Some, such as the football field in Paonia, Colorado, would tell about the 2013 Class 1A State Championship, where Robb officiated throughout a 32-24 victory by Paonia over Centauri.
Others, such as the retired Quonset hut gym in Mancos would recite its recollections of countless games that Robb refereed, or maybe tell of a game or two in which the longtime ref played while he was in high school.
Whatever the plot, the story’s theme likely would center on Robb giving his all for the good of local youths and the games that he loves.
“I really love the sports, and I love to watch them,” Robb said. “I’ve always tried to give 100 percent to the kids and 100 percent to the coaches. My officiating career has been a lot of fun.”
The early years: 50 cents a gameTo fully appreciate Robb’s work, it is necessary to travel in time to the 1940s and ’50s, to an era when sports were far different than they are today.
During those years, Robb, a Mancos native, was patrolling local ballfields and basketball courts alongside his brother, two sisters and close friends. A high school student in Mancos by the late ’50s, Robb excelled at basketball, football and track, much to the delight of local fans, who seemingly lived and died to see the Mancos Bluejays play.
“Sports were all we lived for, I guess,” said Robb, with his voice trailing off. “Not all we lived for, I guess, but sports were very important.”
Thanks in large part to his accomplishments on the gridiron, Robb attended Rick’s College in Rexburg, Idaho, where he was a member of the school’s football team for two years. It was there, at the behest of his coach, that Robb became involved in officiating.
“My football coach told me I should take a sports officiating class,” Robb said. “I started officiating flag football. Then I got into basketball, soccer, boxing, softball and track. The college paid us 50 cents per game, and I’d work four or five flag football games in the fall and four or five intramural basketball games in the winter. Three bucks was a lot of money back.”
In addition to satisfying his love of sports by officiating, Robb coached a junior varsity basketball team in Rigby, Idaho, where he developed young players, gave officials an earful and earned more than his share of technical fouls.
“The JV coach got in an accident, and my counselor at the college asked me if I wanted to fill in,” Robb said. “I coached the boys since they didn’t have girls basketball then. I led the league in technical fouls.”
Back home in ColoradoAfter graduating from Rick’s College, which became Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2000, with associate degrees in history and building construction technology, Robb returned to the Four Corners area.
A few years after his return, while keeping scorebooks for the Mancos basketball teams, Robb was approached by Don Karraker and asked to begin officiating local football games.
“Don asked me why I didn’t want to get into officiating, and I didn’t have a good answer, so I started refereeing football in 1970 and basketball in 1972,” Robb said.
Quickly emerging as one of the area’s top referees, Robb worked the big games, including two all-state football games and 40 high school playoff games.
Robb also witnessed the invention of the 3-point shot, watched girls basketball become a sport, and became known to a long line of high school coaches, who developed a level of respect for the Mancos native regardless of whether they agreed with his calls.
“Looking back 40-plus years, I saw a lot of great coaches,” Robb said. “David Baldwin and Gary Hill over in Mancos were both good coaches. Greg Buffington and Jim Buffington in Dove Creek were also good, as was Butch Prior in Bayfield.”
Another coach who made an impression on Robb was Montezuma-Cortez High School legend Wade Mortensen, who coached for several years and led the Panthers to a Class 4A Colorado title in 2002.
“Wade always kept you honest,” said Robb with a laugh. “He had a way of keeping you focused.”
Memories of an iconStill spry on his feet and showing few signs of age, Robb officiated basketball games last season and plans to continue for at least one or two more years. The longtime official did admit that his years in zebra stripes are numbered, and his days of refereeing on a football field are done.
“The reason I quit football two years ago is that I got tired of getting wet, and when you get wet, you get cold,” Robb said. “I knew when I walked off the field after the state championship game between Centauri and Paonia, it was over. It hit me that it was time to leave.”
As for what he will remember most about his officiating career, Robb said what he will never forget fellow referees, including longtime officiating partner Sam Fox.
“I’ll never forget, I made a call, and I’m under the basket, and I saw Sam rubbing his nose,” Robb said with a smile. “When I saw that, I knew my call stunk, but I stayed with it.”
After the miles on the road, and the roughly 6 miles he ran per game, Robb cherishes the time that he spent with players.
“I’ve had a lot of kids come to me after they got out of high school and ask me advice about things,” said Robb. “That made me feel good.“I’ve had a lot of kids come to me after they got out of high school and ask me advice about things,” said Robb. “That made me feel good.”
Summing up just how much has changed between the time that he reffed his first game in 1962 and now, Robb jokingly explained that today’s athletes are buying faster shoes, and the money is much better.
“I started off making 50 cents per game,” Robb said. “I’ll most likely retire making 50 dollars per game.”
With those words, one of the area’s true sports icons concluded a fascinating interview with thoughts of next season already on his mind.