WATERTOWN — Former Watertown teacher and coach Mark Bellum has been selected as the honorary referee for the 60th Watoma Relays track and field meet.The meet, started in the 1950s and sponsored by the Watoma Club of Watertown, is scheduled (weather perimitting) for Friday, April 24, 2026, at the Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex.The relays haven't been held since 2022 due to a combination of weather and the renovation of the complex. It has been cancelled six times in the past eight years. Meet officials are hopefully the streak ends this year with forecast of temperatures around 50 on Friday.If Mother Nature cooperates, Bellum will serve as the honorary referee.Bellum graduated from Columbus High School in Columbus, NE in 1982 and attended the University of South Dakota, playing football for four years and running indoor track for three years.In the spring of 1987, he started his teaching and coaching career at Bridgewater as a fifth-grade teacher and assistant girls and boys track coach.
That same fall, he took over a sixth-grade teacher at Mellette Elementary in Watetown.During his 33 years in Watertown, he coached lower-level football, varsity girls gymnastics and varsity girls and boys track.Bellum served as head coach of the Watertown gymnastics team for 18 seasons, leading the gymnasts to the school's first state championship in 2006. As a sprint and relay coach in track and field, Bellum coached several Eastern South Dakota Conference, Howard Wood Dakota Relays and state Class AA record-holding relay teams. Bellum served as an assistant coach on eight ESD championship, six state runner-up and Watertown's 1998 state Class AA boys' state championship team.Bellum retired from education in 2020 and currently serves as the announcer for the Arrow volleyball and basketball teams.He is married to former Watertown head volleyball coach Rosemary Bellum.
Bellum is the proudstepfather of Casey and Corey Janisch, with whom he has five grandchildren, and Josie and AnnaHirtz. Anna is a senior sprinter for the Arrow girls track team and Josie is a sophomore at South Dakota State University.2026 AREA TRACK PREVIEW: Watertown, Aberdeen Central teams slated to open season at Huron InvitePast Honorary RefereesMeet was cancelled in 1970, 1979, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024 and 2025.1965 — Jim Emmerich.1966 — Frank Coffey.1967 — Clar Lilevjen.1968 — Elvin "Duke" Grow.1969 — Norb Neisen.1971 — Vic Frentz.1972 — Russell W. White.1973 — Gail "Rip" Rohr.1974 — Dwight D.
Miller.1975 — Gerald E. Tracy, M.D.1976 — Jerry Welfl.1977 — A.P. Sonstegard.1978 — Jerry McElroy.1980 — Vic Michelson.1981 — E.W. "Corky" Moehring.1982 — Merle Heidenreich.1983 — Father Leonard Stanton.1984 — Marv Sherrill.1985 — Howard Paulson.AREA TOP PERFORMERS: State's track, softball, baseball, tennis and golf athletes competing1986 — Bill Stemwedel.1987 — Mark Bierscheid.1988 — Harvey Hammrich.1989 — Duane Nordquist.1990 — Bert Voegele.1991 — Merle Bierscheid.1992 — Dick Jurgens.1993 — Rick Dohrer.1994 — Jerry Grotewold.1995 — Dan Albertsen.1996 — Larry Peterson.1997 — Steve Kjellsen.1998 — Don Kropp.1999 — Nick Kranz.2000 — Ray Rylance.2001 — Jim Silliman.2002 — Jerry Elshere.2003 — Curt Ehresmann.2004 — Ron VanLaecken.2005 — Vic Godfrey.2006 — Ron Peterka.2007 — Rollie Heiden.2008 — Doug Schooley.2009 — Virg Polak.2010 — Jim Roby.2011 — Francis Kearney.2012 — George Newman.2014 — Rich Hetland.2015 — Brady Lunde.2016 — Ernie Edwards.2017 — Gary Cotten.2021 — Scott Gilbertson.2022 — Annette Roby.Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.comThis article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Honorary referee named for 60th Watoma Relays track & field meet