Chuck Van Hecke
Chuck Van Hecke, was born and raised in Beresford, SD. During his high school career he participated in football, basketball, and baseball. He received Honorable Mention Allstate in football, All Conference in basketball, and was an All-District Catcher in baseball. After graduation from high school, Chuck attended the University of South Dakota receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1964. Chuck was the co-captain of the football team and was selected the Outstanding College Senior by the Rotary Club. After receiving his degree, he began his career at Primghar, IA as a biology teacher and coached football and basketball. From there he had stops in Beresford, SD, Aurelia, IA, Carroll Kuemper, Denison and finally Muscatine, IA. Chuck has been the Athletic Director and Assistant Principal and Principle at Muscatine High School. He has held this position for the last 17 years. As a track coach, Chuck excelled. During his fifteen year career his teams won eleven conference championships and eight district championships. His teams set 14 school records at Kuemper and 16 at Denison. His teams were listed in the Omaha World Herald’s All-Time Best List in several events. As much as he accomplished as a coach, Chuck has had even more success as an Athletic Director. Here are some of his accomplishments. IHSADA Southeast Athletic Director of the Year 1986-1987 President of the IHSADA in 1989-1990 Board of Directors since 1986 1997 National Athletic Director of the Year. Chuck has also served on various committees for both the Iowa Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Some of these are Chairman of the Athletic Directors Advisory Committee a member of the Track Advisory Committee Member of the Board of Control of the IHSAA Head Finish Judge of the 1996 State Cross Country Meet. Chuck was one of the founders of the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. He served as President of the IATC while he was coaching in Denison. He has served as a meet manager for numerous district cross country and track meets for both the IHSAA and the IGHSAU. In addition he has organized and administered many invitational and tournaments throughout his tenure at Muscatine High School. Chuck has also published several articles for professional magazines on athletic administration. Chuck is married and has two sons. His wife is Gail and sons are John and Rick. Chuck and Gail have one grandson named Garrett.
Darwin Vande Hoef
Rock Valley HS/Iowa State 2021 Hall of Fame
Oh, to be a state or Drake Relays champion, or to be named All State or Athlete of the Year or even a college All American. These are, seemingly, among every young Iowa athlete’s dreams.
In the late 1980’s, Rock Valley High School in Rock Valley, Iowa got to witness one of their own rewrite record books, win multiple Drake and State titles, win multiple All State honors in 4 sports, be named the Male Athlete of the meet at the Drake Relays, win Athlete of the Year honors from both the Sioux City Journal and Des Moines Register and earn Division 1 All American status.
For Track and Field fans in Iowa, getting to watch Darwin Vande Hoef excel on the track and in the field for 4 years at Rock Valley and 4 years at Iowa State created some special memories. Vande Hoef was a 6 time state champion winning the high jump 3 times, and took home gold in the High Jump, High Hurdles and 400 Hurdles in 1989. His winning 400 hurdle mark of 52.45 in 1989 was the state’s All Time best and now, 20 plus years later is still 13th. His High Jump PR of 7-2 from 1988 made him #1 in Track and Field News high school rankings and is equal number 2 All Time by an Iowa high schooler. He was a 4 time Drake Relays champion and was named the Relays Male Athlete of the Meet in 1989 after winning the High Jump, 110 Highs and the 400 lows. He is still the only high school boy to win 3 individual events, in the same year, at the Drake Relays, and doing so in front of 15,000 people left an everlasting mark on this student athlete from small town Iowa.
After graduating from Rock Valley, Darwin took his many talents to Ames where he continued to High Jump for the Cyclones, and groom his athletic ability into becoming an outstanding Combined Event performer. At Iowa State he was a Big 8 champion and All American in the High Jump, a Big 8 runner-up in the Decathlon and a member of 6 Big 8 championship winning teams.
After graduating from Iowa State, Vande Hoef spent the next 3 years competing in the Decathlon at a very high level. He won the Texas Relays in 1995 and was the Drake Relays runner-up in 1995, 96 and 97. In 1996 he was a member of the US Team that set what was the World Record for a team Decathlon score, while defeating Germany for the Decathlon Visa Cup. Individually Darwin placed fifth surpassing the milestone of 8,000 points with a lifetime best score of 8,123. After finishing 5th in the 1997 USA Championships, Darwin was once again selected to represent the USA versus Germany and once again he scored 8,123 to assist the Americans in winning another Visa Cup title.
Injuries kept this Iowa great out of competition in both 1998 and 1999 and in 2000 the decision was made to put away the spikes and the implements for good.
Darwin, his wife Kara and daughter now call Seal, California home. Where for the past 21 years, he has worked as a business consultant, supplying HR services to small and medium sized business in LA and Orange County.
