Great job, Barry
If you attend a high school basketball game in South Jersey and Barry Schultz is one of the officials, you know it must be an important game.

Schultz is that good, and he has been for more than 30 years. But his story is much more than being a good referee. The Haddon Heights resident has battled Lou Gehrig's disease since being diagnosed nearly 3 years ago.

Schultz officiated Tuesday night's Shawnee-Timber Creek game, and performed again to his superior level. He mentioned that he worked a couple of college games the week before and is pretty much keeping his normal workload, which last year was about 70 games.

"I'm feeling good," he said before the game, with his usual endearing smile. "The legs are still working. I feel it a little bit in both of my arms, but as long as my legs hold up, here I am."

It's often easy to say or write nice things about a person whose battles go far beyond what's on the surface. It's even easier when the conversation is about Schultz. He has faced his disease with all the energy of any high school or college athlete who he's watched play basketball through the years. And he's done it all with a what-are-you-gonna-do style. He is a true inspiration to all. And still a great referee.

More importantly, Schultz is deeply involved in fundraising to help with research into the disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He knows that the work he is doing now to find a cure might never bear fruit in his lifetime, but he pushes on to help future patients of this ferocious disease.

But don't feel sorry for Schultz, especially if you're a coach. He'd probably bang you with a technical if you did.



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