“Why I Coach” with Elk Horn-Kimballton grad Seth Poldberg

(Elk Horn) Elk Horn-Kimballton graduate and former Guthrie Center boys basketball coach Seth Poldberg is this week’s Why I Coach guest.

Poldberg is out of coaching for the time being while his kids grow up. His last stop was at Carlisle where he was the head boys basketball coach for four years, but he’s now a principal at North Polk. He lists several coaching icons during his days in high school like Warren Watson, Tony Petersen, Doug Newton, and Chris Stimson. “As a young kid in Elk Horn-Kimballton in the early 90’s you just had some great coaching mentors there as well. Mitch Osborn and Rod Hoegh were there. The teams they had were really good.”

After learning a lot during his college career at Wayne State he student taught with some great coaching mentorship at Harlan and then landed his first teaching and coaching job at Guthrie Center. One of the big highlights with the Tigers was a 3rd place finish at the 2011 state tournament. “The things about those runs at a small school is it’s all about the community. The community following the team and the pride that comes with it. That reminded me a lot of being an athlete at Elk Horn-Kimballton. That was phenomenal. I certainly look back fondly on those years at Guthrie Center.”

Coincidentally, basketball was far from his top sport, but it’s the on he ended up coaching. “Basketball didn’t come as natural to me as football and baseball so I had to become a student of the game and talk to other coaches. I didn’t always see myself as a basketball coach, but it worked out that way.”

Poldberg says he’d recommend teaching and coaching as a career path hinting that America needs great educators now more than ever. While he’s not actively coaching at the high school level, he certainly wouldn’t rule out a return to the bench in the future.

Previous Coaches

Colin Shawgo, ACGC

Cody Matthewson, ACGC

Shawn Danker, ACGC

Cory Bartz, Adair-Casey

John Kesselring, Adair-Casey alum

Wade Anderson, Adair-Casey

Kelsey Muxfeldt, AHSTW

Evan McCarthy, AHSTW

GG Harris, AHSTW

Frank Nelsen, AHST

Jason Holst, AHSTW

Eric Maassen, (AHST grad) Sheldon

Jerome Hoegh, Atlantic grad (West Sioux)

Lee Saathoff, Atlantic

Tim Duff, Atlantic/CAM

Gaylord Schelling, Atlantic and Tri-Center

Dan Vargason, Atlantic

Terry Hinzmann, Atlantic

Kathy Hobson, Atlantic

Chad Klein, Audubon Native (Kuemper Catholic and Boone)

Darran Miller, Audubon

Sean Birks, Audubon

Monte Riebhoff, Audubon

Bud Legg, Anita Native

Dean Downer, CAM

Lance Lage, CAM

Joe Wollum, CAM

Dan Daugherty, CAM

Larry Hunt, CAM

Aaron Pelzer, C&M/Norwalk

Tony Petersen, Exira-EHK

Tom Petersen, Exira-EHK

Doug Newton, Exira-EHK

Terry Weisenborn, Exira-EHK

Cory Faust, Glenwood

Raymond Butt, Griswold

Kent Gade, Griswold

Chad Rodgers, Griswold

Chris Hamilton, Griswold

Peggy Hansen, Griswold

Trevor Gipple, (Griswold grad) SW Valley

Todd Bladt, Harlan

Mitch Osborn, Harlan

Doug Renkly, Harlan

Steve Daeges, Harlan

Joel Osborn, Harlan

Eric Stein (Harlan grad) Iowa Central

Darrell Burmeister, Nodaway Valley

Dan Jameson, Nodaway Valley

James Larson, Nodaway Valley

Lanny Kliefoth, Nodaway Valley

Darrell Frain, Riverside

Alex Oliver, Riverside

Gary Wax, Riverside

Chris Conover, Riverside

Chad Harder, (Walnut Grad) Tri-Center

Jason Book, (Walnut grad) ADM

Bob Gross, Walnut

Denny Book, Walnut

Kevin Suhr, (Walnut Grad) Blue Valley High School, KS