Bob VanderLinden
Bob VanderLinden was born in Eddyville, Iowa, and graduated from Knoxville High School in 1947. During his high school career he participated in football, basketball, and track. He earned All-Conference and All-State honors in football. After graduation Bob attended Central College receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1951. He was an All-Conference performer in football and was awarded the Schilder Outstanding Football Player Award in 1950. He served in the Korean War as a member of the United States Marines. Bob played football and baseball while serving in the Marines. Bob began his teaching and coaching career in Lohrville, Iowa in 1953-54 where he taught all subjects even though his main area was social studies. He coached football, basketball, track and baseball. He moved to Garden Grove in 1954 and taught there until 1956. Bob coached football, basketball, track and baseball. From 1956 to 1965 Bob taught at Ankeny High School. He served as a football and track coach for nine years as well as 3 years as a basketball coach. He started the wrestling program serving as the coach for 3 years. Bob moved from Ankeny to Ottumwa High School serving as the head football coach and athletic director as well as an assistant track coach. He came to Lincoln High School in Des Moines in 1967 and retired in 1992. During his tenure at Lincoln High School, Bob served as the head football coach for 4 years and the head track coach for 23 years. He also was the assistant athletic director for 12 years and the athletic director for his last five years at Lincoln High School. Bob had many accomplishments during his 37 years as a track coach. His teams won 14 conference championships, 8 runner-up finishes, and five district championships. His 1962 team placed second in both the indoor and outdoor state meets. His 1969 team finished third. He coached 40 all-state individual and relay team performers. Bob also had 5 individual state champions from 1955 to 1988. Bob was honored as the District Coach of the Year in 1982. He served as the Drake Relays referee in 1975 and on the high school jury for the relays from 1975 to 1994. He organized the Ankeny Relays , The Little Abe Relays, and the Lincoln Invitational which now shares his name. He also served for 15 years as the Director of the Special Olympics State Track and Field Meet. Bob had an outstanding record as a football coach as well. He coached four undefeated teams and had a career record of 123 wins, 51 losses, and 5 ties. He was elected to the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1975. Bob married his wife Louise in 1954. They were the proud parents of a daughter and three sons. He was killed in a tragic plane crash in 1994. It is my honor to introduce Louise VanderLinden who will receive the 2000 Hall of Fame award in memory of her husband Bob.
Gerald “Diz” Vincent – 2023 Inductee
Gerald “Diz” Vincent started his high school career in Council Bluffs before moving to Ottumwa as a sophomore. Diz was not only Iowa’s first High School individual boys state Cross Country Champion, he was also our first 2X champion: winning the 1.75 mile race in 1922 in 10:12 and 100 years ago, in 1923, running the 2.1 mile course in 11:26. We are awaiting confirmation of a Davis Eidahl sighting at this state meet as well
He was also the National HS XC runner-up in the fall of ‘23, running a 3.5 mile course, in Philadelphia, in 17:57.
On the track, in his senior season at Ottumwa, he anchored the 2 Mile Relay to a gold medal and the Mile Medley to bronze, with a 2 flat carry, at the 1924 Drake Relays. He also anchored a Bulldog quartet to the bronze medal in the 2 Mile Relay at the Kansas Relays.
During his outstanding career as a Bulldog, Diz was a state meet medalist in the Mile, 880 and High Jump. He was also a fine High Hurdler.
At the 1923 Stagg Interscholastic National meet in Chicago, he won the Mile, and in 1924, ran 2 flat to win the 880. He was also an outstanding basketball player.
I worked hard to find more information on Diz’s life after Ottumwa, but it’s pretty scarce. He went to the U of Iowa, majoring in Engineering, but it doesn’t appear that he ran track. He got married in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1927, was still in Ottumwa in ’29 and worked for an oil company in Oklahoma City from at least 1931-1935.
Dave Vogelgesang
He was known primarily as a basketball player during his days at Highmore High School and Southern State College in his native state of South Dakota. While in Grad school at South Dakota State, he was on the Jack rabbits track and cross country coaching staff. After SDSU he coached track and cross country at Willow Lake and Eureka high schools in South Dakota. He was honored as the states track coach of the year in 1972, after only four years in the profession. But, it is for his 31 years as the head Cross Country and Track coach at Tipton, Iowa High School, that we honor Dave Vogelgesang today.
South Dakota’s loss was Iowa’s gain as Dave made the move to Tipton in July of 1974 to begin a career that would last until 2005 and be envied by most and equaled or surpassed by very few. It didn’t take long to lay the ground work; once Vog got his system in place and his student athletes bought into it, the Tipton Tiger track and cross country programs were off and running. Pun intended. The Tigers won the 1975 cross country state title with Brett Eggert winning the individual crown as well. In 1979 Tipton won the WAMAC conference track title for the first time in 26 years. Dave felt that this conference title is what really “put the wind in our sails”. The community pride soared. The Tigers won the 4×8 at the 1981 state meet, put in an all-weather track in 1982 then won the 1983, 1984 and 1985 state team titles.
In all, while coaching cross country and track and field and serving as Athletic Director at Tipton:
Boys Track and Field teams won 4 team state titles
Boys Track and Field athletes won 12 state individual/relay titles.
Boys and/or Girls Cross Country teams won 6 team titles and 4 individual titles.
He was nominated for National High School Coach of the Year twice and was a finalist in 2006.
He was IATC 2A State Coach of the Year 3 times and won 13 IATC Region Coach of the Year Honors.
Testimony after testimony from former Tipton athletes tells how Coach Vogelgesang impacted their life during their days together in high school and how his impact continues to influence them today. Dave was asked what his greatest accomplishment was in 37 years of coaching. He said, very sincerely, “I really think my greatest accomplishment in coaching is totally about what the athletes accomplished in their 1-2-3 or 4 years of track or cross country. The memories I have are forever. I am so proud of the great families they now have and the amazing success they are enjoying in their careers. The state titles, medals and trophies were great but I am confident our athletes would tell you that lessons learned from hard work and commitment to excellence contributed much more to their personal success than all of the material awards”. There are no reason to believe that his assumption is not right.
