That's why, a few weeks ago, she made the difficult decision to retire. In the late 90s, LGBTQ issues were seldom discussed, and being a woman in the NBA, she saidand all of the expectations that came with itwas punishingly hard. I was surprised to find that Dee was very engaging, insightful about women's BB, willing to talk about relationships with coaches and playersand just a really fun (and professional) lady. Occupation: NCAA Division-I women's college basketball official Age: 56 Residence: Charlotte, N.C. As a top women's college basketball official and former NBA referee, Dee Kantner's heard it all. What a thrill. She played field hockey while at the University of Pittsburgh and graduated with an engineer's degree in 1982. NBA officiating director Ed Rush said referee Jim Kinsey also was dismissed, according to Bloomberg. Just as Courteau hasgiven so much to officiating,officiating, in a sense, gaveCourteau her ultimate gift inlife. NEW YORK, December 16, 2004 Dee Kantner has been named WNBA Supervisor of Officials, it was announced today by WNBA President Val Ackerman. T he death of legendary coach Pat Summitt at age 64 last month marked the end of an era in women's sports. NEW YORK -- Dee Kantner, one of the NBA's two female referees, has been fired, the NBA said Monday. She spent the majority of her life training and teaching and identifying young officials shedeveloped. "But did it bother me? I lookedat them both and said, I knowthis is emotional, guys, andwere going to have time for allof the emotions to come out, butthis is for the players. Well, ND certainly didn't look like the #2 team in the country. With the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four and championship games in womens basketball. After graduating from North St. Paul High School in 1966, she earned a Bachelor of Science in physical education, health, speech and theater from Winona State in 72 and then a Masters of Arts in speech and communications from Northern Iowa in 76. At individual events, Kantner was a referee at the National Sports Festival in 1991 and the 2000 Summer Olympics. He said, You can dowhatever you want in life. Paul Kantner, one of the giants of the San Francisco music scene, died Thursday. Imlike, God dang it, shut up! Dee Kantner (born 1961) is a womens basketball referee for the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Boston College 62, Georgia Tech 57. . These situations are still presenting themselves, Kantner said, and people still need to give voice to the fact that the inequities still exist. At the time, she was part of the first-ever "major college men's game" to only have women referees alongside Patty Broderick and June Corteau. "I had to have a personal trainer, eat right, and go to physical therapy to continue to be a referee over the course of my career. And then Courteausummoned officials Joe Vaszilyand Beverly Roberts. . Long time UConn women's fan. Dee Kantner Basketball Inducted: 2019 Longtime resident of Charlotte, NC Women's Division I basketball official for over 30 years (and counting) At time of induction, refereed 8 Semifinals, 22 Final Fours, and 14 Championship worked through the 2001-02 season. Besides, when sheput words out there for publicconsumption, she has long beenconcerned with how they mightbe bent and twisted. Dee Kantner NBA Basketball Referee Record. With the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four and championship games in women's basketball. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on . Last modified on Tue 28 Nov 2017 22.20 EST. None of it bothered me. Jun 14, 2016. Rod Thorn, the NBA's senior vice president of basketball operations at the time, told the Washington Post in 1997 that Palmer's being chosen to officiate first was the Im proud of all those officialsrunning up and down the floor, tryingto get it right, Courteau said in oneof her farewell messages as she headsinto retirement with Teresa, who hasbeen in education for 32 years. Dee Kantner (born 1961) is a women's basketball referee for the National Collegiate Athletic Association. With the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four and championship games since 1992. According to Palmer, rumors indicated it was because some men on the NCAA Committee disapproved. Officiating is ostensibly the main subject, and certainly a common thread. [10], Kantner was a referee for six conferences simultaneously in 1992, such as the Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference. How thorough wasCourteau? "If they weren't for diversity, they would have never given me a chance in the first place," Palmer added. "In that moment, he was being very clear -- there was no micro-aggression or anything: 'I'm going to tell you exactly that I don't think you belong here doing this.'". One year earlier, one of the most decorated and respected officials in the history of womens basketball had to be convinced to become the NCAA national coordinator of womens basketball officiating. I look over and see Dee Kantner. When you say, Coach, what are you seeing that Im not seeing? people dont realize thats a powerful statement, Courteau said. His most prominent works are "Ordinary Wolves", "Swallowed by the Great Land: And Other Dispatches From Alaska's Frontier", "Shopping for Porcupine: A Life in Arctic Alaska" and "Pup and Pokey". Jefferson Airplane founding member Paul Kantner's death at age 74 on Jan. 28 has been met by a mainstream culture shrug compared to the celebratory attention paid rock stars dead in the past month including David Bowie, the Eagles' Glenn Frey . Legitimate acceptance has come in waves. Decided to get a bite to eat and a drink at a local establishment. She cited what happened at a 2021 NCAA Womens Basketball Tournament site as a sign that women are still fighting for equality. In that moment, history was made: Palmer became the first woman ever to referee a game in a major American men's professional sports league. The trick is to