It fascinates me to learn about the many facets of the life of Scott “Scooter” Hale of West Des Moines. Many of you knew Scott as a dedicated football, wrestling, and basketball official. No wonder he was known and respected by so many folks all across Iowa and beyond. But I didn’t know that while a student at Iowa State, he was a manager for both the football and wrestling programs.
His full obituary can be found here
His obituary appeared in the Des Moines Register on 10/25.
Among the things I did know about Scott:
- Perhaps he was drawn to football because his dad was a high school coach in Pella (among other schools)
- He was an expert in kicking and special teams, having coached many well-known kickers, punters and long snappers who went on to successful careers
- He was a former president and longtime officer here with the DMOA
- In his final year on the DMOA Board, he proposed and advocated for The John Keck Award to recognize an area official for lifelong achievement
- Election season was of special interest to Scott as he served as a Polk County Elections Official in his home precinct in West Des Moines (do you have a plan to vote?)
- To note from the obituary, “A private funeral service for family and close friends will be held near Beatrice, Nebraska. A larger celebration of Scott’s life will be held in the Des Moines area at a later date, providing an opportunity for friends, colleagues, fellow officials, and members of the Iowa State community to gather and remember him. Details and arrangements will be distributed later. Funeral arrangements are being coordinated through Hamilton’s Funeral Home in West Des Moines and Fox Funeral Home in Beatrice, Nebraska.”
No doubt you’ve got a favorite memory with Scott. Were you on one of his crews? Please shares your thoughts in a comment below.
Scott was my football mentor.
I worked all the Van Meter JH and JV games with Scott for many years. He was an excellent teacher and coach. He emphasized mechanics and would take the time during a game to discuss the fouls I called.
I worked with him from time to time over the years, and it was always great to see him and work with him.
I’m sorry for our loss.
Joe Follett
I too worked a bunch of youth games with Scott. A great teacher, very encouraging. Also admired that he wouldn’t hesitate to point out a deficiency or point to improve.