Dick Wagner
Dick Wagner has been associated with athletics for a long time. Dick has officiated softball, boys and girls basketball as well as track and cross country. He has started state track meets and umpired state championship games. A past president of the Iowa Baseball Coaches Association, served as a clinician at the IGHSAU rules meetings and chaired the softball rules committee for many years and a member of the Softball Umpires Hall of Fame. Dick served as Athletic director at Burlington high School and has started track and cross country meets for nearly fifty years. In 1996 Dick was the Honorary Referee at the boy’s state track meet. In 1998, Dick was recognized by the National High School Federation for his contributions to cross country. But none of these noteworthy items defines Dick as greatly as two additional achievements. Over the past few years Dick has battled several major problems including a leg amputation and throughout all this he has maintained an unbelievably positive attitude and continues to strive to serve others. Perhaps Dick’s crowning achievement has been the construction of a private/public cross country course through some of the most beautiful scenery Iowa has to offer. It winds through the Shimek State Park and Dick’s property which adjoins it. Working with friends and students from alternative classes, Dick has cut a cross-country trail out of a natural wilderness. Local Agricultural students built bridges over the streams and ravines, and every one of Croton’s Forty residents helps out at the annual cross country meet hosted by Dick and Harmony High School since 1990. Free soda is available for all the students athletes and workers. The awards ceremony not only features the traditional trophies, but also features Croton Baseball Caps and T-Shirts for the top finishers. In the fall of 2002, 249 athletes competed at the meet. Each year Dick invites an Iowa celebrity to assist in handing out he awards. One year Chuck Offenburger, the “Iowa Boy” was the invited celebrity. The following week the Des Moines Register carried an extensive article documenting this extraordinary athletic event. At the conclusion of each meet the workers take part in a pot-luck picnic. Dick’s property also features two basketball hoops with a concrete playing surface for 3-on-3 tournaments and hosts hundreds of students each year for history and science field trips.
Chris Walker
Chris was born on August 1, 1965, in Davenport, Iowa. He attended Davenport Central High School graduating in 1984. He participated in basketball and track & field while in high school. Chris’s high school career was outstanding and included the following accomplishments. He was a three time Long Jump Champion setting a state record for class 4-A and all classes. He won the Drake Relays title three times. He won four events in the 1984 Drake Relays, which included the Long Jump, 4 X 100 m Relay, 4 X 200 m Relay, and the Medley Relay. Chris was selected the Outstanding High School Performer for the Drake Relays in 1983 & 1984. He capped off his career with a 2nd place performance in the Golden West Invitational and 3rd place at the Keebler Invitational in the Long Jump. Chris was selected as the Hertz Athlete of the year for the State of Iowa and the Quad City Athlete of the Year. He also was an All-State performer in basketball in 1984. Chris continued his career at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. He qualified for the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Meets all four years of his collegiate career. He won two Texas Southwest Conference Outdoor and Indoor Long Jump titles and one Indoor Triple Jump Title. He won the Drake Relays in the Long Jump. Chris qualified for the 1988 Olympic Trials. He placed 4th in the Long Jump at the 1991 Olympic Festival in Minneapolis. Chris holds the Texas Southern University School Record with a mark of 26′ 10″. Chris graduated from Texas Southern University in 1989 with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Business. He owns and operates an Office Supply business in Houston, Texas.
Jerry Walker
Jerry Walker began officiating track and field at the University of Iowa by working the Big 10 Indoor at the request of Coach Cretzmeyer. He was assigned umpiring duty and called a violation on an outstanding runner (eventually an Olympian) from Illinois! The young man promised never to return to Iowa City again, and Jerry thought this should have been the end of his officiating.
Soon after, Jerry became the coordinator for University officials and began timing and judging high school meets in the vicinity.
While in high school, he was a star Track and Cross Country athlete, at Marion High School leading Marion to State team Championships in Cross Country in 1951, ’52 and ’53. Jerry was also the individual Class A State Cross Country Champion in 1952 and ’53. In track, Jerry won the Class A Iowa State Mile Run in 1953 and ’54, as well as the 880 yard run in 1954 and was the 1953 Mile Run Champion at the Drake Relays. Jerry has also been inducted into the Marion High School Hall of Fame.
Jerry states, “It has been enjoyable to watch the younger performers mature and participate in the greatest sport, track and field. Working with other officials, many teachers, has given me a deep respect and admiration of their work, and was an important factor for my persistence as an official.”
John “Bob” Warren
John represents Track and Field on a superior level, both as a coach and active participant. In High School at Centerville from 1952 to 1956. State Champ in the Long Jump – both indoors and outdoors Drake Relays Long Jump Champion Won or placed in twelve event at the State indoor or outdoor meets. At the University of Iowa from 1956 to 1960. Three year letter winner. Top point score for his teams in 1958 – 1959 – 1960. Competed in ten diferent events. Place winner at the Drake Relays, Kansas Relays, Central Collegiates meet. Big Ten indoor and outdoor place winner.Place winner at the National AAU Pentathlon 1959-60. Masters Track and Field National program. He has been National Champion in the Decathlon and the Discus. He has also been second five times in diferent events.In all he has placed first 173 times and second 43 times. Coaching: Head Boy’s Track and Field Coach, Head Boy’s and Girl’s Cross Country coach at Ottumwa. Cross Country – 146 wins and 73 loses in dual meet competition. teams have placed first 20 times and second 23 times at invitational meet competitions. Boy’s Tack and Field – Placed first at 31 times and second 25 times at major meets. Coached six State Individuals and Relay Champions. 23 place winners at the State meet. Teams have finished 3rd and 5th at the State meet. 17 Drake Relays place winners.
