Sixty-Sixth Awards Dinner: Everyone is invited to attend the 66th Annual Awards Banquet to be held at the Five Seasons Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cedar Rapids, Wednesday, April 9, 2003, starting with cocktails at 6:15 p.m. and dinner starting around 7:00 p.m. There will be a cash bar. The featured speaker will be announced at a later date. A reminder that one meal is free with your membership. The cost for your guest’s meal will be $15.00.

Attendance at the Fall Business Meeting: The meeting was held Tuesday, November 6th, at Washington High School. A remember you MUST attend one business meeting either--the next meeting will be in the spring.

Top Test Scores: The top Football Part II test score was by Ron Peiffer with 99; Steve Hamilton and Joe Schmall had 98s; Twenty-three officials had 90+. Thirty-four officials scored 80+. Ten officials had 70+. Two officials failed the test. Two officials have not taken the test. The highest test score for applying officials was Ron Van Hoeck with a 95. Six applying officials scored 80+ and five had 70+. Five failed the test.

Football Longevity Awards: The following football officials will be recognized at the banquet for longevity to CRAOA: Harold “Pinky” Primrose, 40 years; Tom Pumroy, 35 years; Larry Talbott, 25 years; Tim Connelly and Jeff Drahozal, 10 years; Alan Averhoff, Bon Blocklinger, Darwin Carstensen, Pat Dolphin, Kevin Fink and Jack Jaspers, 5 years. Congratulations to these officials for their service to high school football.

Basketball Longevity Awards for Spring of 2003: The following basketball officials will be recognized at the banquet. Randy Krejci, 30 years; Jim Barns, Jim Hazelton and Charles Porter, 10 years; Chris Heidelbauer and Tracy Stone, 5 years. Congratulation to these basketball officials for their service to high school basketball.

Crew Receives Play-offs: The following members received a play-off invitation. They are Scott Anderson, Ron Blocklinger, Doug Brock, Dave Brousard, Darwin Carstenson, Pat Casey, Pat Dolphin, Steve Hamilton, Don Haugen, Dan Hilby, Ed Johnson, Doug McArtor, Dick Pohorsky, Joe Schmall, Jerry Tharp, Jerry Winter.

A Reminder to Update the Secretary: We need your update for the 2003 football season. Enclosed you will find a 2003/2004 update sheet. Please fill it out and return as soon as possible.
Basketball Season Upon Us: We have started the basketball season and we are still looking for new basketball officials. If you are interested in working basketball, please contact Harry Brown. We have 15 new applying basketball officials and four transfers this year. We hope we can retain many of them in the future. We are in real need of more basketball officials in the area. We have over 800 games to assign just in the Metro area. That does not include the Varsity level. If anyone can work 3:45 p.m. games, please contact the Executive Secretary.

Applying Members who were approved for full membership this year are Rob Hartin, Mike Jones and Ron Lanning. From Step I to Step II: Brent Gasper, Fred Griffins, Ethan Huisman, Kai Johnson, Curt Olson, Steve Petro, Patrick St. John, Steve Schaub, and Ron Van Hoeck. Pat Casey and Rob Noble were transfers who were approved for full membership.

Some Past History:
40 Years Ago: 1962 meeting was held at the Sheraton-Montrose Hotel. President was Pat McPartland. Twenty-eight members, applicants and guests attended the dinner. Applicants meeting all the requirements for approval as association members in football were Dave Johnson, Dick Diehl, Larry Bowen, Arnold Paulsen and Jim Barenthin. Ken Blackman was the featured speaker.
35 Years Ago: 1967, the President was Bill Brousard. Fifty-seven members attended the dinner meeting at Ronneberg Inn in Amana. Bill Quinby reported a balance of $358.73 on hand. Approval was given to Dick Potter, Bob Worley, Dennis Goettel, Bill Yeisley, George Bell and Claude Hare.
30 Years Ago: 1972, fall meeting and dinner were held at the Ronneberg Inn in Amana. Wives attended the dinner. President was Harold Primrose. No officials were approved for membership. Past presidents will receive a plaque comemorating their year as President in the March meeting.
25 Years Ago: 1977, John Lowry was president. New approved members to the organization were Don Haugen, Jerry Kaalberg, Larry Palmer and William Spencer. The financial report showed a checking account balance of $686.12. Dinner was at the Ronneberg with Jerry Markbreit, NFL official, as guest speaker.

20 Years Ago: 1982, Jim Meskimen was president. The treasury had a balance of $793.26. Don Holladay, John Lilly, Mike Opheim, John Pickney and Robert Rife were approved as members. Doug Anderson, Alyn Johnson and Richard Johnson were approved as transfers.

15 Years Ago: 1987, Don Holladay was president. Treasury balance was $1,935.62. Speaker at the banquet was Jerry Markbreit. New officials approved for full membership were Bill Antons, Ev Bowen and Craig O’Brien.

10 Years Ago: 1992, president was Don Haugen. Checking account had $1,138.61. The following officials were approved for full membership: Steve Pisarik. Don Ackerson was approved as a transfer.

5 Years Ago: 1997, president was Scott Freuhling. The Fall Banquet was held at the Wyndham Five Seasons Hotel. We had a balance of $2,757.12. We had 64 active football officials, 46 basketball and 14 officials who work both. The following officials were approved for full membership: Robert Christenson, Jeff DeLong and Wayne Meyer. Three transfers were approved to full membership: Ron Blocklinger, Scott Kramer and Jack Jaspers. Banquet speaker was John Van Way.
Several basketball officials dropped out of Association: Scott Behn, Jerry Kiwala, Brett Myres, Brad Sorensen, Bob Sullivan, Larry Walderbach and Mike Wennekamp. Pat Casey and Dave Stamy have returned to the association.

Membership: C.R.A.O.A. has 68 active football members and 21 applying members. In basketball there are 41 active members and 26 applying members. We are always in need of new members to help fulfill the demand for game officials. Work on getting a new member. Keep an application available and give one to those critics who are around.

Telephone and Address Changes:
Sam Barrett: work phone 375-2692 (c) 329-7581
Rick Hersom: work phone (c) 310-7363
Mark Springsteen: home phone 981-0138

Don’t forget to send in your 2003 Football Schedule.