(Anita) You’ll be hard pressed to find a coaching story more inspiring than Todd Russell. Russell’s life changed dramatically with a stroke on August 4th, 2014.
Despite not being able to speak, Russell agreed to help out with CAM’s cross country program and it eventually led to head coaching jobs for boys and girls cross country along with boys track. Deb Brown was the one who initially brought him on board. “I could not speak. I just really couldn’t and coach Brown asked me a couple of times in 2016 ‘Hey why don’t you help me, why don’t you help me?’ I actually helped her and after that season Brian Fogleman asked me, ‘Hey why don’t you coach the boys.’ And so I did. CAM is a blessing to me after the stroke. Joe Wollum was a believer. I couldn’t even talk, but coach Wollum said, ‘You can coach anyway.’ That’s kind of funny. The kids really helped me. They just helped me so much. They had a lot of patience. The CAM family was really, really good for me.”
When he began as a coach he was a self-described dictator. While he still recognizes the utilization of a good ‘chewing’… he’s changed his tune overall. “Basically when you are looking at good coaches, yeah they have a lot of patience. When they can chew out the athlete that’s ok, but then when the athlete is doing their stuff you have to praise them. Now when I’m coaching I’m praising about 95%. I’m only going to chew the athlete about 5%, maybe less than that.”
The 1990 graduate of Anita says he had a lot great experiences in college as an athlete in football and track at Buena Vista. An injury as a junior changed his outlook on things. “My senior year in college. I had a surgery my junior year in football. I didn’t go out my senior year and then in the spring I was just tired for practicing the 400 meters. Practice was not very fun. That decision was very important for me because I was missing it. So I can say to my teams don’t quit, just believe and achieve and do your very best.”
Russell moved to Kearney, NE after guiding CAM to a successful track season last year. Right now he’s not coaching anything, but notes he’s missing being around the kids and hopes to get involved in the future. “Time with the kids. Especially when you are running with them. They can stay a lot of stuff. It’s basically just their lives. They have a lot of stress, I know that. So it’s good for working with them and it’s very special.”
Russell has coached football, cross country, and track. He spent the first 14 years of his career coaching in Nebraska. Russell lists Ron Brewer, of Minden, NE, as a key influence on him along with Rex Merhoff, of CAM, and others.
Previous Coaches
(Click to listen)
John Kesselring, Adair-Casey alum
Eric Maassen, (AHST grad) Sheldon
Jerome Hoegh, Atlantic grad (West Sioux)
Gaylord Schelling, Atlantic and Tri-Center
Dick Strittmatter, Atlantic native
Chad Klein, Audubon Native (Kuemper Catholic and Boone)
In Memory of Bob Monahan, Audubon (Monte Riebhoff)
In Memory of Bob Monahan, Audubon (Steve Ahrendsen)
In Memory of Bob Monahan, Audubon (Scott Weber)
In Memory of Bob Monahan, Audubon (Curt Mace)
Jason Mehrhoff, Anita Native (Carlisle)
Eric Hjelle, Elk Horn-Kimballton grad (Underwood)
Brett Watson, Elk Horn-Kimballton alum (Waukee Northwest)
Warren Watson, Elk Horn-Kimballton
Chris Stimson, Elk Horn-Kimballton
Scott Yates, Elk Horn-Kimballton
Jan Jensen, Elk Horn-Kimballton alum
Seth Poldberg, EH-K grad and Guthrie Center coach
Marc Bierbaum, Griswold grad and Iowa Western track/cross country assistant
Trevor Gipple, (Griswold grad) SW Valley
Curt Schulte, Harlan graduate (Glenwood)
Angie Spangenberg, Harlan and Red Oak
Eric Stein (Harlan grad) Iowa Central
Darrell Burmeister, Nodaway Valley
Lanny Kliefoth, Nodaway Valley
Chad Harder, (Walnut Grad) Tri-Center