Richard “Wash” Washburn
Dick was born on October 23, 1950, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. He attended Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, graduating in 1969, participating in football, wrestling, and golf while in high school. He graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with a Bachelors Degree in Biology and Physical Education in 1973 participating in football, track & field and golf at Coe. Dick’s future in Track & Field was soon set when Coe’s Track & Field Coach asked Dick to Meet Manage Coe’s home Indoor and Outdoor Meets as well as the areas High School events competing at Coe’s Indoor Facility. He began his coaching and teaching career at Gilmore City-Bradgate Community Schools teaching Physical Education and Science plus coaching Football, Basketball, and Track & Field. Moved to Ft Dodge in 1974 teaching Life Science and coaching Football and Wrestling, officiating and a volunteer Track & Field coach. After 4 successful years of coaching and teaching in Ft Dodge he and his family moved to Muscatine. Dick has coached Track & Field for 31 years winning conference titles and many runner-up finishes. He has coached sixty-six individual and relay conference champions, fifty-nine conference runners-up, fourteen State champions, eleven state runners-up, Forty-eight state place-winners and seven Drake Relays Champions. Dick coached Cross Country for 17 years. His teams have finished as the conference runner-ups three times, won two Fresh-Sophomore Conference titles and two runners-up teams. He coached 4 state qualifying teams, 22 individual runners placing in the top ten at the Mississippi Athletic Conference meet and 25 state qualifiers. He has been selected IATC Regional Coach of the Year five times in Cross Country and Track & Field. In addition to coaching Track and Cross Country, Dick was also a very successful coach in Football (45 – 8 Record) and Wrestling (56 – 4 – 2 Record). In 1972 he was an assistant football coach at Cedar Rapids Jefferson when Jefferson won the first official State Football play-off title. Dick contributions to the Iowa Association of Track Coaches, Track & Field and Cross Country are numerous. He has served as 1st & 2nd Vice-President, and President of the IATC, and has been the Web-editor for the IATC website since its inception. He has developed the IATC website into one the most used track & field sites in the country. He is the co-founder of the Senior All-Star Spotlight Track & Field Meet and the founder of the Statewide Middle School Cross Country Meet (In 2008 the meet name was changes to the “Washburn Classic” by the IATC to Honor the events founder). Dick is also the founder and meet director for the Senior All-Star Spotlight Cross Country Meet. He has organized and hosted IATC Mini-Clinics in Track & Field, is a Level II USAT&F Certified Coach and a USAT&F Level I Lead Instructor. Dick has spoken at many clinics and workshops including being the first Iowa High School presenter at the Championship Books Iowa Track & Field Clinic. He had served as the Head Referee at the AAU National Track & Field Meet for the Multi-Events. Dick has been a throws official for two USATF National Championship Events. He has worked as a meet official for Five NCAA Division 1 National Cross Country & Track and Field meets, Four Division III National meets, six NCAA Division 1 Regional, and 2 NAIA Regional Meets. Served as the Head High Jump, Head Throws Official, Head Clerk, Referee and assitant Multi-events Judge for the University of Iowa and the Big Ten. He is an organizing member of the National Senate of High School Track Coaches Association. Served on the IGHSAU Track & Field Advisory Board and as the Track & Field Commissioner for the Iowa Games for six years. He wis the Chairman and developer of the IATC Individual rankings and served as the Multi-Event Head Referee for the first National Special Olympics in Ames the summer of 2006. He is currently officiating on the college level, Drake Relays, and helped coach for St. Ambrose University in the jumps for two years coaching four Conference Champions and two National Meet qualifiers. These are but a few of the many contributions Dick has made to the IATC and Track & Field in general. Dick has been selected as the Tandy Corporation Regional Teacher of the Year and the Muscatine Country Educator of the Year. He has received six National & Regional Sertoma International Awards and three Regional Optimist Club Awards. He married Rosemary in 1974 and they are the proud parents of a daughter Meghan (Mrs. Jason Hutchinson), a son Alex and his wife Tasha and three grand-sons, Matthew, Brody and Reed.
Cornie Wassink
Cornie Wassink was raised near Sioux Center, Iowa and graduated from Sioux Center High School in 1969. While in high school, he was active in football, baseball, basketball, and track, as well as 4-H and FFA. Cornie graduated from Northwestern College, lettering in football, wrestling, and track. He was an All-American Offensive tackle in 1972. His education took him to Fairfield, where he taught and coached until 1979. Since 1979, he has been with Northwestern College, first as Director of Capital Fundraising and Director of Planned Giving, and then as Fundraising and Planned Giving Consultant in 1990.
Cornie began officiating while in college, and the 2009-2010 school year marks his 40th year as an official. In addition to being a track and field official, cross country, and football official at both the high school and college level, he as officiated basketball, wrestling, baseball, and softball. For track and field, he has been a starter/referee for 615 varsity high school meets, and as a college official for over 250 meets. He estimates he has worked at least 950 track meets, in one officiating capacity or another. Cornie currently holds US Track and Field certification in 20 areas, with Master certification in 6 areas. He has been a state meet starter 16 times.
Cornie is a charter member of the Northwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame, inducted in 1982, and the IHSAA Official’s Hall of Fame, inducted in 2008. Cornie, and the late John Lowry, were the founding fathers of the IATO in 1999.
