MONROE - Sports captured Tom Witt's heart while he was young and have seemingly never left him. Personal traits like teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship and commitment are all things he gleaned from those "good old days," and he's now passing many of them along to athletes in Monroe and to his own children.
Witt was born in Monroe and raised on a farm just outside of town. The dairy farm had a little of everything, he said, and he enjoyed it. He was the youngest child of seven and recalls lots of family fun and freedom. He drove tractor at a young age and regularly helped with chores, which was simply a part of life.
"As far as who I am - when it comes to work ethic and dedication - that's where it comes from," Witt said.
Although milking wasn't his favorite, Witt greatly enjoyed the field work and daily chores. He said the manual labor likely contributed to him developing as an athlete.
Once the hay was in, he recalls the family often making the trek to Cadiz Springs' Beckman Lake or sometimes heading for Governor Dodge State Park to camp together, enjoy the water and each other's company. Those family vacations are definitely on his list of favorite memories.
He attended Northside Elementary School in Monroe. He enjoyed school and said his work ethic transferred at least somewhat from the farm. In high school, he said he was a hands-on learner and attributes much of his guidance to industrial education teacher Kim Cairy.
Athletics in Witt's life came swiftly and, although they were a great excuse to get out of evening chores, he said he also loved them. His parents were supportive of the children being involved, and his father was one of the founding members of the Monroe Youth Wrestling Club.
Witt said wrestling seemed to come naturally with his brothers at home. His father was a boxer in the 1950s, and wrestling was encouraged. As boys often do, there was plenty of "practice" wrestling at home as well. Witt was a two-time national champion in youth wrestling.
Tragedy came when Witt's older brother was killed in a farming accident in 1979, two days before his 17th birthday during one of Green County's worst snowstorms. His funeral fell on Witt's birthday, he said, and it was hard to let go of a big brother he adored.
"He was undefeated at the time in his season for wrestling," Witt said of his brother. "It was a significant moment in my life, and it was tough on all of us, as a family."
In high school, Witt also pursued football and baseball. His sophomore year, he was put on special teams and was a big part of the 1986 season when Coach Pat Martin won his first football state championship in Monroe. He feels lucky to have played at Camp Randall Stadium twice during his high school career.
The sport he deeply loved, however, was always wrestling, and he qualified for state as a junior. His senior year, his record was 37-1 and the 160-pound wrestler became a state champion. He said that was his ultimate goal and he never lost focus of achieving it. He remained positive-minded and had himself convinced he would win.
"That was awesome," he said. "That was my goal."
Not only did he achieve it, but he did it with a torn ACL and brace on his knee. Witt's accomplishments didn't come without adversity. He injured his knee at some point, still pushing through baseball and then starting football.
On his first day of football practice, Witt tore the ACL in his right knee and had two choices - fix it and be done for the season or rehab it and continue with a brace. He chose the rehab option that fall of 1988 and only missed a single game.
His 37-1 wrestling record was done with that torn ACL and brace - and he said many remember that about him.
Sports weren't all about wins and losses, however. Witt said Martin gave the football team an opportunity to become more civic-minded and brought the team to be involved with the Apostolate to the Handicapped. They would help set up for parties and took the senior players to do the Sunday Mass on Channel 3.
Witt said he found boundless enjoyment in that.
"Helping out and giving back was great," he said. "Just knowing you're helping people and giving a fun day for them was great."
The 1989 Monroe High School graduate had a longtime plan that never wavered. He would follow in the footsteps of one of his mentors - Cairy - and make plans to become a technical education teacher. With his athletic background, teaching and coaching seemed to be the perfect fit.
"It just made sense to me," he said.
He attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he pursued his degree to do just that. He also wrestled and played football there for four years, seeing more success in sports.
As he continued his wrestling career in Platteville, Witt was named an All-American, ranked seventh at that time. However, his body would fail him again - he tore the ACL in his left knee this time - ending his wrestling career.
His brother John, who was also at UWP then, encouraged Witt to join him on the football team. Witt snapped the ball for the coaches and played that year despite his injury.
"That's all I did - I was just the long snapper," he said.
