D1 Official
In this episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. David M. Walker, a former NCAA Division I basketball referee, longtime physical education teacher, school administrator, pastor, and nationally respected leadership speaker. Dr. Walker shares his remarkable journey from starting as an...
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#420 The Best of 2025 Mix | THANK YOU FOR 7 YEARS PODCASTING
The Best of 2025 Mix is a reflection of growth, evolution, and intentionality. As Crown Refs completes its seventh year of podcasting, this episode brings together some of the most impactful moments, conversations, and teaching points from the past year. While 2025 featured a lighter release...
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#419 Game Notes 044 | Joshua Metoyer | Oxon Hill, MD
In this Crown Refs 1-1 Game Notes session, we break down Josh's game film, communication decisions, and on-court mechanics with a focus on confidence, certainty, and control. The conversation centers on how officials can stand firm under pressure, respond to coaches with rule-based clarity, and...
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#418 Season-Ready: Best Practices that Matter for High School Officials
In this episode, Paul delivers a comprehensive in-season talk to 60 high school basketball officials across Massachusetts, presented under the leadership and tutelage of Joe Bird, who oversees more than 200 officials from multiple IAABO boards including the Tri-Valley League, Bay State Conference...
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#417 Ref Rob | The Internets Favorite Referee | feat. Rob Wann | Tik Tok Live
In this Tik Tok Live edition of the Crown Refs Podcast, we sit down with one of the internet’s most entertaining and authentic officiating personalities — Ref Rob. Known globally for his viral mic’d-up clips, sharp one-liners, and old-school approach to managing the game, Rob brings 23 years of...
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#416 🗡️The Skill Development Series | Part 2
🎙 Skill Development Series • Part 2 brings you inside the very first Crown Refs Clinic, recorded live in April 2025. This episode delivers a wide range of practical education for game officials, including detailed signal instruction, how to project strength on every whistle, and best practices…
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#415 💪🏽Health & Hoops🏀 | Longevity, Injury Prevention, & Clean-Eating for Officials | w/Marc Vaccaro
In this special Crown Refs Community Q&A episode, Paul and Marc Vaccaro break down some of the most important health, fitness, and performance questions submitted by basketball officials from the Crown Refs community. The conversation dives into preventing and rehabing common officiating issues...
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#414 🎙️MIC'D UP: The Tool Helping Refs Gain Back Control | w/Tamara Jarrett
Tamara Jarrett is the current COO of Elements Athletics, she joins the Crown Refs Podcast to talk about her unique journey from high-level college basketball to officiating and sports technology leadership. Tamara shares how her competitive mindset, leadership experience, and work in strength and...
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#413 The Clinician's Corner 2
This episode dives into the micro-details that separate an average official from an elite one. From refining your signals to eliminating unnecessary clutter, every postgame clip is filled with actionable adjustments you can apply immediately. We cover how to improve your positioning on jump…
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#412 The Preseason Push 2 | Verbal Flops, Leading with Conviction, & How to Help our Partners.
In Episode 2 of Preseason Push, we take you directly into the action with a raw blend of live high school fall league audio, and postgame feedback inside the locker room after a college. This episode is designed to sharpen your lens heading into the season on how to serve the game by keeping...
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#411 The Clinician's Corner
Step into The Clinician’s Corner, a special episode capturing the heart of Crown Refs camp culture—where education meets elevation. This episode features a dynamic mix of live post-game feedback sessions from camp season, offering real-time coaching moments, layered breakdowns, and invaluable...
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#415 💪🏽Health & Hoops🏀 | Longevity, Injury Prevention, & Clean-Eating for Officials | w/Marc Vaccaro
In this special Crown Refs Community Q&A episode, Paul and Marc Vaccaro break down some of the most important health, fitness, and performance questions submitted by basketball officials from the Crown Refs community. The conversation dives into preventing and rehabing common officiating issues...
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#410 How Officials Get Selected to the NCAA Tournament | with John Blazek | D2 Men's National Coordinator of Officials
How Officials Get Selected: Behind the National Tournament Process In this episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, we sit down with John Blazek, the National Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officials for NCAA Division II and a 15-year Division I official. With a rich background as a teacher, coach,...
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#409 The Referee HelpDesk | Court Support #2
This episode of The Referee Help Desk brings together real officiating questions from across all Crown Refs platforms and turns them into lessons for officials at every level. Topics include when to use the block signal, how to report fouls efficiently, handling technical fouls calmly, and...
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#408 The Referee HelpDesk | Court Support #1
Welcome to The Referee Helpdesk, the customer support center for basketball officials. Each week, I take questions I’ve received from referees across all platforms and answer them on Tik Tok Live—turning real-world scenarios into teachable moments for the entire officiating community. Think of it...
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#407 The Preseason Push | feat. Chris Velaoras
The Preseason PUSH | Feat. Chris Velaoras This episode features clips from May’s Crown Refs Skill Development Clinic (Signal School Session) plus new halftime and post-game conversations from three fall-league games. Topics covered include: Getting together on all borderline intentional fouls…
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#406 NCAA-M Rules Review | Rule 10: Fouls & Penalties | Hosted by Chris and Mikaiya
In this Crown Refs community rules session, Chris Velaoras and Mikaiya Moore led an in-depth breakdown of Rule 10: Fouls and Penalties, providing referees with the knowledge and clarity they need heading into the season. The discussion explored the different categories of fouls, including…
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#405 Building Better Referees from the Ground Up | with Chris Rastatter | D1 Men's National Coordinator
FOR FULL EPISODE GO TO PATREON.COM/CROWNREFS Chris Rastatter is the NCAA Men’s Division 1 National Coordinator of Officials, overseeing mechanics, training, and tournament selections for men’s college basketball. A 27-year DI referee, Chris worked the NCAA Tournament before moving into his...