John Webb
John was one of sixteen members of the Spirit Lake High School graduating class of 1914. His high school annual called him the top athlete in the high school during his senior school year, 1913-1914. He took part in football, basketball and track. He later would become the most successful coach in the 20th century for the Spirit Lake Community School District, which lasted for 50 years. Coach Webb began his coaching career in 1923 coaching football, basketball and track. At the time of John’s induction into the IATC Hall of Fame he was only the third coach in Iowa history to be named to halls of fame for his three sports, football, basketball and track. Perhaps the legacy of John Webb was best represented in a letter from Gary Olsen following John’s death March 9, 1978. Part of the letter stated, “The name John Webb and Spirit Lake are one-in-the-same around coaching circles. You have all the experienced or read of the championship teams and state trips, but the thing that made John special was not the winning teams, but his winning spirit and work with the future of his community – her youth. To John every team was a winner, regardless of the w-n-loss record, and every player was an all-state selection. Each of you that attended Spirit lake High School were one of “John’s Kid’s”. He loved each and every one of you. He gave you, and the people of his community, more than just winning athletics – he gave his time, his love and a great deal of his labor.” The Spirit Lake Gym is named in his honor.
Glenn Wehrkamp
Glenn Wehrkamp was born on a farm in Page County, Iowa. He went to Linn Point country school through 8th grade and attended Clarinda High School, from 1941-1945, where he lettered in basketball, track and baseball. He attended Clarinda Junior College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwest Missouri State College where he lettered in basketball and track. He did additional work at several colleges and received his MS degree from University of Northern Iowa. Glenn began his teaching and coaching career in Lake Park, Iowa. He taught and coached for 41 years at a variety of schools in the state but mainly at Hartley, Iowa where Glenn spent his last 28 years in public education. His track and cross-country teams won a combined 9 state titles, plus 7 conference titles and 5 district meets. He retired from coaching in 1972 and teaching in 1989. Glenn started his first track meet in 1974. He worked district/regional meets every year from 1976 to 2000. He also worked many conference meets throughout those years. Glenn is a past president and member of the Northwest Iowa Coaches and Officials Association for 40 years. He retired from officiating football in 1984, basketball in 1987, softball, volleyball and track in 2000. Plus during his spare time, he pitched Fast Pitch softball for 30 years. Glenn married Yvonne Happel in 1956 and had 5 children. He is presently enjoying his retirement and spends his spare time playing golf and bridge.
L.D. Weldon
L. D. Weldon was the multi-events coach of coaches. Weldon’s teams won 11 conference titles, either Heart of America or Missouri Athletic Union, and did well in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics meets. His speciality, though, was shaping do-everything athletes into champions. He began his track career winning 12 college letters in various sports, some at Iowa and some at Graceland, plus gaining national acclaim as a javelin thrower. He won the 1928 Drake Relays javelin title competing for Graceland and the 1930 crown with Iowa. He also claimed the then-prestigious national Amateur Athletic Union title. Weldon took a do-everything young track star from Lamoni into Sacramento Junior College in California and Jack Parker responded by winning the bronze medal in the 1936 Olympic decathlon in Berlin. L.D. groomed Graceland athletes Mike Mattox and Dave Bahr to national decathlon titles. Then forty years later, Bruce Jenner, turned into a decathlete and gained international status winning the gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal with a world-record performance. The Californian first came to Iowa in 1925 enrolled at Graceland Academy for his junior and senior high school year, then spent a year at Graceland College. As a college freshman in 1928, he won the Drake and Kansas relays javelin titles. Then in 1930 at Iowa, he won the three national relays at Texas, Kansas and Drake. He won the 1929 national Amateur Athletic Union title, twice the Big Ten Conference champ and set state intercollegiate javelin mark to 217 feet. Weldon then spent 10-years at Sacramento and his track teams won the Northern California Junior College meets nine times and lead the establishment of a national junior-college meet. During this time at Sacramento two of his many star athletes swept the decathlon in Berlin with Glenn Morris and Bob Clark both surpassing the Olympic record.
Ken Weller
Dr. Ken Weller has a resume unmatched by many.
Ken is a 1948 graduate of Hope College in Holland, Michigan. While there he competed in football and track and field. He later became a faculty member at Hope and was a member of the football coaching staff, coaching among others, Ron Schipper, who later became a Hall of Fame football coach at Central under Ken’s presidency.
Dr. Weller served as president at Central College in Pella from 1969 to 1990. During that time, he became a national leader in athletics, helping author the Division II philosophy, and establishing women’s championships in the early 1980’s. While at Central, he was instrumental in their athletic success, overseeing programs that produced 11 Division III team championships, 25 individual titles, 20 post-graduate scholarship winners, and seven Division III players of the year. As a result of these accomplishments, Ken was inducted into Central’s Athletics Hall of Honor.
As an official, Dr. Weller began as a track starter in the early 50’s in Michigan. He’s officiated at Big 10, Big 12, and NCAA Div. I and III championships, as well as 18 years at the Drake Relays and 18 years at the Iowa state meets.
Ron Werling
Attended High School in Tipton, Iowa. He attended Northeast Missouri State University and was named Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities All-American Track & Field Teams twice. He was also a three time All-American Cross Country runner. Ron compiled 77 wins in Boy’s Cross Country, 120 wins in Girls’ Cross Country, and 93 wins in Girls’ Track & Field. Four State Boy’s Cross Country Team Championships. Four Boy’s State Cross Country individual Champions. Three indoor and three outdoor Girls’ Team State Titles. Twenty-two individual Girls’ State Champions. Twenty-three Girls’ State Relay Champions. Four Girls’ Drake Relays Relay Championships. Three State Pentathlon Championships. Twelve time conference Team Champions. IATC Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year – 4 times. IATC Regional Track & field Coach of the Year – 3 times. IATC State Coach of the Year – 2 times. District 6 Coach of the Year – National High School Athletic Coaches Association. Ron is married, wife Jan, and has five children.
