Sheridan Area Resident Bev Leichtnam Recognized For 40 Years Of Volleyball Refereeing

One Sheridan area resident was recently honored for her longevity in overseeing the action on the volleyball court.

Bev Leichtnam was recently honored for 40 years of officiating service, during the recent state tournament.

Over the course of her career, the game has changed from the old scoring system, where only the serving team could earn points, to the current rally scoring system that Wyoming High Schools adopted in 2003.

She says she has also seen how the players have changed how they play the game as well, which has forced many referees to sharpen their skills on how to officiate the game.

“The speed of the game has increased exponentially. It is so much faster now and the student athletes are so much stronger. They are so much more talented. It used to just be serve, bump, bump, serve, bump, bump and now the dynamics of the game is so profound, that you really have to be quick and adapt and know what you’re doing. You can’t just walk out onto that court, put a whistle on and signal.”

Leichtnam is a current member of the Sheridan City Council, and also refereed basketball for 20 years, and soccer for 25 years.