Natalie Sago and Jenna Schroeder made history last Monday night, teaming with crew chief Sean Wright to officiate the Charlotte-at-Orlando NBA game. It was the first time in league history that two women worked in the same contest.
“It was an amazing night; one I know that I’ll never forget,” said Sago, 31, who was born in St. Louis and graduated from Farmington High. “It was obviously an honor for me and to get to do it with Jenna, who’s a good friend, made it that much more special. That day, leading up to the game, we were texting — with COVID, we stay pretty isolated when we’re on the road — and getting pumped up. Then, about 11 that morning, social media picked up and the excitement continued to build as the day went on.
“So many people wrote about us — even Billie Jean King — it was amazing.”
The excitement grew throughout the day. Everyone, it seemed, had well wishes for Sago and Schroeder as they prepared for the game.
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“The players, people at the scorer’s table, ushers, locker room attendants, security guards, the support was incredible,” Sago said. “Before the game, I specifically talked with (Charlotte coach) James Borrego, who told me that his young daughter was at home watching us. To know that we were inspiring young girls and women that way, it really made everything that much more special.”
Reluctant introduction
Sago is the daughter of Dr. Shelton and Jane Sago. Her father, who was part of the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ first graduating class in optometry, worked as an official in basketball and football. He retired after 35 years of officiating basketball and worked his final prep football game in December 2019, at the Missouri State High School Athletic Association championships in Jefferson City.
Her older brother, Stuart, played football at Lindenwood University.
“He was two years older and I grew up around him and his friends,” Sago recalled. “My mom likes to tell the story about us playing three-on-three in the backyard and having to explain to me as a 6-year-old that I couldn’t be a ‘skin.’”
A standout at Farmington High, Sago excelled in basketball and softball. She was part of a Black Knights squad that finished as state runner up in basketball during her senior season, 2007. She went on to play softball in college, first at Jefferson College and then on to Drury University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in K-12 physical education from UMSL in 2013.
“Growing up, I was a gym rat; I’d go to games my dad officiated and then try to find another game in town to watch,” she said. “My dad never pressured us, but he and his referee buddies talked to me about officiating and at first, I had no desire.
“Eventually, I gave it a try, working some local AAU games. At first, I didn’t enjoy it. But after a couple of weeks, something just clicked.
On the rise
One thing led to another.
“Just out of college, I enjoyed making a little extra money,” said Sago, who worked in special education one year at Farmington Middle School and then moved to North Country High in Bonne Terre to teach physical education. “Over time, I just kept moving up. I was working high school games when somebody asked me about college basketball. And I asked how I could do that. I just kept moving from one level to the next.”
From working JUCO, Division II and NAIA games in St. Louis, Sago eventually moved on to spend three seasons officiating in the Atlantic 10, Missouri Valley, Summit and Metro Atlantic Athletic conferences.
In 2015, Sago’s career got a boost when she was chosen to officiate the girls McDonald’s All-America Game at United Center in Chicago.
“I earned a tryout with the D League, now called the G League, and things have continued to move forward from there,” she said of the NBA developmental circuit.
Sago worked four seasons in the G League and three after that in the WNBA. This is her third season in the NBA, which currently employs five women full time — Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Ashley Moyer-Gleich, Simone Jelks, Schroeder and Sago — as well as two part-timers, Danielle Scott and Dannica Mosher.
Because of COVID, Sago’s parents were unable to attend the game Monday.
“They’ve been to a few games over the last couple of years and we’ll get them out again as soon as it’s safe again,” she said.
