Lady Ref: Making Calls in a Man’s World

The eye-opening and inspiring memoir of Shannon Eastin, the first female official for the NFL

Shannon Eastin was used to breaking new ground. As a teenager, she was a six-time national judo champion before women were allowed to compete in her sport in the Olympics. Years later, she became the first female Division I football referee. But when she set her sights on officiating in the NFL, nothing could fully prepare her for the obstacles that would be thrown in her way.

In Lady Ref: Making Calls in a Man’s World, Eastin candidly shares the struggles she faced throughout her journey to the pros. Dealing with sexual harassment, apparent sabotage, and blatant misogyny, there were times Eastin wondered if it was worth it, if perhaps it would be better to quit. But a return to her faith would ultimately help her hold onto her dreams, and when the full-time NFL officials were locked out, Eastin found her opening into the pros.

Eastin’s cap and whistle now rest in the NFL Hall of Fame, a testament to the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice that went into her groundbreaking rise up the officiating ranks. Her eye-opening story reflects the relentless battles women have fought--and continue to fight--working in fields often perceived as a man’s domain, while also celebrating those who have supported these trailblazers in their journeys.

Shannon Eastin is the first female official of the National Football League (NFL) and the first woman to lead a crew at the Division 1 level for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. For 16 years she officiated football games at the high school and college level before making her mark on NFL fields. Eastin is the Director of Officials for the Canyon Athletic Association, where she oversees officiating services for over 200 schools. She mentors and trains officials in football and basketball through her company, SE Sports Officiating, which also assigns officials for youth sporting leagues. Kate St. Vincent Vogl is the author of Lost & Found: A Memoir of Mothers. Her essays appear in best-selling anthologies such as Listen to Your Mother and Why We Ride, as well as in Bellingham Review and Prairie Schooner. She is the recipient of a Minnesota State Arts Board Grant and a residency at the Anderson Center. Vogl teaches at the Loft Literary Center.