Imagine, if you will, that on a hot humid day you put on a zebra- colored shirt, and run up and down an 80-yard field chasing after a ball.

The only time you stop is when you blow a whistle; no matter what you say, you have seven angry people screaming bloody murder, and your only line of defense against them is a yellow hanky full of sand.

Sounds like a nightmare, right? Not in the world of officiating, where this scene is all too real.

Iowa State has 43 intramural sports, which means there are 43 required officials to make sure the games are played by the rules.

Intramural officials are provided and trained by ISU Recreation Services.

Students officiating a sport still can play on teams and are able to work flexible hours.

Randy Heimerman’s job is to make sure enough officials are available for all intramural sporting events.

Heimerman is a former ISU student and an experienced official in college basketball for Division I and III schools and junior colleges. He also officiates high school football, baseball and softball.

He said to become an official one needs minimal experience, but it helps to know a little about the sport.

“You need a background of the sport … [to have] general rules knowledge,” Heimerman said.

Every year, new officials are trained before the season begins so the officials are better prepared for student competitions.

To become an good official, Heimerman said one must “take a lot of heat, [be] thick-skinned, mild mannered, show up for work on time, [make the] correct calls [and have] good judgment.”

Jody Justin, a freshman in sociology, said officiating involves more than just making tough calls. He said dealing with athletes also can be difficult.

Justin said he takes a stand against players with poor attitudes. “Don’t take any crap. Toss their ass out,” he said.

He said to become a better official, one must “try to remember mistakes and correct them,” he said.

Challenges for officials are not limited to the rules and the players, but also include learning the different positions each sport requires.

In flag football, for example, there are four officiating positions: referee, umpire, linesman and line judge.

He said all officials have different areas of the field to cover so they can make sure that none of the players are bending the rules.

Justin said his favorite spot is line judge.

“They [defensive players] don’t heckle you as much as a head referee,” he said.

Heineman said benefits to officiating intramural sports besides money include developing leadership skills.

“[You] build self-confidence, handle situations that are conflicts or debates, [and make] resolutions,” Heimerman said. “You can also make friends for life.”

Heimerman added that many students who are involved in one sport switch to different sports throughout the school year.

He said the more experience they have, the greater chance they have to hold supervisor positions.

Justin said he is looking forward to honing his officiating skills throughout the year.

“[I’ll] try to [officiate] five-on- five basketball and football next year again,” Justin said.

Currently, recreation services is looking for officials for the five-on-five basketball season.

Anyone interested in becoming an official should contact Heimerman at recreation services.