Impossible Catch

Book excerpt: In 2012, contract negotiations between the National Football League and the NFL Referees Association broke down. The NFL locked officials out and announced it was hiring replacement refs. So started one of the most controversial events in sports history. Referees hired from high schools and lower college divisions were thrust into the high-pressure world of professional football. Officiating mistakes were inevitable, and the media savored each fumbled decision, unwarranted penalty, and overturned play. Esteban Lee Garza-who had previously only officiated at high school games-was one of the replacement referees. For Garza, the negative media attention didn't matter, nor did the fact that the fans and players considered the replacement refs laughingstocks. For a few short months in 2012, he got to do what he'd previously only dreamed of-officiating for the National Football League. An inspirational memoir about pursuing your passion and reaching your dreams, Impossible Catch is more than the story of the 2012 replacement refs-it's a tale of perseverance and triumph in the face of controversy, doubt, and other people's opinions, and Garza will never forget it. Sometimes you achieve your destiny when you least expect it!