Born and raised in Valdosta, Georgia, Bobby Willis has always been an avid sports enthusiast. A graduate of Lowndes High School, he participated in football, baseball, basketball, and track during his high school career.
Not long after graduating from college, he volunteered to coach a team at the Boys and Girls Club. He was soon approached by some of the referees that officiated during his high school career about giving the craft a try. And for the majority of the last 45 years, he’s been engrossed in the art ever since.
“I was told that I shouldn’t expect to see varsity action until about three to four months down the line,” Willis said. “It took about a week and a half. I had just worked a ninth-grade game that Thursday. The next day, I got the call, and before you know it, I was working as the umpire in my first varsity game.”
Players, coaches, and fans know that in the game of football, it only takes one major play to alter the outcome of the contest. However, in the case of Willis, it only took one play to alter the course of his life altogether. During a Friday night matchup between Thomas County Central and Lee County, he took a hit and went down after a tackle carried a player’s momentum into his body. Upon landing, it was apparent that something was gravely wrong.
Unbeknownst to anyone, including Willis himself, there was a preexisting bone spur in his neck. When he went down, the spur punctured his spinal cord, effectively paralyzing him from the neck down.
“October of this year makes seven years since that night,” Willis said. “It’s something that I will never forget. It was truly the grace of God that got me through that time.”
After the injury, therapy was imminent in order to work his way back to recovery, and his accustomed lifestyle was obviously placed on reserve.
“I was in the hospital for seven weeks, and I was out of work for six months,” Willis said. “I had to learn how to do basic things again, like walk and button up shirts.”
An injury of this capacity is devastating, and it took quite the road for Willis to return to a level of self-sufficiency. Abilities that are taken for granted on a daily basis became exhausting tasks, but through prayer and perseverance, he made a full recovery. In fact, not only did he regain his health, but Willis was also able to return to the field and resume referee duties the following fall with only minor issues.
“There’s really no known effects left from the injury; I run a little slower, but I was 62 when I got hurt, so that could just be old age,” Willis said with a laugh. “God truly blessed me. He brought me through. Through everything that happened, I can say this: The power of God is awesome.”
Not only has Willis been able to fully resume his duties as a referee, he is able to share the joy with two of his closest friends: His sons, Scott and Dereck, have been involved in refereeing for the last couple of decades as well. Scott has been refereeing for 22 years, and Dereck is not far behind with 20 years under his belt.
“We actually had the chance to work a basketball game together once,” Willis said. “That was unforgettable. Knowing that we all enjoy what we do, it made it an honor to be out there with my sons.”
Willis at one point served as a referee nearly year-round; he was working football, basketball, baseball, and softball. About seven years ago, he decided to drop softball and baseball, but still remains active in the other two.
Serving as a referee for such an extended period of time presented various rewards to Willis. He truly values working with children; he understands that children are the future of the community and that raising and leading them the right way, be it on or off the field or court, can change lives. Recently while having lunch, he was approached by an individual who eventually identified himself as a player that Willis had refereed for 37 years ago.
“Being able to work with kids is the ultimate reward,” Willia said. “It’s the best, by far.”
Having retired from his position as the Recreational Director at Valdosta State Prison three years ago, Willis is able to put all of his energy into refereeing and contributing to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. And as the Area Director for the FCA, his plate is full quite regularly.
“Something that people underestimate is that coaches, during their respective seasons, are often around these young student-athletes more than their own parents,” Willis said. “What we try to do through the FCA is make some of the burden easier on the coaches. While the coaches work with their players on fundamentals and game plans, we work to build the character of the children through Christ. Coaches work with basics, and we work with Christian values.”
In 1972, he decided to take a chance on the opportunity. Now, in 2016, he prepares to hang up the whistle for the final time. After giving so much time and effort to various sports throughout South Georgia, Willis will be retiring from refereeing. He said that he will continue his work with the FCA for at least the next three years.
“It’s been a blessing to work with the kids and coaches all these years,” Willis said. “Some of the coaches have become great friends, and they even called when I was injured; some coaches will call at the beginning of the year to ask questions about things like rule changes. It shows a certain level of respect. Even the fans have been great over the years. At the end of the day, I believe that God knew what he was doing when he placed me here, and I thank Him for everything that he has done for me.”
Sidebar: In a rare situation, Willis actually found himself in the position of having to stand in as a referee for one of his son’s baseball games. Because of the rivalry between the teams, finding referees was a difficulty. Initially, he was hesitant (due to conflict of interest), but after some persuasion, he decided to take on the job.
“I’ll never forget it,” Willis said with a laugh. “It was a pretty heated affair. At one point, my son (Dereck) was trying to tag up from second to third base on a fly out to left field. As the play unfolded, he tried to slide into third. I’ll never forget the look on his face when I called him out. He looked at me and shouted, ‘I’ll burn your house down!’ I thought quickly and shouted back, ‘Well, don’t forget your mom lives there, too!’ That exchange earned us quite a few laughs.”
In the Game/December 2016
Bobby Willis
Valdosta, Georgia
The Final Countdown: A Local Legend Set to Leave the Field
Written by: James A. Washington
