A longtime swimming official approaches one of the girls after a meet.
A male volleyball referee in his 20s scans a teenaged player's personal Web page, then calls her.
More than 5,000 athletic officials are annually licensed through the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. In three cases over the past 24 months, officials have been suspended because of inappropriate contact with athletes.
The union's board of directors voted Wednesday that candidates to be officials must be asked whether they have appeared on a state's sex offender registry. In addition, all applicants will have their names manually checked against the Iowa Sex Offender Registry.
The move follows the union's suspension of the three unidentified officials. None of them was charged with a crime or was on the registry.
"Those situations showed us that we need to be a little more proactive in ensuring that those officials that we license as officials are appropriate for the interscholastic environment," said Troy Dannen, executive director of the union.
Dannen said two of the incidents involved males in their 20s who contacted athletes after obtaining phone numbers on social networking sites. The other involved a longtime official who contacted a swimmer in person after a meet.
Treynor's Gail Hartigan, who coaches girls' basketball and track, said she hadn't heard of the suspensions but supports the board's action.
"That kind of gives you goose bumps," Hartigan said. "That someone is supposed to be helping and is able to take advantage of the kids, that's scary."
Treynor's Gail Hartigan, who coaches girls' basketball and track, said she hadn't heard of the suspensions but supports the board's action.
"That kind of gives you goose bumps," Hartigan said. "That someone is supposed to be helping and is able to take advantage of the kids, that's scary."
In the aforementioned cases, a parent or coach intervened, Dannen said.
Prospective officials will be asked, "Have you ever been convicted of a criminal act which required you to register with any state's sex offender registry?"
If an applicant replies "yes," the prospective official must send a letter to the union regarding details of the incident. The union must grant permission for those officials to be licensed in Iowa.
Dannen said union officials will consider comprehensive background checks if inappropriate contacts continue to occur.
Prospective officials will be asked, "Have you ever been convicted of a criminal act which required you to register with any state's sex offender registry?"
If an applicant replies "yes," the prospective official must send a letter to the union regarding details of the incident. The union must grant permission for those officials to be licensed in Iowa.
Dannen said union officials will consider comprehensive background checks if inappropriate contacts continue to occur.
Winners announced: Pella's Danielle Meirick has been named the winner of the E. Wayne Cooley Scholarship.
Meirick will receive a scholarship worth $15,000 over four years if she attends an Iowa college. She played volleyball and soccer at Pella and has a 4.06 grade-point average, ranking first in her class.
Other finalists, all receiving a $1,000 scholarship, include Abby Burger, Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Chloe Dedic, Mason City; Kelsey Jo Kittleson, St. Ansgar; Kami Kuhlmann, Charter Oak-Ute; and Molly Slattery, Calamus-Wheatland.
Meirick will receive a scholarship worth $15,000 over four years if she attends an Iowa college. She played volleyball and soccer at Pella and has a 4.06 grade-point average, ranking first in her class.
Other finalists, all receiving a $1,000 scholarship, include Abby Burger, Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Chloe Dedic, Mason City; Kelsey Jo Kittleson, St. Ansgar; Kami Kuhlmann, Charter Oak-Ute; and Molly Slattery, Calamus-Wheatland.