findthe few who have the rawpower, superhuman stamina,the indomitable willpower,the intellectual capacitynecessary to master thedetails of technique, butthe most important is theirability to disregard his/herown ambitions, to throw egooverboard and pull, not just foroneself, not just for glory, butfor the crew and for us the game.. I was sittingon the floor and we weretalking. Palmer and Kantner were so much more than just trailblazers; the weight they shouldered eased the burden for all who came after. Dee Kantner and Violet Palmer became the first women named to the National Basketball Association's regular season staff of referees on Tuesday. Success! "And from the beginning, they have always been supportive of me and my success. Since then, seven women have . Over the years, Courteaubecame a master of making herpoint. development that we find that a referee is not making sufficient "He passed today at 2:22 p.m. PT," Gareth Kantner said. Paul Kantner in 2008, photo by Mike Krepka for The Chronicle. She played field hockey while at the University of Pittsburgh and graduated with an engineer's degree in 1982. Sun 31 Jan 2016 11.19 EST. Youre going to learn rightnow that Im an emotionalGreek, she said as her voicestarted cracking. Funny. There were so many parallels between what she was reading and what she was trying to accomplish in her new role. Shes a doer, not justa leader.. [19] During 1993, she was scheduled to work as a referee during the qualification of the U.S. Olympic Festival. He also covers high school baseball, golf, volleyball and bowling and college basketball. She became a basketball official in 1984, was one of the first two women along with Violet Palmer to be hired by the NBA in 1997 and worked her 25th NCAA Womens Final Four in April. It was cruel, brilliant, beautifully written and perfectly designed, and feared by all. I thought that was awesome. Those who learned from Courteau likely were peppered with a series of questions from her about a missed call that was made. My dad was French andmy mother was Greek, shesaid. We won't send you spam. He needed a body to run, she said. "She did it way before all of us, before the world we live in now that's all accepting," Moyer-Gleich said of Kantner. With the NCAA, Kantner has been a referee in over twenty Final Four rounds and over ten championship games in women's basketball. Hardwood Herstory - Dee Kantner. Kantner spent her childhood in Reading, Pennsylvania. Sureenough, I miss a lane violationbecause Im listening to him! Sheloves the detail and havingall possibilities covered. But Duke just has NO offense! Dee Kantner was born on 1961 in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States, is a NCAA referee. The NBA, like the society it's part of, inches ever closer to true equity. [4] Her first regular season game as an NBA referee was in November 1997 during a match between the Atlanta Hawks and the Philadelphia 76ers. [2] For her post-secondary career, Kantner received an athletic scholarship from the University of Pittsburgh and was on multiple sport teams. And to the people who run the NBA's officiating program, efforts in recent years to open recruiting pathways and increase diversity are far from merely symbolic: They're practical for a league always striving to improve. [3] She graduated with an engineer's degree in 1982. It started inSt. Paul, where she was bornSept. 18, 1948, the fourth childof Don and Helen Courteau. The prep that goes intothat, June is the master atthose kinds of things. Then we headed back to our hotel. 31 May 1997 Once Upon a Matress, closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 187 performances. She laughed and we had a chat about the game. Palmer was hired alongside another female ref, Dee Kantner. 26-year-old social media star Ari Fletcher is still getting slammed with backlash following her disparaging remarks about victims of domestic violence. Character traits that wouldone day make her a toweringpresence in officiating werestarting to reveal themselvesduring those days. We will update Dee Kantner's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. He's covered Penn State football since 1989. As power doesn't necessarily beget respect, 36-year-old Dee Kantner understands that . Rich Scarcella joined the Reading Eagle staff in 1986. "I'm not sure what the reason really was, but that was the rumor," she said. After leaving the NBA, she continued to work in the WNBA as the Director of Referee Development from 2002 to 2004 and was renamed Supervisor of Officials in 2004. So, how much is Dee Kantner worth at the age of 61 years old? With the NCAA, Kantner has refereed for various Final Four and championship . Menu. She is seen as one of the most successful Referee of all times. Inquisitive since she wascoming of age as a girl in St. Paul,Minn., during the 1950s, Courteauemotionally digests her favorite booksas passionately as a scrumptioussteak dinner with a sparkling glass ofwine. . I would love for you guys to be a part of it.' I hated cross country.. [9][23], "Women refs ready to run with Bulls . June is an icon, said PattyBroderick, coordinator of the WomensBasketball Officiating Consortium(WBOC) and a retired official. operations Stu Jackson said. Decent seats. There was a parent in thestands and I think he thoughthe should be coaching, Mooresaid. What sprouted, unknown to either, was the fourth-ever female NBA referee, following league pioneer and recently retired Violet Palmer (1997-2016), dismissed current NCAA ref Dee Kantner (1997-2002 . We need to continue to keep pressure on the parties who are in control, she said, to recognize women and girls in athletics deserve the same kind of funding, the same kind of attention, the same kind of coaching, the same opportunities (as men and boys). Referee Dee Kantner blows her whistle to call a play during the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers at the STAPLES. 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