Natalie Sago

Imagine being on a giant playground, but instead of playing, you're making sure everyone plays fair! That's what Natalie Sago does. She's a referee for the NBA, which is like the super-league of basketball. She wears a special number, 9, on her jersey. She's one of only a few women who get to be full-time referees in the NBA, which is a really big deal!

Before Natalie was blowing whistles, she was playing sports herself! She played softball for college teams, hitting and running just like you might do on a field. She even studied to become a physical education teacher, so she knows all about how to keep people active and healthy. It's like she went from being a player to being the ultimate game-watcher!

Did you know Natalie's dad was also a referee? He was a referee for high school basketball games for a super long time, 35 years! That's longer than you've been alive! He also referees football. So, Natalie grew up around sports and knowing how important it is to have someone make sure the games are fair. It's like a family tradition of making sure the fun continues!

Being an NBA referee is like having special superpowers. Natalie has to watch everything happening on the court at super-fast speed. She needs to see if someone fouls another player, if the ball goes out of bounds, or if a shot is good. She has to make quick decisions that affect the whole game, all while players are zooming around like race cars!