Ted Valentine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ted Valentine
Born	Theodore Valentine 1958/1959 (age 66–67)
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Glenville State College
Occupation	Basketball referee
Years active	1981–present
Children	1 daughter
Awards	Naismith College Official of the Year

Theodore Valentine (born around 1959) is an American college basketball referee. He has been a referee for over 40 years. During his career, he has worked four NCAA championships and 10 Final Fours. He has also been part of 28 NCAA tournaments. In 2005, he received the Naismith Award for College Official of the Year.

Early Life and School

Valentine grew up near Moundsville, West Virginia. His mother worked at a factory that made Big Wheel tricycles. She often had to put cardboard in her shoes to save money. Ted didn't meet his father until he was in junior high school. Around that same time, he saw a friend die in an accident. After this, he developed a stutter and worked with speech therapists.

He went to John Marshall High School. There, he played baseball for three years. After high school, he attended Glenville State College. He studied physical education and played first base on the college baseball team. He graduated in 1980. Even though he didn't play basketball, he was a manager for the college's basketball team. In 2006, he was added to his college's sports hall of fame for his baseball achievements.

After college, Valentine returned to John Marshall High School. He became a physical education and driver's education teacher. He also coached sports. In 1985, he was an assistant coach for the John Marshall High School baseball team. That team won the West Virginia Class AAA State Championship.

First Coaching Experience

Even though Ted Valentine never played organized basketball, he did coach for a short time. While in college, he was a student teacher at Weston Junior High. He was an assistant coach for the school's junior high girls' team. One day, the head coach was away, so Valentine became the substitute head coach for a game. He received three technical fouls before halftime and was sent out of the game. The school principal told him he had coached his last game.

In 2003, after having knee surgery, Valentine moved to Charleston, South Carolina. Besides being a referee, he also works part-time for the North Charleston Recreation Department.

Basketball Referee Career

While in college, Ted Valentine worked as a janitor in a gym. He watched basketball referees and decided he wanted to become one. He talked to some referees to learn how to start. He took a class and began refereeing kids' games. Later, he moved on to junior high and high school games.

In 1981, he went to a refereeing camp in Bristol, Connecticut. An NBA Hall of Famer named Dallas Shirley ran the camp. Valentine played a prank by pouring ice water from a window onto people sunbathing. Shirley sent him home from the camp for this. However, a few months later, Shirley offered him a job as a referee.

Working Big Games

Valentine worked his first NCAA Division I men's basketball game in 1981. It was at the former Baptist College, now Charleston Southern University. He was paid $150 for the game. In 1986, he was hired by Bob Wortman, who was in charge of officials for the Big Ten Conference. Wortman offered Valentine a job to referee 30 games. Valentine quit teaching and became a full-time college referee in 1988. Before his first NCAA Championship game, he almost didn't get in because he lost his official pass.

Valentine refereed his first NCAA Final Four in 1991. He worked 26 NCAA tournaments in a row until 2015. That year, he took time off to be with his brother, who was very sick.

Valentine was supposed to work the 2021 NCAA tournament in Indianapolis. But he was sent home because of COVID-19 rules. He either tested positive or was close to another referee who tested positive.

People sometimes call Valentine "TV Teddy." This nickname comes from his refereeing style, which some describe as very dramatic.

Challenges and Incidents

On February 24, 1998, Valentine was a referee for a game between Indiana and Illinois. He called three technical fouls on coach Bob Knight. One of these fouls was controversial. Knight walked onto the court to help an injured player, which was allowed by the rules. Valentine refused to take back the foul. Knight was very upset, which led to another technical foul. Knight later called Valentine's refereeing "the greatest travesty" he had seen. Valentine was later told he made a mistake and had some restrictions on his games for the next season.

On March 1, 2014, during a game with the Cincinnati Bearcats, coach Mick Cronin disagreed with a call. Valentine got very close to Cronin, and they had to be separated. Valentine later said he was sorry.

On January 3, 2018, Valentine was involved in an incident during an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) game. A player named Joel Berry II tried to talk to him about a call. Valentine turned his back on Berry instead of talking. After this, Valentine was removed from two Big Ten Conference games. He even thought about retiring for a while. Valentine later apologized to Berry at their next game together. Berry's coach, Roy Williams, was not critical of Valentine. The ACC said they handled the situation, and it was not a big issue. However, in March of that year, Valentine was told he would not work the 2018 NCAA tournament. Valentine believed this was because of the January incident.

Personal Life

Ted Valentine has one daughter named Joneesha. He also has a granddaughter.