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“My dad (Hall of Famer Bill Melton) played a major role, obviously (with Ken getting into officiating), since he was already involved in officiating,� said Ken Melton, who played football and baseball for the Blue Devils. “It was just a group of people that I ran around with who were all athletic, or semi-athletic, who got involved in the officiating end of it rather than the coaching end of it. Generally speaking, that’s what got me started.�

He was planning to officiate for extra money while he was in college, which started with a year at Cumberland Junior College before transferring to Middle Tennessee State where he graduated in 1981.

“Never in my youthful life did I ever think I would go more than four years,� he said. “But I have to admit it bought many cold drinks and put a couple of pizzas on the table while I was doing it. It has some benefits, obviously. You don’t make a ton of money, but you enjoy and love the sport like I do, it does pay just a little bit.�

Instead, he spent 25 years on the field, working four state football championship and three basketball title games. He transitioned into an assigner and supervisor for the North Central Officials Association over two decades ago. His association services 42 high schools for Friday night football, not counting junior pro, freshman, junior varsity or middle school teams most of the other days of the week. He supervises around 125 officials for football and 100 for basketball, which has 36 high schools.

“I need to get to Lebanon more often than I get to,� said Melton, who lives in McMinnville with his wife, Michelle, who also officiates basketball. “I’ve still got a lot of friends that either coach, teach or did and younger friends who are still in school and they’re going there.

“I need to get out a little bit more often. But I’m usually out four or five nights a week. And some nights it’s tough to get out.�

In that quarter century on the field and court, and even now working from home coordinating the operation, he’s seen and heard it all.

“I’ve seen some crazy plays,� Melton said. “I’ve heard some crazy language, not only from the kids but from the adults, (they’re) called coaches. There’s not many things I haven’t seen.�

He also looks at video at the request of coaches and officials who have questions about a particular play or call. He’ll call a coach to ask for game film.

“Most of the time, they try to work with me because they realize I’m trying to make officiating better,� Melton said of coaches. “You have to put in a lot of work, a lot of hours, especially with the game film stuff. But if we do it the right way, and I think we are, I think we get rewarded at the end of the year when postseason assignments go out. That’s what we’re striving for during the regular season.�

While still working on the field, he led an all-Lebanon High alumni crew that called the Blue Devils’ final football game at Nokes-Lasater Field in 2011 and the first game at the new Clifton Tribble Field/Danny Watkins Stadium the following season.

“We had several people in the Lebanon area officiating in they wanted to do that game, both those games,� he said. “It worked out good.

“We’ve had some really good officials come out of the Lebanon area… We’ve had a lot of officials come out of the Lebanon area that were capable of working “the big game�. I was fortunate that I was surrounded by those guys when I first got started. They taught me some very good lessons and taught me how to do things the right way.�

Melton has won the A.F. Bridges Sportsmanship Award and the TSSAA Distinguished Service Award as well as recognition from the National Federation of State High School Associations.

In a TSSAA release, colleagues praised him for his “class, character and integrity�. The release noted his fairness, approachability and consistency.

The annual Hall of Fame luncheon will be held April 13 at the Student Union Building on the Middle Tennessee State campus in Murfreesboro.

Though he’s all but hung up his whistle, Melton has no immediate plans to take his hands off the pulses of those who whistle while they work.

“I want to keep it up as long as my body lets me,� he said. “But it’s also a mental aspect to it. You can get tired mentally just as much as you can physically. If the Good Lord keeps my health good, I’d like to keep going a little bit longer, maybe two or three years longer.

“But on the same token, I understand the Good Lord may pull that string out my back and say, ‘No, you probably need to call it a career’. We’re just going to play it by ear and see what happens.

“It’s been a fun time, I’ll have to admit that. I think I’ve done well and taught kids to respect their elders, the officials and if I’ve done that correctly, then I’m in good shape.