Ron’s induction into Officials HoF:
Ron Werling was an outstanding athlete at Tipton High School before heading Northeast Missouri State University, now Truman State University, where, five times, he earned All American honors.
He went on to be an outstanding Girls Track and Field coach and Boys and Girls Cross Country coach at Indianola High School. His boy’s Cross Country teams had four individual state champions and his girls teams won 120 meets under his leadership.
In Girls Track and Field, Werling coached teams won 3 indoor and 3 outdoor state team titles, 22 individual state titles, 23 state relay championships and 4 Drake Relays crowns. Ron has been inducted into the IATC hall of Fame, the Iowa Association of Athletic Directors Hall of Fame and the Truman State Hall of Fame for his many accomplishments.
Ron has also served on Cross Country and Track and Field Advisory Committees for both the Girls Athletic Union and the Boys Athletic Association.
Today, Ron is being inducted into the IATO Hall of Fame for his outstanding service to our sports as an official. For more than 50 years he volunteered his services to Cross Country as a state meet official and the state Track and Field championships as a Girls Referee. He has also spent many years as a starter at both the Middle School and High School level.
Ron has long been supported by his wife Jan and their 5 children.
Dennis White
Denny White was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, on November 5, 1941. He was raised in Marshalltown and graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1959 and from the University of Northern Iowa in 1963 with a Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Science. He began his career at New Providence High School before moving to Mount Pleasant High School where he retired after 40 years in education in 2004. Denny coached a variety of sports during his career, which included track & Field (40 years), Basketball (26 years), Football (22 years), Baseball (3 years), Cross Country (8 years) and Girls Basketball (1 year). That comes to a total of 100 seasons of athletics. Denny’s accomplishments as the head track & field coach, is impressive. During his tenure Mount Pleasant won one state championship, five runner-ups, six district titles and seven conference championships. He coached 27 state individual champions in a variety of events, 10 relay teams state champions and his athletes have set five state meet records. He has had 120 individual conference champions and 71 state meet place winners. He has had two individual and two relay teams win Drake Relay titles. Denny has had similar success coaching cross country. His girls’ team won the 2002 State Title. His teams won five conference titles during his tenure. Denny has been selected State Coach of the Year four times and Regional Coach of the Year 5 times. He was nominated for National Coach of the Year in 2000. Denny coached the Junior Olympic team in Mexico City in 1978. He served as a coach for the 2000 Senior Spotlight meet in 2000 and has served as an Area Representative of the IATC. Denny has been a member of the Drake Relays High School jury since 2002. Denny authored the book “Coaching Sprinters and Jumpers”. He is a certified USATF official who continues to officiate track and field and cross country at all levels. Denny and his wife of 41 years, Mary live in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where he retired from Mt. Pleasant High School in 2004 after 40 years of teaching. Denny and Mary have three sons, Kyle of Iowa City, Todd of Iowa City and Bryan of Mt. Pleasant. They also enjoy seven grandchildren.
Harold R Wilkinson
Harold Wilkinson was born on a farm near Mound City, Missouri in 1937. He grew up on various farms in the community and graduated in 1955. After high school he attended the University of Missouri for one year and then transferred to Northwest Missouri State University, now Truman State University, jn Maryville, Missouri. Harold lettered three years in football.
In 1960, He married Peggy Riley and they moved to Belle Plaine, Iowa for their first teaching position. While there, Harold taught junior high science, junior high industrial arts, and boys and girls physical education. He was athletic director and assisted conference champion football and basketball teams. In 1962, Harold started the girl’s track and field program in Belle Plaine. Belle Plaine quickly rose to fame with a group of talented athletes. In 1964, the team, nicknamed the Blue Streaks by local editor Moe Burrows, won the State Championship in West Des Moines wearing their blue gym suits.
1963 – He received his M.A. degree from Northern Colorado University.
1965 – His team won the State Indoor Meet at the Drake Field House and the State Meet also at Drake University.
In 1966, the team repeated as State Champions both indoors and outdoors. During this time, there was only one class for girls track. Belle Plaine did not have a track. They practiced on a 220 yard oval on a playground. They even held meets there! 1971 – the Wilkinson’s moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Harold was hired as the cross country and girls track coach as well as physical education teacher at Kennedy High School. He later became the Cougar girl’s basketball coach as well. During his tenure at Kennedy, he continued to have outstanding individuals and teams.
1977 – His girls basketball team finished 2nd in the Iowa Girls State Tournament.
1978 – Harold was the Drake Relays Girl’s Referee
1985 – Named the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s Track and Field Coach of the Year.
1995 – Kennedy High School inducted Harold into the Kennedy Coaches Hall of Fame.
2006 – Branson, Missouri, the National High School Athletic Coaches Association inducted Harold Wilkinson into the National Hall of Fame.
He was named IATC Regional Track and Field Coach in 1975, 1977, 1978, and 1979.
Harold and Peg moved to rural Solon, Iowa, were Harold continued to coach and has enjoyed watching the various athletic programs and activities of the community.
