(Atlantic) KSOM’s “Why I Coach” feature welcomes two guests this week. On the program are Nodaway Valley boys basketball coach Jeremy Blake and his wife Atlantic Volleyball coach Michelle Blake.
Being married to a head coach provides a unique dynamic especially, especially when your spouse also coaches. Michelle says, “We can talk the X’s and O’s. You just see different things when you are sitting in the stands. You kind of are able to get a little bit of feedback, almost like having another assistant coach that doesn’t sit on the bench with you. That’s definitely one of the perks, but also understanding what it’s like to be a head coach. Just having that support system and someone who is always going to have your back no matter what and always be that sounding board is just another great thing about it.”
The couple welcomed their first child six month ago right in the heart of Jeremy’s first season as a head coach. “It sucked losing time with them, but I also understood even more how valuable that time is. So when we had that time together we made sure we did the best with it and not everyone can always understand that side of it. For me I’m excited this fall to be her biggest supporter and be at those games and do all that stuff just like she did for me. I’m really pumped about that, because I want to return what she did for me.”
Michelle got her start as a 7th grade boys basketball coach for three years, enjoyed her role as the assistant softball coach, and ended up taking over the volleyball program. “We went probably six months with no head volleyball applicants and no assistant volleyball applicants. I had a conversation with AD Matt Alexander and said, ‘I love this group of girls, it’s a great group of kids and they deserve somebody that’s going to push them and care about them and make them better volleyball players. If you can’t find anybody I would take it.'”
Leg injuries in high school and junior college got Jeremy’s coaching career started early. “I went to Phoenix College as a walk on and my legs just couldn’t take it anymore. Our head coach at the time, Matt Gordon, could see that and pulled me into his office and said, ‘You’re probably not going to play a lot if any, but I think you would be a great coach. How about you come on and help me out with that side of things and see if you like it.’ I had kind of the best of both worlds. I got to coach and learn, but I got to hang out with the guys after and get that college experience. The following year I took it a lot more serious.”
Jeremy served as an assistant coach for a high school team in Arizona that won a state championship and on Atlantic’s 2017 state tournament team.
In high school at Atlantic Michelle competed for two Hall of Fame coaches with Bruce Henderson in track and Don Jenkins for basketball and softball. She comments on a lesson learned from coach Jenkins. “He was always going to require your best. Whether you liked it or not he was going to push you to be your best. I tell parents and players that as a coach we are not here to be your friend. Yes I want you to like me and I like you, but at the end of the day I am here to push you to that potential.”
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
Jeremy Blake and Michelle Blake, Nodaway Valley/Atlantic
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
Jim Flanery, Guthrie Center alum (Creighton women’s basketball)
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
