E&P Manager is also an SEC Ref
For Ronald Tubbs, manager, Estimating and Pricing, the same disciplines that help him in his Ingalls career also help him officiate as an SEC referee during the college football season.
To perform both duties, he stays physically and mentally fit and brushes up on the knowledge he needs to make quick decisions.
“As an Ingalls estimating manager, my duty is to think about the compliance … the process … and the guidelines of the proposal. Then I have to ensure that proposal goes out accurately and completely based on those three elements,” Tubbs said. “As an SEC referee, I have to bring in different scenarios of the rule books. What does the rule book state? … How do you make the best call of the penalty based on all these factors?”
Tubbs gained his relationship with the SEC through his volunteer efforts. He began officiating children’s softball, peewee and flag football games in the community when his children were playing. Soon he took on refereeing at high school games where his talent on the field was noticed.
“The first high school schedule I had was Gulfport and Picayune on the field as a back judge,” Tubbs recalls. “They saw something in me that I hadn’t seen in myself. They said they felt confident that I could call the games, that I knew the rules and that I showed professionalism.”
Tubbs was first recruited to officiate college games by Conference USA Football. Then four years ago, he was contracted as a referee for the Southeastern Conference or SEC.
“It’s just amazing to see the athleticism of these players,” Tubbs said. “You’re talking about the speed of potential professional athletes who are going to the NFL … and they are so fast and super smart. Some of the centers have a 4.0 GPA. They are very intelligent, they know the rules and they ask you some hard questions.”
Tubbs encourages physical fitness at Ingalls and has volunteered as a wellness coach at the FitCenter. He also served on the board of the employee resource group, Ingalls Shipbuilders Health is a Priority (ISHIP).
Tubbs’ love of sports dates back to his days running track and playing basketball and football at St. Martin High School. He says basketball was his first love, as his twin brother Donald was more gifted at football.
To keep on top of his game, Tubbs stays in the rule book during the off season and practices to be mentally and physically fit. He runs before studying to simulate making calls during a game. He also reviews game videos to quickly verify formations and review his own on-field movement and performance.
The first game he officiated for the SEC was Ole Miss vs. Tulane at the Superdome. With 60,000 fans screaming, stage fright set in until Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt told him to “loosen up.”
Now Tubbs is a skilled professional at games or in the office. He says he is grateful to Ingalls coworkers and management for encouraging and mentoring him and allowing him to enjoy a pastime he treasures.