Harold Wilkinson
Harold “Wilkie” Wilkinson came to Cedar Rapids Washington High School in1960 as the Head Track & Field and Cross Country coach. He taught and coached at Marengo from 1939 to 1942, the US Marines 1942-1946, and then back to Marengo 1946 to 1960. Harold’s personality, dedication and enthusiasm brought great success to the Warrior track program. Sportsmanship was one of the qualities he installed in his students and teams. There was also a strong sense of competition and cooperation as his teams placed at or near the top in Conference competition or went on to other accomplishments on the state level in Track. His cross country team won the Mississippi Valley Conference title in 1974. His track teams won five Conference outdoor titles and one indoor title. The warriors were state-runners-up in 1974 and won the state Track title in 1975. Harold had twenty-three first or second place winners at the Drake Relays and the State Track Meet. He was awarded the State Coach of the Year award in 1975.
Audra “Bud” Williams
Began coaching and teaching in Harlan, Iowa. After four years, Bud moved to Iowa City where he was a Social Studies Teacher, Administrative Assistant, Media Coordinator, Counselor and coach at the Junior High level. He served as Dean od Students and the Director of Activities at City High from 1983 until his r etirement in 1993. Bud is one of the most decorated coaches in Iowa. In addition to his teaching duties, he belonged to eight professional organizations, coached in eight sports, between boys and girls, and served numerous service organizations. In sixteen years of Track & Field and Cross Country, his teams have won sixteen Conference Cross Country titles and sixteen District Championships. In ten trips to the Boy’s State Cross Country Meet, his teams have finished in the top five eight times and won four consecutive Championships – 1991-1992-1993-1994. His Girls’ teams won five consecutive State Championships – 1989-1990-1991-1992-1993 and again in 1995. His total Cross Country record is 1175-133 for the girls, and 1142-for the boys. His Girls’ Track & Field teams won four Conference Titles, and 350 meets losing 66. Bud was the Mississippi Valley Conference Coach of the Year sixteen times. He was awarded the IHSAA Coaches Achievement Award four times and the Scholastic Coach Coaching Award six times. Named the National Coach of the Year for Iowa twice by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. Bud was nominated for election into the Hall of Fame by his wife, Bonnie.
Eric Wilson
Eric Wilson attended Iowa City City High. In 1919, he was the 220 yard and Long Jump State Champion. He attended Iowa University where he ran on the mile relay team which set an American intercollegiate record. He won the NCAA and Big Ten titles in the 220 yard dash in 1921 and 1923. In the 1924 Olympic Trials he broke the world record in the 200 meter dash and 400 meter run. He was a member of the 24th Olympic Games in Paris in the 400 meter run. He served as Iowa’s Sports Information Director from 1923 to 1968, working 262 straight football games. He was named to the “Helms Foundation Hall of Fame” as a publicity director and won the 1968 “Arch Ward Award” given to a Sports Information Director who makes an outstanding contribution to sports. Eric is inducted posthumously.
Randy Wilson
IATC HoF Inductee & 2023 IATO Inductee
Randy Wilson’s Hall of Fame career has come full circle and then some.
He was born and raised in Knoxville, Iowa where he was a five-time state champion, winning the State Mile Team Race twice along with wins in Cross Country, the Mile on the track and the High Hurdles. Yes, the Mile and the High Hurdles.
After high school Randy attended Oklahoma University where he was a five time NCAA All-American, an NCAA Indoor champ on the 2 mile relay, a six time Big 8 champion, a 5 time Drake Relays champion and is 1 of only 6 former Iowa preps to break 4 minutes in the mile with his PR of 3:58.74. Randy still holds the Drake Relays 800 record of 1:45.86, set in 1978, and was a member of the 1980 Olympic team.
He has coached, at all levels, for 44 years, and has given back to the sports that have given so much to him, for 39 years as an official.
Encouraged by his 9th grade track coach and fellow IATO Hall of Famer Gerald Kuiper, to “broaden his experiences”, Randy’s officiating career began in 1984, Clerking and Umpiring High School and Jr. High Track Meets in Knoxville.
As his track and field officiating career has branched out from Knoxville, Randy can now be found working at the Drake Relays, Iowa High School State Meet, Indoor and Outdoor Meets at Iowa, Iowa State, UNI, Nebraska and Oklahoma, US Championships, NAIA, D2 and D3 championships and several D1 conference meets.
In Cross Country he has worked D1 and NAIA National Championships, D1 and D3 Regionals, B10 and B12 Conference meets, High School Regional Championships, as well as various High School & College Invitationals
Randy is still coaching at Pella but is retired from the classroom.
Randy and his wife Diane live in Knoxville and have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.
John Wolff
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.
Margaret Benjamin Winstead – 2023 Inductee
The first IGH-SAU state Cross Country meet was held in 1966 at the Hillcrest Country Club in Adel with 18 teams and a total of 107 runners. Margaret Benjamin won the individual title, running the 1.25 mile course in 7:30, while leading Central, Argyle, now Central Lee, to the first team title as well. Girls Cross Country in Iowa was just 1 class until the fall of 1978.
Margaret was also a State Track Champion; winning gold on the Sprint medley in 1965, the 880 yard relay in 1966 and the Mile Relay in 1967. She was also a state meet medalist in the Long Jump. Track and Field was 1 class until the spring of 1977.
Margaret has lived in Ocala, Florida for the past 40 years. She retired from the City of Ocala and is married to Charles Winstead. She has a daughter, April and a granddaughter, Hannah, who also live in Florida.
