How to Become a Track Official in Iowa

This page outlines the steps to become a track official for both boys’ and girls’ meets in Iowa at the middle school and high school levels.

Registration Process

Boys Registration

  1. Go to www.iahsaa.com and click on the “Officials” tab.
  2. Under “Registration Information,” read “How to Become an IHSAA Official.”
  3. Then click on “Online Registration Form for New and Re-registering Officials” and follow directions from there.

Requirements:

  • The registration fee is $50 for one sport and $12 for each additional sport. It must be paid before early January (the exact date is at the bottom of the “Officials Registration Important Information” page).
  • The rules video must be watched. It will be made available sometime in February.
  • Online exams are available from late February to early March each year. They include an open-book online test that requires a 75% score to pass. You’ll receive rule books and case study books in the mail if you’ve registered and paid the fee. You will have three attempts to pass the test.

Girls Registration

  1. Go to www.ighsau.org and click on the “Officials” tab.
  2. Read the front page here, then (if you’re a new official) click on the “Official Registration” link on the right side.
  3. Then click on “Start Here,” select “Track & Field,” pay your fee, and follow the directions from there.  **You do need to register on both IHSAA & IGHSAU to officiate both boys & girls meets.**

Requirements:

  • The registration fee is $45 for one sport and $12 for each additional sport. It must be paid before early January (the exact date is given on the “IGHSAU Information” page).
  • If you watched the rules video already on IHSAA, you don’t need to do it for IGHSAU. They use the same video. If you’re only doing IGHSAU meets, the video is on the IHSAA site.
  • Same thing for the exam. Once you pass it on the IHSAA site, that satisfies the requirements for IGHSAU. If you’re only doing IGHSAU meets, you’ll still take the test on the IHSAA site.

Policies

  • High school students are eligible to officiate and can work junior high/middle school meets (7th/8th grade) and sub-varsity meets (9th grade/junior varsity). They cannot officiate varsity meets. Their cost to register is $20.
  • Full-time college students can officiate as well and can do varsity sports. Their cost to register is also $20.
  • Officials are required to have a valid IHSAA and/or IGHSAU license to officiate meets.
  • All officials’ licenses expire annually after the state baseball and softball tournaments. They are renewable for one year, beginning June 1 each year.
  • Uniforms: Track officials should have a yellow or orange shirt and hat they wear to each meet. Otherwise, khaki pants and comfortable shoes complete what you should wear, whether indoors or outdoors. There’s also a nylon starter sleeve (orange only) that some officials wear; not sure if that’s required or not.

Equipment Needed

  • Starter pistol: Look for .209, .22, or .32 caliber sizes. Usually, the .209 or .22 is better for indoor meets, and the .32 is better for outdoors.
  • Blanks/shells for pistols: Make sure you get the corresponding size blanks for your pistol!
  • Holster
  • Hearing protection (foam ear plugs, ear muffs)
  • Gun cleaning kit:
  • Rain gear (recommended)
  • Binder to keep all contracts and printed info in (recommended)
  • Backpack (or something similar): To carry binder and pistol/shells/hearing protection to each meet (recommended).

Where to Buy Equipment

Organizations

Things to Do

  1. Register to officiate both IAHSAA boys and IGHSAU girls meets. This doubles your opportunities to work available meets!
  2. Become a member of IATO.
    1. This costs $25 per year and adds your name to a list of officials in each region of Iowa, which is searchable by athletic directors looking for starters.
    2. It also keeps you in the loop with things starters need to know and allows the opportunity to buy used equipment from others AND buy shells at a discounted rate.

Important Contact People

Lewie Curtis

Director of Officials for Iowa High School Athletic Association
1605 S. Story 
Boone, Iowa 50036
515-432-2011
lcurtis@iahsaa.org 

Sherry Tegtmeier

Business Manager/Officials Administrator for the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union
5000 Westown Parkway, Suite 150
West Des Moines, Iowa 50266
515-401-1839
sherry@ighsau.org 

Bill Neal 

Secretary/Treasurer of Iowa Association of Track Officials (IATO) 
319-530-9703
bneal8888@gmail.com 

Yearly Timeline For Track Officials

June 1st:

Eligible to renew your official’s license(s).

Late July/Early August (End of State Softball & Baseball Tournaments):

Prior year official’s license expires.

Late October:

Opportunity to order shells through IATO at a discount AND invite to IATO clinic and banquet.

Early December:

 IATO Clinic & Hall of Fame Banquet

Get Connected to More Expertise & Resources: Join the Iowa Association of Track Officials.

Apply Now