Minnesota referees travel annually Illinois to oversee football games in honor of their late friend

WAYZATA, Minn. -- A group of Minnesota referees have been overseeing matchups in Minnesota for decades. Through this love of the game, they created a bond that goes beyond our state borders.

For the last 16 years, Jim Schrank has roped his band of brothers to make a special trip over to a suburb outside Chicago to referee football games between Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central High Schools.

"When he first asked us, would we be willing to do that, it was an easy decision, and obviously for a very, very good cause," said Steve Heimer, one of the longtime referees.

"It touches my heart," said Schrank, reflecting on all his referee friends who are willing to make this trip each year for him.

Schrank's high school friend, Tom Schlegel, died in 2006 from pancreatic cancer.

The two graduated from Naperville Central High School in Illinois in 1978, then Schlegel went on to coach football at a rival school, Neuqua Valley.

"He was a great guy. A well-respected teacher and coach at Neuqua Valley," said Schrank.

Each year since Schlegel's passing, those two schools play each other in his honor. Schrank and his referee friends from Minnesota oversee the varsity and JV games that night.

"We donate our game checks to Tom Schlegel Memorial Fund, which benefits Neuqua [Valley] seniors going into Exercise Science, which is what [Schlegel] was all about," said Schrank.

This group of referee friends just got back from their 8th trip to Illinois since 2007. This trip is now a tradition, and that community in Illinois is now their extended family.

"We take care of one another, we have each other's back," said Heimer.

Through the years, many Minnesota referees have participated in this trip with Schrank, including: Steve Heimer, Kevin Britt, Matt Dalle, Clint Hoberg, Matt Gallagher, Adam Heathcoate, Will Oaster, Brian Bloomquist, Greg Rendall, Doug Reimers, Greg Soderberg, Jim Harbert, and Jerry Fagerhaug.

"If you want to make new friends that are great people...become an official, become a judge, become an umpire, and serve those schools and serve those students athletes," said Schrank