Mahopac Grad Stays Involved as Flag Football Referee and Player

Caitlin Schweigler played basketball and softball at Mahopac High School, and passing into adulthood, she never lost her love for sports. Her most recent affinity is Flag Football, and last March, she began playing in Westchester Female Flag Football. Her team made it to the finals but she didn’t make it to the finish line when her ACL was torn. Of course, being sidelined didn’t put out her competitive fire. “I still wanted to be involved,” said Schweigler, and like any good athlete, she found a way.

The 2010 Mahopac Grad took up the necessary flag football coursework and began refereeing the league she played in. She then suited up for the youth leagues and is now one of three female flag football officials in Section One. “It’s super fun,” the referee extolled.

In deep, she’s read every page but there’s more to mastering the discipline than just going cover to cover on the rules. “Even though I read the book, it’s still not enough,” Schweigler assured. “I still need experience.”

Her first level up took place after she graduated to the varsity. In the adult league, the refs fly solo. So there’s a need to focus on where the ball is and adding two more officials actually complicates matters. “It’s been a big learning curve to be able to look at where the ball is but also look at the players that don’t have the ball,” she said. “They are also committing fouls and throwing blocks they are not supposed to.”

Of course, like tackle football, the infractions are plentiful and figuring out which ones require a whistle is always a challenge. In this, Schweigler appreciates the guidance from the more experienced gentlemen who are mentoring her and the way she gets an equal seat at the table. “We have to decide as a team, are we going to call that one or not?” she revealed.

In accordance, the female ref gets no sense of not belonging - despite numbers that are nearly all boy. “Everybody is welcoming to the point where they are all asking, 'are you going to join tackle football in the fall,’” she conveyed. “So it’s been a really nice experience.”

The ability to navigate all X’s and O’s isn’t the only thing that makes it easy for her to fit in, though. Referees and umpires are also responsible for keeping a lid on all the emotions and her day job helps in that regard. “I am a board certified Behavior Analyst,” she said.

So on the job, Schweigler maintains control by adjusting to the behavior of the children and adults in her charge and providing the modification tools to redirect the paradigm of the environment.

Then on the field, the professional sticks to the program. “So if I'm getting a coach who’s starting to get too heated, my job is thinking about how to respond in such a way that slows everything down,” Schweigler explained.

Nonetheless, an official still must endure all the disagreeable chatter, and Schweigler relies on her resolve to stay the course. “Once I make a call, I commit to it and then we are just going to keep going with the game,” she asserted.

Even so, there are times when the ref knows the wrong call could have been made, and to resettle herself afterwards, Schweigler has a process. The Mahopac resident examines why she made the call, takes into account what she was thinking and references the rule book. She may then be reassured or realize an actual mistake was made. “Either way, I take it as a learning opportunity,” she said.

But the stresses still must require time to unwind. The gym, working all day and grad school, she clarified, “My way of chilling is by keeping my game moving.”

As such, next season she will again add flag football player to her schedule.The flags will still be flying too, and while taking pride in being a role model, she hopes her example is getting across - especially since their tassels will eventually turn. “Once you stop playing in high school, you don’t have to stop,” Schweigler concluded. “There’s so many opportunities to be part of the game if you love it.”

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