2021 IATO Hall of Fame
Having connections and networking has proven to be a successful way to get somewhere in life.
Having connections, networking and being darn good at what you do, will not only get you somewhere, that somewhere, just might be at a very elite level.
At the urging of his high school track coach, Fred Smith, John Wolff, a 1973 graduate of Ankeny High School started working at meets at his alma mater after graduating from college.
While doing some work at the I-G-H-S-A-U offices, in 1984, John met Nolan Laird and other Girls Athletic Union employees who encouraged him to get involved with officiating at the Drake Relays, America’s Athletic Classic.
When Drake hosted NCAA Division 1 and USATF National Championship meets he worked with national level Clerks. Those experiences gave him exposure to the work and to the people who encouraged him to apply to officiate/clerk National Championship meets.
Clerking is John’s specialty and his list of meets worked is quite impressive.
- 37 Drake Relays
- 10 USATF National Championships including this year’s Olympic Trials.
- NCAA Indoor and Outdoor National Championships
- NCAA Division 1 Indoor and Outdoor championships
- 5 Kansas Relays
- Iowa State University Indoor meets
- Iowa and Regional Junior Olympics
- Iowa Senior Games and the Iowa High School State Championships
For his dedication and expertise, John is a past recipient of the IATO 25 years of Service Award, has been selected for the Drake Relays Officials Wall of Honor and in 2018 received USATF National Track and Field Officials Committee Outstanding Service Award for the Iowa Association.
John is a graduate of both AIB and Upper Iowa and is a Certified Public Accountant.
He is married to wife Paula and they have two children; son Nick and his wife Ashley and their three children Lincoln, Maddox and Tucker; and their daughter Erica.