Attend any sporting event at any level, and you’ll inevitably hear (or take part in) the peppering of officials with everything from death threats to crude exhortations to engage in bizarre sexual acts.

Given the verbal abuse they routinely endure, it’s clear that it takes a rare breed to don the black-and-white-striped jersey of a sports official.

“You have to be thick skinned,” said Randy Heimermann, director of personnel for intramural athletics at Iowa State. “A lot of people think they know the rules, but they don’t.”

On the court, emotions range from agony to ecstasy, sinking dread to complete exhilaration. Officials often help diffuse charged moments when tempers flare and the atmosphere becomes hostile.

Through this conflict resolution, officials learn a lot about dealing with others and how they themselves tend to react in a variety of tense situations, Heimermann said.

“A lot of what you learn in officiating you can apply to the rest of your life,” he said.

Other important attributes of a good official include dependability, a sense of humor, being in good shape and the desire to learn.

“If you don’t want to learn, you’re not going to get anywhere,” he said.

Aspiring referees or umpires in the intramural program learn their craft from Heimermann, who has officiated a variety of sports at various levels, including Division I basketball.

“It’s a great experience,” he said. “[If you keep at it], your time will come.”

Some of Heimermann’s proteges at ISU have already progressed to high school, junior college and division III athletic events.

Charles Mills, junior in physical education, intramural official and high school baseball umpire, is annoyed by “yelling from fans” but plans to pursue officiating further.

“[Heimermann] instills a lot of confidence in me and all the other officials,” Mills said. “He’s given so many people opportunities, and he’s always there to support us.”

Brian Thill, senior in finance and MIS, has officiated “just about everything” at the intramural level and has worked junior high and high school (junior varsity) games as well.

“Randy’s been a great coach and teacher,” Thill said. “He knows his stuff in basketball, and he sure can teach it.”

Thill also finds officiating to be a mostly rewarding experience.

“The best part is when, after a game, a coach or a parent comes down and says ‘good job,'” he said.

Heimermann got his start as an intramural official while studying at ISU.

He officiated his first Division I basketball game (ISU vs. Drake) in 1994, while working on his master’s degree in sports administration at Wichita State.

A career in a sports-related field has always been a priority for Heimermann.

“I’m among those who believe that you have to like your job in order to be successful at it,” he said.

He has officiated in several powerhouse basketball conferences, including the Big 12, Conference USA, the Big 10 and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

He’s also refereed in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and at the Junior College national championship game.

Despite the torrents of verbal abuse from fans, coaches and players, Heimermann relishes the rush of officiating big games, an “electric” sensation he plans to enjoy more often.

“I’m trying to get to the NBA,” he said. “That’s my goal.”