Margaret would like you to know the following:
“I will always be grateful to the state of Iowa for supporting girls track and field and cross country. These programs offer the opportunity for girls to compete, develop skills & self-confidence and make friendships and connections that prepare you for life. This opportunity made me who I am today – thank you!”
An interesting side note, Davis Eidahl, who just finished his 61st year overall of coaching Cross Country and his 60th at Pekin, was in Adel that day as well, coaching the Pekin girls to an 8th place finish.
William “Bill” Woodhouse
Bill is a 1955 Graduate of Mason City High School. “Heed the advice of your parents, teachers and coaches!” Former Mohawk and Abilene Christian University sprinter Bill Woodhouse was inducted into the Penn Relays Hall of Fame during the 110 running of the Penn Relay Carnival at the University of Pennsylvania. The Outstanding Collegiate performer of 1959, Woodhouse set a Carnival record of 9.5 in the 100 yard dash and anchored Carnival-record teams in the 440- and 880-yard relays. Woodhouse won four Penn Relays championships during his ACU career, running the third leg on the 1958 440-yard relay championship team, and then anchoring the winning 880-yard relay team in 1958 and the 440-yard and 880-yard relay teams in 1959. Woodhouse twice tied the world record in the 100-yard dash (9.3 seconds) in 1957 and 1959 during his career at Abilene Christian. He also ran on Wildcat relay teams which set world records in the 440-yard and 880-yard relay events. Woodhouse ranked fourth in the 220-yarrd dash and 10th in the 100-yard dash in the world in 1958. That season he finished fourth in both the 100 and 220 at the NCAA Division I National Meet. He also finished fifth in the 100 at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1960 to become an alternate member of the U.S. Olympic Team, and he ran on the gold-medal-winning 400-meter relay team for the U.S. at the 1959 Pan American Games. Woodhouse is also a member of the Drake Relays Hall of Fame, and in 1991 he was inducted into the Abilene Christian University Sports Hall of Fame. Bill wants all to, “help those who are less fortunate or in need.” Bill Woodhouse believes his faith and relationship with God has been the key to his mental confidence and peace in the environment of competition in his track career and in the business world. Bill is in Corpus Christi, Texas and has been an insurance agent for State Farm. He is a true civil leader and is involved in many projects working with your including coaching. Bill’s honors with State Farm Insurance include the Millionaire’s Club, the Legion of Honor and the Bronze Tablet Award.
Joey Woody
Inducted into the IATC Hall of Fame in 2002. Joey was born in Iowa City on May 22, 1973. He was raised in Iowa City. He attended City High School in Iowa City. Joey enjoyed a very successful high school career in Track and Field. He was a member of many of Coach John Raffensperger’s outstanding City High teams. His accomplishments are awesome. Here are some of the highlights of his outstanding career. Joey was the 1992 Drake Relays Champion in the 400 Meter Hurdles and a member of the Drake Relays 4 X 400 Meter relay team. He was the runner-up in the 110 Meter High Hurdles and the Long Jump. He set the State Record for the 400 Meter Hurdles with a time of 51.73 and ran on the 4X 400 Meter relay that is one of the all-time best with a time of 3:16.8. He was selected as the 1992 High School Athlete for the Drake Relays. Joey enrolled at the University of Northern Iowa and became a member of the Panther track and field team. His career continued to be outstanding. He holds ten school records at UNI. Some of his accomplishments during his collegiate career are: three time Drake relays Champion in the 400 Meter Hurdles and the 1994 Drake Relays Champion in the 800 Meter Run. Joey was a three time All-American in the 400 Meter Hurdles. He won the 1997 NCAA 400 Meter Hurdle title. He also was an All-American in the indoor 800 Meter Run. He continued his career after graduating from UNI in 1997, with a degree in Public Relations. He finished in the top three of the USA Championships in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002. In both 1997 and 1999 he qualified for the World Championships in the 400 Hurdles. Joey ran on the Gold medal 4 X 400 Relay in the 1997 and 1999 World Championships. He was a World Cup Gold Medallist in the 4 X 400 in 1998. Joey ran on the 4 X 800 Meter Relay team that set a World Indoor Record in 2000. In 2002, he had his best year to date as he ran under 49 seconds in the 400 hurdles 11 times. He was ranked 4th in the world by the IAAF in the 400 hurdles. Joey also served as an Assistant Coach at the University of Northern Iowa from 1997 to 2001. During this time UNI won 6 conference team titles including the first ever for the women’s program in 2001. Joey also has served as a meet organizer for the Professional Track Organization. He organized and promoted the 2000 and 2001 International Superstars Track and Field Invitational. This was the first professional track and field meet ever held in Iowa. Joey and is wife Heather are the proud parents of son Drake.
Jim Yunek
As a student athlete at Wayne State Jim was influenced by a NW Iowa legend George Hicks who started many of the meets Jim participated in. In the 1950’s Jim coached and told me that track budgets were thin in those days and the coaches would often start the meets. That’s how Jim got his start. Jim retired after 10 years of coaching track and joined the IHSAA in 1957 and became a 3 sport official. Jim has been an active official for 55 years. He can’t even begin to guess how many meets he has started. As an IHSAA Official he holds a Superior rating in Football, Basketball and Track. Jim is often asked what his greatest game was. His reply, “the last one”. Jim feels that every game/meet is important to the kids and we as officials should treat it so. Jim is a member of the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame, the Iowa Girls Basketball Officials Hall of Fame and the IHSAA Hall of Fame.
