Meet Gene Steratore: Five Questions with Youth Inc.'s Officiating Ambassador

Gene Steratore is one of the most respected voices in sports, best known as a longtime NFL and NCAA basketball official and current CBS rules analyst. With decades of experience at the highest levels of competition, Gene brings unmatched insight into how rules, preparation, and leadership shape the game. He’s passionate about teaching the next generation to respect sport while keeping it fun.

We asked him five questions about his youth sports journey, life advice, and more.

1. What is your favorite youth sports memory?

If I think back, one of my best memories is from youth baseball. I was a pitcher, and I can still see my mom sitting under a pine tree when I was on the mound. At 10-years old, I was a big kid with a strong arm, and parents would sometimes worry about their children batting against me. My mom would even bring my birth certificate to every game to prove I wasn’t too old. I had a lot of reservation as a kid because I wanted to throw as hard as I could, but I didn’t want to hurt anyone. Seeing my mom there gave me a sense of comfort and calm—a memory that has stayed with me all these years.

2. Who has been the most influential person or coach in your life?

It is hard to choose just one person. My father was a huge influence. He was a role model and also officiated, which I think is why my siblings and I were drawn to it. My older brother Tony has been a mentor, business partner, and officiating partner. We even became the only two brothers to referee on the same NFL crew during a regular season. Having him by my side in those early years gave me guidance and reassurance that I could not have gotten anywhere else. I was really lucky to be a young referee and have him there as a security blanket. Even now, I look at him as a shining example of how to live a balanced life.

3. What is one lesson you’ve learned through your sport that has shaped your life?

If I had to choose one lesson, it would be empathy. Not sympathy, but real empathy. I learned to understand the pressures that coaches and players face and to put myself in their shoes. Before a game, I would think about everything they were going through: the early mornings, the long practices, the personal sacrifices, the mental preparation. By imagining their journey, I could approach the game not as an enforcer of rules but as someone who understood the human side of the competition.

Empathy changed how I handled tense situations on the field. When a coach was animated or frustrated, the instinct might be to react immediately. But I learned to pause, let them speak first, and listen. Just hearing someone out, understanding their perspective, often calmed the situation before I even had to respond. It was a lesson in patience and awareness that carried over into my personal life. Being a father and a husband taught me that the same approach works at home: listen first, try to understand, and respond thoughtfully.

I believe empathy is something we are missing in society today. If more people could pause, imagine the experiences of others, and approach life with that perspective, we might see less conflict and more cooperation. It is a skill I continue to practice every day, and one I hope my children and others can carry forward.

4. What advice would you give to your 10-year-old self?

I would tell my younger self to embrace the journey and not just the games. The hard work on the days no one is watching, the preparation, the sacrifices, and the small victories along the way, are just as important as the games themselves. I have realized that what I loved was not only the competition but also the lifestyle of being an athlete. Balancing training, school, relationships, and responsibilities taught me discipline, multitasking, and resilience. If I could have understood that earlier, I would have appreciated those quiet, tough days even more.

5. What is a belief or motto that you live by?

My guiding principle is a simple one: the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. It captures the essence of empathy and respect, and I try to bring it into every interaction, whether I am officiating, working, or spending time with my family.

Sports have given me so much more than a career. They have taught me lessons that last a lifetime about people, resilience, responsibility, and perspective. The games are just the beginning. The lessons we take from them shape who we are and how we live our lives.

More from Gene Steratore:

Check out this conversation with Gene Steratore and Ref Rob about the importance of a common goal in sports and how participants must agree on the sanctity of the game to ensure a positive experience for players, coaches, and officials.

Watch Gene as a rules analyst on CBS during the NFL season. Check out his CBS Sports bio here.

For more from Gene, follow him on X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.