Meet The Maker: Kyle Armstrong

• To address a lack of officials that emerged during the pandemic, RefReps launched a pilot program in 2022 with the Indiana High School Athletic Association, seven schools and 79 students.

Zoom in: The goal was to make something that was easy to use, interactive and classroom ready to remotely teach officiating standards supported by professional and collegiate leagues.

• The RefReps Officiating Education System has since expanded across 1,000 schools and organizations, preparing officials across 15 sports.

The latest: Armstrong was among those honored during the 2026 TechPoint Mira Awards.

• He was presented with the Rising Entrepreneur of the Year Award for "delivering a best-in-class entrepreneurial performance marked by clear vision, meaningful traction, and exceptional execution," according to a statement from TechPoint.
• Judges highlighted Armstrong's ability to identify a critical market need and build an innovative solution.

What he's saying: Armstrong — who described entrepreneurship as both exhilarating and devastating — said the two things needed to make something great are an unwillingness to quit and a "team that dreams with you."

• "You are changing the world through sports officiating," he told the RefReps squad after receiving the award. "Who would have ever dreamed of that?"

Check him out: On the RefReps website.