(Harlan) Harlan grad Sam Brummer is coaching at his alma mater. He’s our guest this week on “Why I Coach.”
Brummer has worked his way up the ranks from middle school to being the head varsity boys track coach and an assistant in both football and girls basketball. He’s learned from some great coaches. “I spend about a year at each level and got to work with some great coaches along the way. In middle school my first year was with Steve Daeges. I worked with Jeff Fah for two years and then worked with John Murtaugh who I’ve ended up working with now at the varsity level. If you can work with those three people in your first couple of years of coaching you can learn a heck of a lot and I feel like I did. I transitioned to working with Bill Hosack and Kenard Carstens on the defensive side of the ball when I moved up to the varsity ranks.”
Brummer has enjoyed all of his roles. He comments on his latest endeavor which is to join Zach Klaassen’s girls basketball staff. “Gosh I’ve really loved it. Working with coach Klaassen and coach Mark Kohorst has been a super duper experience. I love the different strategies that come with it.”
Sam Brummer’s younger brother Joe is the head football and baseball coach in Atlantic. He was asked who the best Brummer coaching in the Hawkeye Ten is. “Depends on the sport I guess. He’s got me in baseball, I’ve got him in track, and I guess we can let the scoreboard decide in football over the next however many years. That’s been a fun and interesting development. We talk pretty regularly about coaching and life. Obviously it’s a little different looking across in the varsity game and seeing him over there in Atlantic , but he’s doing a heck of a job.”
Brummer says getting to know the kids on a personal level and experiencing success have been two of the best parts of coaching. “When you get them in athletics sometimes their personality changes. They can really be themselves. Interacting with them has been a complete joy ever since I’ve been teaching since 2011. When you’re at a school like Harlan and you can be successful in a lot of things. I’ve been to state title games and won some and lost some. I’ve coached in a basketball state tournament. At state track we’ve had multiple state medal winners and a Drake Relays champion. Wo when you can experience successes too, that helps drive you as a coach.”
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)
Steve Pelzer, Cumberland-Massena
Andy Hensley, Cumberland-Massena grad (Tri-Center)
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)
Liz Stein, Harlan graduate (Audubon and Underwood)
Angie Spangenberg, Harlan and Red Oak
Eric Stein (Harlan grad) Iowa Central
Darrell Burmeister, Nodaway Valley
Lanny Kliefoth, Nodaway Valley
Dan Schleisman, Shelby-Tennant and Treynor
Chad Harder, (Walnut Grad) Tri-Center
Josh Abel, (Walnut grad), Tri-Center
Kevin Suhr, (Walnut Grad) Blue Valley High School, KS