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#404 Pro City Runs | feat. Kenny Widgeon | with additional commentary
Step inside the action at New York City’s legendary Pro City at LIU Brooklyn, where we miked up NBL official Kenny Widgeon. Kenny’s journey is as unique as it is inspiring—he broke into the professional ranks in Australia after a connection through the Crown Refs Podcast with Scott Butler, the...
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#403 Whistle Wisdom | with Montrell Cade | Mentorship, Reps, & Confidence in Officiating | Division 1 Official
In this inspiring episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, Paul welcomes longtime community member and high-character official Montreal Cade, who currently resides in Columbia, Maryland. Montreal began his officiating journey through the intramural program at Towson University before getting certified...
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#402 The Coordinator's Cut | w/Lisa Mattingly | SEC Coordinator of Officials
In this powerful episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, we welcome Lisa Mattingly, Coordinator of Officials for the SEC and one of the most respected voices in women’s college basketball officiating. A veteran of the WNBA and NCAA Final Fours, Lisa has spent decades refining her craft both on and off...
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#401 The Skill Development Series | Part 1
🎙️ Welcome to The Skill Development Series! This episode was recorded at our first-ever in-person event — the Crown Refs Skill Development Clinic held on April 12, 2025, in Berlin, Connecticut. It was a long-awaited, highly anticipated, and special day that brought together core Crown Refs…
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#400 Episode 400 | feat. Ashley Birch | G-League & NCAA-W Official
Recorded live from CayVision Podcast Studios, episode 400 features Ashley Birch, a driven and inspiring NCAA Division I and NBA G-League official. Born and raised in Kansas City and now based in Dallas, Ashley opens up about her path into officiating after a playing career and a background in…
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#399 Game Notes 043 | Jesse Stricherz | Belle Fourne, SD
In Game Notes 043, we sit down with South Dakota official Jesse Stricherz for a reflective and educational IPR breakdown. Jesse, who began officiating at age 15, brings decades of experience and humility to the table as he shares the highs and challenges of managing competitive games. One of the...
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#398 Top 5 Ways to grow your officiating game | 5 Tips & Tricks Podcast
In this episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, we share a powerful conversation originally featured on the Five Tips & Tricks Podcast, where the spotlight is on what it truly takes to grow and thrive as a basketball official. The discussion covers the foundational pillars of officiating...
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#397 How we built the Crown Refs Community | The Sports Corner Podcast
In this episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, we explore the journey from our inception to becoming a thriving community for basketball officials. The narrative begins before 2018, detailing the launch of inaugural show, "The Basketball Shop," co-hosted by Mr. Pink. It then delves into the...
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#396 The Long List of Ingredients to cut out of your Diet | The Dialed In Podcast | Ep. 2
In this episode of The Dialed In Podcast, Paul and Marc continue their mission of inspiring transformation and optimization. Marc dives deep into his journey through fitness, nutrition, and movement training, sharing key insights on nutrient timing, gut health, and aligning your habits with your...
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#395 From Stripes to Strategy | feat. Ken Joslin | Entrepreneur, Faith-Based Leader, Former NCAA Official | GROW STACK DRIVE
In this episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, we sit down with Ken Joslin, a former NCAA women’s basketball referee and college baseball umpire who transitioned from officiating to becoming a top entrepreneur, speaker, and coach. Ken shares his inspiring journey through the officiating ranks,...
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#394 Runnin Ref | with Austin Ardrey
In this episode of the Crown Refs Podcast, we sit down with Austin Ardrey, also known as the Runnin Ref, to dive into the intersection of fitness, officiating, and performance training. Austin is a former strength and conditioning coach at the collegiate level who transitioned into working with...
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#393 2025 In-Season Notes | Keep Serving the Game!
In this episode of The Crown Refs Podcast, we dive into key insights for the 2025 season, breaking down the habits, mindset shifts, and game strategies that separate great officials from the rest. Topics Covered: ✅ Stop Judging Your Partners’ Calls – Focus on your role and elevate the crew. ✅…
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#392 Paul's Transformation | The Dialed In Podcast Ep. 1
In the inaugural episode of The Dialed In Podcast, hosts Paul Diasparra and Marc Vaccaro take you on an inspiring journey through Paul’s remarkable awakening to wellness. After years of average and inconsistent progress, Paul shares the pivotal moment that transformed his health and mindset...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Crown Refs Podcast is the ultimate audio experience for basketball officials looking to elevate their craft, build confidence, and achieve long-term success on and off the court. Hosted by Paul Diasparra, this podcast helps referees master their skills, refine their judgment, and develop a strong officiating mindset. It features top names in officiating like Joey Crawford, Roger Ayers, Dee Kantner, Maia Chaka, Lisa Mattingly, Tyler Ford, Penny Davis, Reggie Greenwood, Scott Foster, Al Battista, Crystal Hogan, Bo Boroski, Gary Vee, Clarence Armstrong, and more. #Servethegame
HOSTED BY
Paul Diasparra
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Crown Refs Podcast have?
The Crown Refs Podcast currently has 370 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Crown Refs Podcast about?
The Crown Refs Podcast is the ultimate audio experience for basketball officials looking to elevate their craft, build confidence, and achieve long-term success on and off the court. Hosted by Paul Diasparra, this podcast helps referees master their skills, refine their judgment, and develop a...
How often does The Crown Refs Podcast release new episodes?
The Crown Refs Podcast publishes regularly with 370 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Crown Refs Podcast?
You can listen to The Crown Refs Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Crown Refs Podcast?
The Crown Refs Podcast is created and hosted by Paul Diasparra.
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