Built on Reliability. Run with Care.
GT Officials exists because leagues deserve officials who show up, and officials deserve an assignor who pays on time and communicates clearly. That’s been our mission from day one.
Gail Hensler
It all started at a high school basketball practice. A park director walked in and asked if anyone would be willing to keep clock for a basketball league — and get paid. I immediately volunteered and learned how to run the clock and keep score.
Then at one of my games, the refs didn’t show up. They handed me a whistle and said, “Just do the best you can.” I knew the game and had been watching the refs closely, so I went on the floor and did my best.
At my next game, the park director walked in and handed me a rule book. He said they could really use me on the floor instead of at the clock table. So I read the book and started to ref. That summer he asked me to work at the park, and I happily took the job.
That same director would walk into my park on any given day and say, “Gail, I need you to ref the soccer game today — here is the rule book!” I ended up doing several sports, and I made several fans and coaches upset because I hadn’t had enough time to learn all the rules necessary to officiate a good game. I moved up the ladder in the park board, and years later left.
3 Kids and Several Jobs Later…
I was at my son’s baseball game, and he was pitching. There was no one sitting behind the fence, and I wanted to see where he was throwing the ball because I hadn’t liked the umpire’s calls. I went behind the fence and quickly realized why no one was there — every time the umpire got into position, his pants fell down. In between innings, I went up to the fence and asked the umpire to please pull up his pants. He told me that he didn’t have to listen to me, and if I didn’t like it, to move.
After calling to complain, I found myself telling the story at a board meeting. They told me they were really struggling with the umpires and asked if I would be willing to help the umpire director. I said yes and learned how they did things. After doing some of the organizational work, I realized these umpires felt the way I did back at the park — they were going out there doing the best they could, without having proper training.
MYAS was a newer organization at the time, but I was able to talk to someone there and asked if they would be willing to come do a training session for the umpires. That was the first clinic I ever organized.
How GT Officials Came About
Other associations that played our association started asking where we got our umpires from — and that is how GT Officials came about. I have learned by trial and error along the way, but I am proud of what I have been able to build. None of the jobs are easy — from the organizations I work with, to the assigners, to the officials, and the hard working people at MYAS. We are all doing the best we can because of the love of sports, and to help the youth who play them.
The GT Officials Difference
These aren’t just marketing lines — they’re the principles we run the business on.
Fast Pay, Every Time
We built our reputation on paying officials quickly. It’s not a perk — it’s a fundamental part of how we operate. Your time has value, and your pay should reflect that promptly.
Organization as a Value
We use Arbiter for scheduling because details matter. Every assignment is tracked, every confirmation is clear, and every game has coverage planned well in advance.
Always Reachable
When you call or text GT Officials, you get a response. We know this sounds basic, but in this industry, being reachable is genuinely rare — and it makes all the difference.
Let’s Work Together
Whether you’re an official looking for a better experience or an association that needs reliable coverage, we’d love to connect.