The first Command the Game event was about learning how to begin.
The second one was about understanding who you have to BECOME. đź’ś
This session was POWERFUL.
We talked mindset.
We talked confidence.
We talked communication.
We talked personal growth, life development, leadership, and what it truly takes to advance, not only as an official, but as a person.
Because becoming a better referee is about so much more than knowing where to stand or what call to make.
Sometimes the next level starts with your mindset.
And to have these conversations inside the Boys & Girls Club, located in the legendary Michigan Central Station, made the day even more special. A space built around opportunity, growth, and possibility was the perfect setting for what Command the Game is working to create.
A huge THANK YOU to BG and GiGi for pouring into everyone in the room, sharing their wisdom, challenging us, teaching us, and helping develop the PEOPLE behind the whistle.
The gratitude I have for what they gave to Command the Game that day is beyond words. They didn’t just come speak, they came to serve, teach, connect, and leave something with us.
And a very special thank you to Rachel, Program Director with the Boys & Girls Club, for opening the doors, supporting the vision, and helping make this experience possible. Your support means more than you know. đź’ś
Session One taught us how to pick up the whistle.
Session Two reminded us that before you can command the game, you have to learn to command YOU.
And we’re just getting started. 💜🏀
CTG Referee Academy
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Referee training & development powered by Sports Society. Learn. Lead. Impact. Register, train, and join the movement.
A dream. An idea. And then… a reality. 💜🏀
The very first Command the Game Referee Academy event was more than I could have imagined.
What started as a vision to create a space where officials could truly LEARN the game came to life because of so much love, support, trust, and belief.
We welcomed brand-new referees learning from the beginning, experienced officials sharpening their skills, and young people getting their first opportunity to step onto the floor, pick up a whistle, and see officiating as something they could actually do.
We learned in the classroom.
We applied it on the court.
We asked questions.
We made mistakes.
We got better.
And most importantly — we grew together.
To every clinician, volunteer, partner, parent, player, supporter, and person who believed in this vision before there was anything to see… THANK YOU. You helped turn a dream into something real.
And this was only the beginning.
We’re not just teaching people how to referee.
We’re developing officials who understand the game.
Because officials who understand the game…
COMMAND THE GAME. 🏀🎙️
07/11/2026
🎙️ Honored to be featured on the latest Inside the Genesis podcast, sharing the vision behind Command the Game and why developing officials is about so much more than making calls.
Now we’re excited to continue the conversation LIVE this Wednesday. 💜
Officials who understand the game, command the game. Check out the episode and podcast TODAY!!
07/09/2026
🚨 ONE WEEK AWAY! 🚨
Join us next Wednesday for an experience built to help officials grow on and off the court.
We’re honored to welcome our special guests Brian “BG” Garland and Gigi of AO Peace as they take us Inside the Genesis, sharing the mindset, leadership, and lessons that help officials reach the next level.
If you’re serious about advancing your officiating career, you don’t want to miss this.
đź“… July 15
🕙 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
đź“Ť Michigan Central Train Station
🎟️ Register today!
Officials who understand the game, command the game. 🏀🦓
RefereeDevelopment OfficialsWhoUnderstandTheGameCommandTheGame Leadership GameManagement TheOfficialLifeCoach
07/09/2026
The season never really ends.
The games may stop, but the work doesn’t.
Summer is where officials sharpen their craft, challenge each other, ask questions, and grow together. It’s where we push one another, share knowledge, and leave better than we arrived.
Iron sharpens iron.
Different backgrounds. Different experiences. One common goal—to serve the game at the highest level.
The best officials never stop being students of the game because growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you’re willing to learn, listen, and put in the work alongside people who make you better.
We don’t just teach mechanics. We teach understanding.
Officials who understand the game, command the game. 🏀🦓💜
CrewWork AlwaysLearning BeyondTheWhistle
07/04/2026
You can’t command the game if you don’t understand the game.
At Command the Game, we’re more than just refereeing.
We don’t just teach mechanics, we teach understanding.
Before our participants ever step onto the court, we start in the classroom, breaking down the why behind positioning, responsibilities, rotations, and decision-making. Then we take that knowledge onto the floor, where learning becomes experience.
Our philosophy is simple:
đź“š Learn it in the classroom.
🏀 Apply it on the court.
đź’Ž Command the game with confidence.
Knowledge creates confidence.
Confidence creates consistency.
Consistency creates great officials.
Because officials who understand the game… command the game.
Learn. Lead. Impact.
GameManagement SportsSociety BasketballTraining
07/02/2026
🧠MIND OVER CALL
Every official has missed a call.
The difference between a good official and a great official isn’t perfection—it’s how they respond.
Learn from it.
Reset.
Move forward.
Because the next play deserves your full attention.
This is more than officiating.
This is leadership.
This is resilience.
This is Command the Game.
Welcome to Mind Over Call—our new series focused on the mental side of officiating, leadership, and performing under pressure.
💬 What’s the biggest lesson officiating has taught you?
OfficialsAreAthletes
Command Yourself First. Then Command the Game. 🏀🦓
This isn’t just another officiating clinic—it’s an opportunity to level up on and off the court.
Join us Wednesday, July 15, 2026 for Behind the Whistle: Crew Command Experience featuring Brian “BG” Garland, as we dive into leadership, confidence, communication, mindset, and what it truly takes to become a next-level official.
đź“… July 15, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
đź“Ť Michigan Central, Detroit, MI
Whether you’re a new official, a veteran official, a coach, or someone who wants to grow as a leader, this experience is for you.
The whistle doesn’t make the leader. You do.
Register today and come Command the Game.
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.