RAPID CITY - Officiating sports typically attracts people who enjoy being around sports, like meeting new people and that enjoy the nuances of sport in terms of knowing and appreciating their rules and their proper application.

And, perhaps, people who like to travel a little bit on weekends, too.

Charles Montague, a 62-year-old retired newspaperman from Stow, Ohio, is one of those people, particularly the traveling a little bit on the weekend part. Four years ago, Montague completed a very unique officiating odyssey, an achievement that certainly cannot be surpassed - not until a new state is admitted to the Union anyway. Montague has refereed a soccer game in every state of the union.

That's right, all 50 of them.

Montague is in Rapid City this weekend, officiating the Rushmore Cup tournament.

"I really didn't get into soccer until the middle 1970s," said Montague, who retired last October after nearly 40 years as a copy editor for the Akron Beacon Journal. "My sons began to play the game when they were young and my oldest son played through high school and into college. When they were done I was away from the game for awhile. I found myself missing the sport so in about 1990 I got back into it by beginning to referee. I took a course, started doing games and found that I enjoyed the officiating immensely."

Not unsurprisingly, for a copy editor, Montague brought his propensity for accuracy and precision into his officiating as well. He did so well, in fact, he soon became a referee instructor, then a referee assessor and finally rose to the position of an Ohio district referee administrator for the U.S. Soccer Federation, a position he still holds.

The traveling began in the mid-1990's.

"I went to ref a tournament in Lexington, Ky., on the suggestion of a friend there, and I found that I really liked the traveling out of state since it offered a nice change of pace," Montague said. "So I started going to tournaments in surrounding states and from that it sort of evolved into a mission to see if I could work all 50 states. I was divorced, had the time, and had a couple of bosses who were great to work with. One thing led to another and in September 2005 in Sandpoint, Idaho, I refereed in my 50th state."

The trip to Rapid City came about as many of his officiating opportunities do. While working a tournament in Billings Mont., he met Mike Duncan, of Rapid City, who suggested that Montague work a tournament in Rapid City some time. Four years later, retired and with more time on his hands, Montague contacted Duncan and arranged his first trip to Rapid City though he had worked a South Dakota tournament in Sioux Falls a few years back.

"I arrived on Wednesday and since then have driven the Custer Wildlife Loop, the Needles Highway, saw the Badlands and been to Mount Rushmore," said Montague who hopes to continue his soccer journey across America as long as his health will allow. "If you love soccer, as I do, it's a great way to see the country, meet new friends and all the while getting to play on soccer fields with kids. It has been a wonderful experience for me."