NATCHEZ — For Wilbert Whittley, just knowing that he did a good and fair job officiating a high school basketball game is enough for him — but a few honors and accolades along the way sure don’t hurt.

Whittley, who is also the director of operations for the Natchez Department of Recreation, was recently honored by the Mississippi High School Activities Association as the 2007-2008 basketball official of the year in the Southwest Region, which stretches about 110 miles from Adams County to Lawrence County, McComb and Hazlehurst.

“It’s given to the official in the area who shows exemplary leadership during the course of the season,” Whittley said. “It’s an honor to receive this award.”

This is the second time Whittley has been honored as the top official in the region, also taking home the award in 2002.

“The honors keep coming,” Whittley said.

Officials are nominated for the awards through both game reports that are submitted throughout the season and input from coaches within the region.

The final decision is made by MHSAA executive director Ennis Proctor.

“I appreciate the support I’m getting from my peers and the area coaches,” Whittley said. “This award is real special to me.”

Whittley said the joy he gets from officiating comes from educating others about the rules of the game he loves.

“You’d be amazed at the number of people who don’t know some of the rules of basketball,” Whittley said. “Just explaining the rules and making sure things go accordingly on the court is what I enjoy best.”

Whittley said it’s his goal to always make sure every game is officiated fairly.

“There’s a perception in basketball that the home teams are going to get most of the calls,” Whittley said. “I want to make sure that when I step on the floor, it’s an even playing field.”

And Natchez High girls basketball coach Sue Johnson said that’s exactly what she expects when Whittley officiates her games.

“He’s a good official,” Johnson said. “He’s tough but he’s fair. He’ll call it both ways.”

Whittley credits an old Natchez High aquaintence for getting him into officiating games.

“I want to give honor to the late Tom Williams,” Whittley said. “He’s the one who got me started. If it weren’t for him, I probably wouldn’t be blowing that whistle today.”

Whittley said officiating games is something he never tires of, even when he does an average of two girls and two boys games per week at a minimum.

“I never get tired of it,” he said. “I’m still pretty young so I expect to keep going for a while.”

Even though the award has already been announced, Whittley won’t receive it until the MHSAA state tournament in Jackson next March.

However, he hopes that isn’t the only reason he would be making the trip to Jackson.

“My goal is to not only be there accepting the award, but to be down there on the floor blowing that whistle,” he said.

And if that is the case, both teams can know that their game is being officiated by someone who won’t put up with much, but will always call a fair game.