Webster City resident Glenn Tjaden (pictured on right) is presented with his 50 years of service plaque as an Iowa official by IHSAA Executive Director Alan Beste during the 23rd Annual IHSAA Officials Recognition Banquet and Award Ceremony on April 29. Submitted photo

WEBSTER CITY — Golden Anniversaries: How many people can say that they’ve experienced one in a lifetime, let alone two?

Webster City native Glenn Tjaden has celebrated two golden anniversaries in his lifetime. The first was with his beautiful wife, Mary Tjaden, whom he has been married to for 53 years. Tjaden recently experienced another 50th anniversary as a referee for Iowa high school athletics.

Neither of these milestones are achieved without tremendous dedication, self-sacrifice, and commitment. These words epitomize the man, the husband, and the sports fanatic that is Glenn Tjaden.

On Saturday, April 29, Tjaden’s hard work and dedication to Iowa high school athletics was duly recognized at the 23rd Iowa High School Athletic Association Annual Officials Recognition Banquet and Award Ceremony. Tjaden was presented with a plaque to commemorate his 50 years as a sports official in the state of Iowa.

Before he became an official, Tjaden coached multiple sports such as football, basketball and track.

In 1972, Title IX was passed allowing girls to compete in high school athletics. Tjaden graciously rose to the occasion, and became Webster City’s first ever girls’ basketball and girls’ track coach. He had a positive impact on new and big changes in high school athletics in Webster City. Many of the school’s personal best track records are held by the girls that Tjaden coached. Their names are printed on the walls surrounding the gym at Webster City High School.

Tjaden first started to officiate games while he was a football coach back in 1967. It’s safe to say that football was his favorite sport to officiate when his coaching days were over. When he started the girls’ sports program he was coaching a lot of basketball so he only had time to officiate football games.

“For about 40 out of my 50 years I’ve been pretty busy as an official. During football season I would ref up to 30 games,” Tjaden said.

Fifty years is a long time to be an official, especially given the late nights, long drives, less than ideal weather at times, and the occasional rowdy fans that referees encounter. Tjaden himself has never kept a record of how many games he has officiated. Suffice it to say, we are talking over a thousand games for the duration of his 50-year career.

When asked what has kept him working with the IHSAA for so long, Tjaden replied with, “You begin to make friends with the people you referee with, which helps to make the job fun. I enjoy working with the kids as well, especially the high school kids because they always keep it interesting. Not to mention the exercise you get out of it is nice.”

According to Tjaden, the most challenging aspect of being a ref is dealing with the people in the stands who think they know more about the rules than he does. Over the last 50 years many rules have been altered or changed completely, which most fans wouldn’t know or often are unaware of at the time.

The IHSAA is enforcing sportsmanship more and more every year and expects the teams to exhibit good sportsmanship at all times.

“Coaches and players have gotten more respectful which paves the mood for the crowd,” Tjaden said.

In Tjaden’s opinion, high school athletes have a knack for making games fun and interesting for their spectators. The excitement and charisma the kids bring to the field or court is what keeps Tjaden working. When coaches reciprocate this excitement it makes his job as the official all the more easy.

“Of course the winning team will tell you that you refereed a good game,” Tjaden said, “but it’s when the losing team will say something nice about how you did as an official that really makes it worth it.”

Outside of being a game official, Tjaden spends a lot of time with his family, being an active member of the Kiwanis club, and staying in shape. His family is his biggest support group and has been over the last 50 years.

Nowadays, Tjaden just picks up a few junior high or junior varsity games here and there. Officials with fewer years of experience are still working their day jobs when those games are being played, so Tjaden steps in for them.

When you speak of Webster City sports history, longevity, and accomplishments, former football coach Dick Tighe or current coach Bob Howard might be mentioned. Deservedly so, considering their successes with the program.

But in that same breath, Tjaden’s numerous games serving as coach and referee should be spoken of as well.

When asked for his thoughts about retirement from officiating, Tjaden responded with, “I’ll retire when my body won’t let me do it anymore.”