AREA COACHES MADE AN IMPACT

     For several years in the 50's/60's, the Kornerman covered area high school athletic events for the News Republican and KWBG radio. That gave me the opportunity to meet numerous individuals who had devoted themselves to teaching/coaching young men and women through athletic practice and contest activities. Many of them had great personal success, including directing teams and individuals to conference and even statewide championships. Many became longtime friends.
     Boone and Boone Junior College/DMACC? I'm not even going to get into that. There were too many good ones and great ones to delve into. Maybe at a later date.
     But in the "outside" coverage area, down at Madrid there was John Mills and Randy Hinkel, Bob Norris, Bob Bowen and Tom Newell were at Ogden, Larry Hughes and Lee Arrowsmith over at Grand Junction/East Greene, Tom Nutt at United Community, Rex Browning and Derald Swisher at Boxholm/Grand, Dale Sorenson and Dick Rasmussen at South Hamilton, George Duvall at Stratford, Norm Kolberg and Don Stubbs at Dayton and Bill Hennessey at Story City/Roland Story. There certainly are some Hall of Famers in that group.
     Before there were football playoffs, Mills had some great Tiger teams and Hinkel practically owned his class in the state football playoffs for several years with title and runnerup finishes. Bowen led the Ogden boys to the state basketball tournament in 1952, Duvall's boys won a state basketball championship at Ames in 1973, Nutt guided United teams of 1970 and 1988 to the state boys basketball meet, Swisher coached the Grand girls to the state basketball tourney in 1960 while Sorenson and Rasmussen both had girls basketball success at South Hamilton and later, Rasmussen at Ankeny. Sorenson was a state champion coach at South Hamilton in 1965 and Rasmussen's Ankeny teams won three titles. Rasmussen also had Ankeny softball teams that won 13 state championships while Hennessey's Story City/Roland Story teams captured seven softball championships. That, my friends, is success and the Kornerman enjoyed riding alongside for a small portion of it.
      Lots of other area coaches, though, weren't real fancy, not real well known, statewide, but were simply "salt of the earth" type who, on a daily basis, gave all the hours, the knowledge, compassion and positive guidance they could muster to hundreds of  young people they encountered over a long period of time.
     One of those was Gordon Severson, who came to Boone County, liked it and stayed to teach and coach at Luther and United.
     Gordon is 94 years old, his wife is 88 and they still live in their Luther home. He and I have kept in contact through the years. In fact, I dropped him a note before the holidays and he has now replied with some very interesting comments.
     Gordon wrote, "In small schools, one coach was all that was needed; girls and boys both called me,"coach." I don't recall many Hall of Fame games. We played other schools, just our size, for the enjoyment of playing. Perhaps at specific moments we overstepped the fun and enjoyment. Quite sure there were situations during games that we forgot it was "only a game.""
     He talked about growing up with great sports experiences involving his parents and siblings, going to games and playing games "sometimes on a regular field and sometimes in an old cow pasture. We were lucky to have gloves, bats and rocks for bases. Those were the fun days."
     After finishing his career at United, Gordon enjoyed helping coach his grandsons at Madrid from Little League days on into high school.
     Gordon concluded, "the "old timers" who played years ago, their playing days then were as important as the games now being played. I think they were much more fun then than the games being played today. No million dollar signing bonuses then. Am I jealous? No, not a bit. We just played for the fun and enjoyment." No doubt Gordon and many others had that same philosophy during their coaching/teaching days......."just for the fun and enjoyment of it." But also with another purpose. Giving positive guidance to young people.
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Chris Kessler, 58, Boone..........Louise Isenberg, 90, Boone. Worked for several airlines. In 1967, she and her husband, Wilbur, moved to Central Iowa. They opened a flight school in Nevada and operated that until the late 70's. Louise then worked for Donnelly's, the Ames Greenhouse and the Boone Walmart. A son survives..........Jayson Johnson,  40,  Fort Dodge. Two sons survive, including Caleb Dodd  of Boone........Carolyn Frederick, 77, Ogden. A University of Nebraska grad with a degree in medical records. Worked in the Chicago area. Moved to Ames 45 years ago and worked for Blue Cross..........Mary Jo Cady Dimmitt, 73, Boone. BSH-63. Furthered her education at DMACC. Married Robert Dimmitt in 1969. She worked at Heinrich Envelope and  at Sacred Heart school from 2009 until retirement in 2016. Boone survivor is a brother, Jim Peterson. Two daughters also survive..........Joyce Snowgren DeVoogd, 81, Boone. Born in Boone. BHS-55. Married Harold DeVoogd in 1955. She served as a CNA/CMA at the Boone County Care Facility, Madrid Home and Eastern Star. Three sons and two daughters survive, including Tina Mourlam of Stratford and Alicia Van Cannon of Boone. Two sisters also survive,  including Claudia Armstrong of Ames.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments........
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