Castle Dale resident and long time state athletics referee Al White received the Male Official of the Year Award from the Utah High School Activities Association on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at a ceremony at Sleepy Ridge Golf Course in Orem, UT.

“It’s kind of a humbling experience to receive this award,” said White on KOAL’s Drive Time Sports. “It’s also a little bit overwhelming to think about living up to the expectations that come along with it.”

White, 59, moved to Emery County in 1988, started officiating high school basketball in 1989. After working as an assistant for multiple years under former longtime Emery football coach Jim Jones he began officiating football.

“When we moved to Emery County I had some friends say lets work some high school basketball,” White said. “My very first varsity was down in Moab back in 1990, and that’s where it all started and we’ve moved on.”

During the past three decades White has continued to build an impressive resume’ that includes working high school basketball, baseball and football championship games, Division II Pac West and, Mountain West action, and also Minor League Baseball.

White was introduced at the ceremony by Carbon High School principal and longtime coach Bruce Beane. Each year the UHSAA honors outstanding contributors to Utah high school activities and brings together Utah’s finest educators, officials and contributors at the high school level.

Listen to White’s complete interview on Drive Time Sports below: