Women in History Feature: NAIA Student-Athlete to Breaking Championship Officiating Barriers
On a crisp, winter afternoon in Durham, North Carolina Carmen Doramus-Kinley stepped across the white lines of a football field just like she had hundreds of times before. Except this time it was different. Very different.
Although the crew she was working with – out of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference – featured friendly faces, it was the stakes that were important.
“This was the biggest game I had ever officiated. My whole focus was on being the best team member I could be and to officiate in a way that was honoring of the coaches and student-athletes who worked so hard to be in the game.”
That game was the 67th Annual NAIA Football National Championship between Keiser University (Fla.) and Northwestern College (Iowa) and she was the first female on-field official for a national championship game at any level of collegiate football.
Growing up in Clearwater, Kansas sports were a part of life. For Carmen Doramus-Kinley, she excelled at volleyball, basketball, and track & field which ultimately led her to pursuing it at the next level. Enrolling at Southwestern College – a NAIA institution in Winfield, Kansas – Carmen competed in volleyball and basketball.
But she knew she couldn’t play forever.
Officiating entered her world first from her neighbor. After mulling it over, she decided to take the plunge into being a referee for high school volleyball. Later, she added basketball into her rolodex of skills.
“When I was playing in high school and college, I didn’t think anything of it when we had female officials,” Doramus-Kinley mentioned. “But as I progress, people mentioned that it was a big deal to simultaneously do men’s and women’s basketball games.”
Focused on being the highest quality official she could be, it was not top of mind how impactful it was. As female student-athletes began to engage her during volleyball and basketball games, Carmen began to realize there was in fact a difference she was making.
It wasn’t until her husband asked her “Why not football?” that she began to contemplate stepping outside of the volleyball and basketball world. The two had met while both attending college and then reconnected at a basketball officiating camp. Once again, she stepped outside of her comfort zone and dove head first into a new challenge.
She then began her march to the top of the profession. It started as a back judge in high school, then to the position of line-judge where she stands at the line of scrimmage. During play Carmen's primary areas of on-field responsibilities include pre-snap penalties, offensive formations, motion and shifting, and spotting where the ball carrier is down in-bounds or goes out-of-bounds.
In the Fall of 2021, she made her next big career jump as she began officiating college football games at both the Junior College and NAIA levels. Carmen has quickly gained the respect from coaches, players, and fellow officials for her knowledge and understanding of the game, as well as the way she works hard to get every play right to the best of her ability. Her supervisors and fellow crewmates have commented that Carmen is one of the hardest working officials, regardless of gender, who is continuously willing to expand her knowledge of the rules, and the game – especially when a mistake is made or a learning opportunity presents itself.
“Being a female referee helps bring an additional set of skills to the crew as we all have different emphasis’, especially during pregame warmups,” she said.
In fact, she has begun to be the recruiter of future officials, just like her neighbor did many years before.
“When I am active on the court before, during, and after games, I like to drop hints to current female-student athletes that there is a way to stay active in the sports world, even when you are no longer play.
Looking back on the momentous day in December, in some ways she still can’t believe it was her to break through the proverbial glass ceiling. But it didn’t come without hard work, blood, sweat and tears. It didn’t come without those that believed in her, supported her along the way and pushed her to not give up especially my family and mentors. It didn't come without the ladies in front of me leading the way. Her hope is that she can be a positive role model and help others believe they can achieve anything or be anything they want to be.
“When I first got the call to be on the championship crew, I did not even realize I would be the first female official to referee a title game at any level. My focus was on how happy I was for our KCAC crew to get the assignment and what a phenomenal privilege it was.”
Her name - Carmen Doramus-Kinley - will forever be listed first in the record books.
She never saw it as a historic moment for herself. And that is fitting for her humble, hardworking nature. But, just as her officiating has spoken of her merit to this point, Carmen is happy to have the focus be on the job of officiating and being the best she can be on the court and field.
“Even to this day, all I can think of is ‘WOW’! It was such a surreal moment. Everyone told me to make sure at a moment where I could to look around and take it all in. It was an experience of a lifetime and one of my greatest sports moments. And to have my husband and son there with me meant the world. I hope I am just the first of many to get the opportunity and chance to work at the highest level. I may be the first, but I won’t be the last.”