(Underwood) “Why I Coach” guest John Tiarks rose from running the video camera to assistant coach and eventually became a head coach.
Tiarks says always had a love for football. Thus he wanted to be involved someway, somehow. He got his start at Underwood in the early 2000’s. “I got out of college and was one of those guys that grew up loving the game and thought we knew something, but then we got to coaching these kids and figured out you didn’t know anything. So like anything successful thing in my life, we just started to figure things out by screwing it up. So a lot of those kids from ’01 to ’07 and frankly throughout the rest of my career got to be the guinea pigs for helping me become a better coach.”
His second school he worked for as an assistant coach was Riverside where he cherished his time with head coach Burke Swenson. “Probably didn’t have quite the success we wanted, but felt like we had some really good impact on some kids over there and some really good relationships. I really loved coaching with Burke. I would almost pay money at some point in my life to get a chance to work with Burke Swenson again. Just as fine of a guy as I’ve had a chance to work with.”
After two years as offensive coordinator of the Bulldogs, Tri-Center presented Tiarks with his first opportunity to be a head coach. “Those first few years were just phenomenal. I go back to the fall of ’11 when we beat Underwood and it was the first time in a really long time.” Tiarks recalls, “I think any coach would tell you when you move into a place and give them some hope and then are able to cash in on some of that and see people celebrating as the result of the work that you and your staff have put in, that’s ultra rewarding. When I got to Tri-Center that was a hungry group.”
After nearly 20 years in the business, Tiarks has spent the last couple of seasons out of coaching. “I miss it. It’s been fun doing a little bit of radio work. Friday night’s are a lot less stressful.” Tiarks says, “It’s different. I sure miss the kids, I miss the relationships, and I miss the camaraderie with coaches on my staff and guys we were coaching against.” Tiarks admits he’s not sure where or when, but he still has the itch to be a head coach again.
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
