On a weeknight in Orangeburg, South Carolina, a referee jogs up and down the basketball court, officiating the matchup between two city league teams. At his heels is an unexpected shadow — an eight year old boy, Xachary Goldsmith, eager to soak up all he can about the rules of the game. Ten years later, that same boy would find himself on a plane to Madison, Wisconsin, preparing to officiate at the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Men’s Basketball Tournament. It is one of the incredible memories Goldsmith has made during his time at Clemson, and he’s only just getting started.
Approaching the halfway point of his sophomore year at Clemson, Goldsmith is studying performing arts with an emphasis in audio technology. He visited Clemson for the first time in 2022 to celebrate his mother, who was graduating from the University with an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree, and immediately fell in love. When he arrived the following August, he was quick to get involved, seeking out a job that played to his strengths and aligned with his lifelong passion: refereeing basketball.
Though he has never played competitively, Goldsmith comes from a basketball family; both of his parents, as well as both brothers, all have experience with the game, and this familiarity led him to approach the sport from a different end. After many years of informally tagging along with referees at recreational basketball games, Goldsmith became a certified official at the age of only 16. His junior year schedule was certainly unlike any of his classmates’ after-school routines. “Class ended at 3 p.m., and I’d have a game an hour away that started at 5:30 p.m.,” he says, “so I’d have my stuff in my car, and I’d leave right after class.”
At first, it was difficult for Goldsmith to be an authoritative figure on the court, as he typically found himself overseeing varsity and junior varsity games, where the coaches, parents, and even players were often older than him. Laughing, he recalls a particular anecdote that emphasizes his youth.
“The one thing my parents always taught me in our household was, ‘Don’t ever talk back to an adult,’ so when I was refereeing games, I had to ask my parents for permission — like, ‘Hey, can I give a coach a technical foul?’ and they were like ‘Yeah, you’re just doing your job.’”
Goldsmith arrived at Clemson in August 2023 with plenty of experience on the court, so he immediately began work for the Campus Recreation department as a sport programs assistant, officiating basketball and several other intramural sports. Soon enough, his fine-tuned skills caught the attention of professional staff. Ashley Schmidt, assistant director of sport programs, offered him the opportunity to officiate at the NIRSA tournament in Durham, North Carolina, which he graciously accepted, and it was well worth it. Only a freshman, Goldsmith called the women’s championship game between the University of South Carolina and Wisconsin, and his excellent work in this role secured an All-Tournament Official award. This commendation led to an invitation to attend the NIRSA National Basketball Championship in Wisconsin, where he met NCAA and NBA officials and called the men’s semifinal game between Air Force and NC State. Both experiences were extremely valuable to Goldsmith, and he hopes to revisit them this year.
In his current Campus Rec sport programs management position, Goldsmith has a variety of responsibilities — maintaining the many fields and courts, evaluating active officials, and training new and current referees. His primary goal is to “bridge the gap” between officials and players by encouraging effective communication and ensuring each referee’s thorough knowledge of the rulebook. With this method, he aims to mitigate conflicts, such as unsportsmanlike conduct, and create an environment that is both competitive and amicable for all involved.
Goldsmith’s association with Clemson athletics doesn’t end with his Campus Rec position; he also works directly with Clemson Video and Pawvision as a replay lead. This role is very hands-on — he monitors the live broadcast feed of Clemson sporting events and is responsible for marking particularly notable ones for replay, such as a penalty kick in a Clemson soccer game. He has the power to speed up or slow down each clip, and he is occasionally tasked with creating a mashup of related clips for a final compilation.
While most of this work is done in Jervey Athletic Center, Goldsmith has been given unique opportunities to be involved in more direct ways. He is able to communicate with officials courtside before Clemson basketball games and also serves as a camera operator and replay operator for Pawvision during home football games. He joined the football team in running down the Hill at the beginning of their home game against the University of North Carolina last year, and he deems this the most rewarding part of his involvement with Clemson athletics.
“That experience of 80,000 people doing the C-L-E-M-S-O-N chant is by far my favorite experience,” he says. “It is mind-blowing.”
Amid all of his professional and athletic connections, Goldsmith also fosters a close connection with the students of Douthit West, where he serves as a residential community mentor (RCM). He oversees two floors — a total of 42 residents, all of whom are continuing students. Much like his early days as a basketball official, some of these students even exceed Goldsmith in age. However, this does not prevent them from seeking his advice.
“A few weeks ago, one of the seniors that lives on my floor got a job offer in New York, and they came to me and asked if they should take it or not — I love the part where I can talk to the residents on a personal level,” he says fondly.
Goldsmith’s overarching advice is simple: “Just be in the room,” he says. “You don’t necessarily have to talk all the time — just be in the room and listen. When you listen and become a sponge, over time you start to grow.” Take it from Goldsmith, who has grown immensely during his time at Clemson and shows no signs of slowing anytime soon.