After college Bruce Hicks got into refereeing. He studied the rulebook and was schooled by Booker Turner who taught him how to be a professional referee and a teacher on the floor. Young men today need guidance and Bruce considers that is his most important duty. He has been refereeing games for 27 years and recently retired, but he still mentors new men by conducting training camps for prospective referees.

Bruce started by working High School and Junior College games. One Saturday he was working in the yard when he got a call from Booker Turner and was asked to be at the Sports Arena in three hours. In Division 1 Basketball all refs have to wear a coat and tie. Bruce showered, changed and rushed and got to arena in time. It was a national TV game between USC and Oregon State and as Bruce said of his first Pac 10 game, “I nailed it.” From that point he had a schedule that was amazing. He traveled all over the United States refereeing in some the nations greatest sport arenas. He worked five March Madness games. He refereed games where the top coaches in the country were competing like Coach K. from Duke, Indiana’s Bobby Knight and Roy Williams of North Carolina to name a few.

It was a wonderful career but through it all Bruce’s main goal was to teach young men. He has a love and passion for the game. Officials are the integrity of the game. They are correct on their calls 96.4 percent of the time. He had the opportunity to serve the game of basketball and now it is his time to give back to others who are following in his footsteps.