Indiana High School Basketball Referee Jeff Tamarri Collapses and Dies During Girls’ Game

Jeff Tamarri spent decades on sidelines, baselines, and fields across Indiana, quietly shaping the experiences of young athletes through his steady presence as an official. On Friday night, that lifelong commitment ended in tragedy when the 63-year-old referee collapsed while working a varsity girls’ basketball game between Speedway and Monrovia. Tamarri, a veteran official known widely as “Jeff the Ref,” suffered a medical emergency near the baseline with 6 minutes and 39 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Despite immediate attention from team trainers and emergency responders, he was pronounced dead later that evening.

The sudden loss sent shockwaves through the gym and across Indiana’s officiating and youth sports communities. For players, coaches, and spectators in attendance, the moment transformed an ordinary high school basketball game into a deeply distressing experience. For those who knew Jeff Tamarri best, the news marked the loss of a colleague, mentor, and friend whose influence extended far beyond rulebooks and whistles. His death underscored both the physical demands placed on officials and the emotional weight carried by communities built around high school athletics.

Jeff Tamarri’s presence at games was rarely about authority alone. He was known for building rapport with athletes of all ages, engaging them in conversation, and treating each contest with care regardless of its level or visibility. That approach made his sudden passing all the more difficult for those who had come to see him as a constant, reassuring figure in competitive environments often defined by pressure and intensity.

A Sudden Collapse During a Routine Night

According to Monrovia athletic director Jon Regashus, Jeff Tamarri was positioned on the baseline when the incident occurred. Following an offensive rebound, he stepped back into position and appeared to lose his balance before collapsing. Those present quickly recognized the severity of the situation. Trainers rushed to his side, followed shortly by emergency medical personnel, who worked to revive him as the gym was cleared.

Regashus, who had officiated basketball games himself for 15 years and had worked alongside Jeff Tamarri at times, described the scene as devastating. While not a medical professional, he said the incident appeared consistent with cardiac arrest. Players from both teams were sent to their locker rooms, and the game was postponed. Monrovia also canceled its scheduled contest for the following morning against Tri-West, prioritizing the well-being of students and staff affected by the event.

The response from school personnel, trainers, and emergency workers was widely praised by those in attendance. Protocols were followed carefully, and efforts to provide aid were immediate and thorough. Even so, the outcome left a lasting impact on everyone involved, from the athletes on the court to cheerleaders, coaches, and spectators who witnessed the emergency unfold.

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Close friend and fellow official Terry Taylor said Jeff Tamarri would have been deeply concerned about the emotional burden placed on the players who witnessed his collapse. Taylor, who shared both a professional and personal bond with Tamarri, noted that his friend always prioritized the well-being of young athletes. He believed Tamarri would have wanted the focus to return, eventually, to the game itself and the joy it was meant to bring, rather than the trauma of that night.

A Career Defined by Calm, Connection, and Consistency

Jeff Tamarri’s officiating career spanned multiple sports, including basketball, football, and baseball, at both youth and high school levels. A 1980 graduate of Perry Meridian High School, he became a fixture in Indiana athletics through his willingness to work countless games and his ability to adapt his style to the needs of each environment. Colleagues frequently described him as an official who balanced authority with empathy, maintaining control without escalating conflict.

Taylor, who often worked games alongside Jeff Tamarri and lived with him for many years, said his friend had a natural ability to read people. While Taylor was more likely to issue technical fouls when tensions rose, Tamarri preferred defusing situations through conversation and understanding. His guiding principle, Taylor said, was simple: the kids came first. That mindset shaped how he approached everything from third-grade youth games to high-profile varsity contests.

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Michael Pawlik, who entered officiating about 12 years ago under Tamarri’s guidance, credited him with setting a standard for professionalism across sports. Pawlik described Jeff Tamarri as top-notch in every discipline he worked, noting that his competence never came at the expense of warmth. Young athletes gravitated toward him, comfortable approaching him on the field or court, where a high five or encouraging word was never far away.

In baseball, Jeff Tamarri earned particular respect. Kevin Brown, who met him through the Indianapolis Umpire Association in the mid-1990s, said Tamarri was an exceptional umpire who worked numerous college games and deserved opportunities at the highest levels of the sport. Brown recalled learning extensively from Tamarri, not only about mechanics and positioning, but about managing personalities and maintaining composure during contentious moments.

One such moment came during a North Central–Decatur Central baseball game more than two decades ago, when a series of close calls led to an angry confrontation with longtime coach Phil Webster. As tensions escalated, Jeff Tamarri stepped in to physically guide the coach away from the field, diffusing the situation and protecting his fellow umpire. Brown said Tamarri always had his partners’ backs, reinforcing trust within officiating crews.

While respected for his professionalism, Jeff Tamarri was also remembered for his humor and humanity. Friends joked about his occasional struggles with punctuality, a trait that became part of his legend rather than a point of frustration. Those quirks, combined with his deep commitment to officiating, made him a familiar and welcome presence wherever he worked.

An Enduring Impact on Youth and High School Sports

Beyond individual games, Tamarri’s influence was deeply felt in youth sports programs across Indiana. He was especially well known in the Zionsville youth football league, where children referred to him simply as “Jeff the Ref.” There, his role extended beyond enforcing rules. He treated each game as an opportunity to teach, encourage, and model sportsmanship, regardless of the players’ ages.

Lance Scheib, a longtime football coach, broadcaster, and organizer of Gridiron Games for youth players in grades three through six, described Tamarri as someone who participated for all the right reasons. When Scheib launched the league, he immediately knew Tamarri would be an ideal fit. His passion for working with elementary and middle school athletes mirrored the enthusiasm he brought to Friday night high school games, creating consistency in how young players experienced competition.

Scheib emphasized that Tamarri never distinguished between high-profile contests and small youth games in terms of effort or respect. Every assignment mattered. Every athlete deserved attention. That approach, Scheib said, made a lasting impression on children who were still learning not only the rules of sports, but how adults in positions of authority could treat them with dignity.

Roger Fiesel, another longtime friend, was scheduled to work an entire weekend of youth basketball games alongside Tamarri at the time of his death. The two had planned to officiate eight games in Danville on Saturday and six more in Plainfield on Sunday, continuing a routine they had shared for years. Fiesel said returning to the gym without Tamarri would be difficult, but he believed his friend would have wanted the games to go on for the sake of the kids.

Across Indiana, members of the officiating community spent Friday night learning of Tamarri’s death while working their own assignments. Phones buzzed with messages as the news spread, leaving many to process grief between quarters or innings. For a profession that often operates in the background, the loss highlighted the tight-knit nature of officials who rely on one another for support and camaraderie.

Plans to honor Jeff Tamarri’s contributions are expected in the coming months, particularly within youth leagues and high school officiating circles. While specific tributes have yet to be announced, those who knew him agree that his legacy is already firmly established in the countless athletes he influenced and the colleagues he mentored.

Jeff Tamarri’s death during a game he loved brought an abrupt and painful end to a career defined by service and connection. Yet his impact endures in the values he modeled: fairness, patience, and an unwavering focus on young people. For Indiana’s sports community, his absence will be felt not only in empty spaces on the court, but in the memories of those who learned from him what it truly meant to be an official.