SPRINGFIELD -- Even though his team is a longtime proven winner, Jeffrey Lonon wants to add a few more players to it.

Lonon is searching for officials to preside over Effingham County Recreation and Sports Management contests. He is the department’s assistant director.

“I’ve had years when I had enough officials that I couldn’t keep them all working,” Lonon said. “I’ve also had years where I had to persuade the Statesboro and Savannah (officials) associations to let me borrow some guys to get through a week. It has gotten back to that again.

“I had to use officials out of Savannah just to get through our Fall Ball (baseball) league.”

Lonon used to have the luxury to send officials to cover games in Bloomingdale and other towns.

“Now I can’t help myself part of the time,” he said.

Lonon is appreciative of a dependable, versatile group of local referees led by Charlie Kessler and TJ Reese. They are well versed in the rules of multiple sports.

“I’ve been with the county for 22 years and both of those guys were already here when I arrived,” Lonon said.

Lonon said Kessler, Reese and their experienced cohorts sport a professional demeanor that allows them to maintain good sportsmanship even during the most hotly contested games.

“They’ve always been real good with the parents and the kids,” Lonon said. “I guess that’s what has made them stay involved. Plus, they are ‘people’ people.

“You have to have a certain temperament.”

Kessler, a 59-year-old Georgia-Pacific employee, has been officiating baseball, softball, basketball and football for nearly 42 years.

“I love working with the kids,” he said. “The ones I started with are moms and dads now. I love when they tell their kids, ‘Mr. Charlie used to umpire my ballgames.’

“I’ve had kids say, ‘He’s my favorite umpire.’ That makes it all worthwhile. That’s worth more than the money.”

Kessler even dabbles in coaching when his officiating schedule isn’t too heavy.

“You’ve got to have a good wife because you aren’t home a lot,” Kessler said.

Kessler and Reese, a septuagenarian, enjoy teaching new umpires the ropes.

“We take them under our wings,” Kessler said. “We try to do our best. We try to teach them right way.

“We go ahead and prepare them because it’s not always roses. You will run into some coaches that will try (to rattle you). It is what it is. It’s just part of the job.

“You can’t do it for the money. It’s all about the kids.”

Lonon assists rookie officials by pairing them with a veteran when possible.

“I want them to be comfortable,” Lonon said. “Once they get comfortable, I can put two rookies together.”

Lonon is not averse to hiring high school students to serve as officials.

“I couldn’t survive soccer season without them because our soccer league has gotten so big,” he said.

If you are interested in officiating, contact Lonon at 912-754-6339. More than 20 games are played nightly during baseball and softball season.

“Starting next month, I will have a class each week for like three weeks,” Long said. “We go over rules and I will have Charlie, TJ and even a few guys who are friends of mine on the high school level talk to the (prospects). We actually go on the field and have a clinic to go over positioning.

“We start in the building and then transfer over to the field for the last meeting to do on-field mechanics.”