After his freshman year on the team, he took more of a permanent position and played defensive end. He earned all conference honors his junior and senior years.
One of the best parts of playing football at UWP was having the opportunity to be coached by George Chryst before his untimely death and then coached by his son, current Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst, who filled in as the offense coordinator for a season. The legendary coaches were an honor to play for, Witt said.
After his graduation from UWP in 1994, Witt and his wife, Kristine, landed in Sheboygan Falls for a semester before a job opportunity came available in Janesville.
The couple felt it was important to return to Monroe, and Witt eventually landed a job in the fall of 1997, beginning his longtime career teaching and coaching in his hometown. It was a dream come to fruition.
"It was a huge draw for us to be close to family," Witt said. "Monroe's not tiny - it's bigger but still has a small-town feel and a great school system."
When he began coaching, it was alongside his own high school coach, Martin, and he said it was an honor he didn't take lightly.
"It was so cool to be coaching with him," he said.
Witt also took on the assistant wrestling coach position at that time and moved on to head wrestling coach in the early 2000s. After Martin retired following the 2003 season, Witt became head football coach but didn't want to do both. He swapped out positions through the years for different reasons and now serves as the head wrestling coach and assistant varsity football coach at MHS.
"There's never been a year when I haven't been involved in athletics in some way," he said. "That's who I am."
He said coaching goes hand-in-hand with hands-on learning and helping people, two things of the utmost importance to him.
"You get kids with different levels of abilities - and you just hope they improve," Witt said of why he loves coaching. "It's not always about the wins and losses. You want the kids to get even better."
He said one of his favorite coaching moments is when he can see a wrestler who loses a match early in the season go back and win later on against the same athlete. Those marks of improvement are what keeps him motivated to work with athletes almost daily.
"It's always a joy to be here at the high school and work with these students and athletes," he said.
Witt and his wife have three children who are following in their father's footsteps in many ways. He's taken on coaching in their lives as well, with his daughter's softball through parks and rec and then creating his own tournament travel team with Monroe and other nearby schools.
He said he spends many weekends taking children to sporting events with his son, Alex, who is a wrestler. Much like when he was a child, they often make a small vacation out of some of those trips. They have a 27-foot pull-behind camper, and Witt said they're creating memories around the wrestling and softball tournaments.
Although someday Witt hopes to relax more, for now, he's enjoying the hustle and bustle of family, fun and sports.
"Coming back to Monroe was one of the best decisions I've ever made," Witt said. "There are good kids here."
The family also loves professional sports and are Badger and Packer fans. Witt loves to take his children to games and has been to several Badger games with Alex. He's a member of the Wisconsin High School Coaches Association for football.
Witt's final quote is something he often says and helps him relate to his students and athletes. He hopes it reminds them to make good choices and stay away from things that could lead them down the wrong path.
"Good things happen to good people," he said.
Witt was born in Monroe and raised on a farm just outside of town. The dairy farm had a little of everything, he said, and he enjoyed it. He was the youngest child of seven and recalls lots of family fun and freedom. He drove tractor at a young age and regularly helped with chores, which was simply a part of life.
"As far as who I am - when it comes to work ethic and dedication - that's where it comes from," Witt said.
Although milking wasn't his favorite, Witt greatly enjoyed the field work and daily chores. He said the manual labor likely contributed to him developing as an athlete.
Once the hay was in, he recalls the family often making the trek to Cadiz Springs' Beckman Lake or sometimes heading for Governor Dodge State Park to camp together, enjoy the water and each other's company. Those family vacations are definitely on his list of favorite memories.
He attended Northside Elementary School in Monroe. He enjoyed school and said his work ethic transferred at least somewhat from the farm. In high school, he said he was a hands-on learner and attributes much of his guidance to industrial education teacher Kim Cairy.
Athletics in Witt's life came swiftly and, although they were a great excuse to get out of evening chores, he said he also loved them. His parents were supportive of the children being involved, and his father was one of the founding members of the Monroe Youth Wrestling Club.
Witt said wrestling seemed to come naturally with his brothers at home. His father was a boxer in the 1950s, and wrestling was encouraged. As boys often do, there was plenty of "practice" wrestling at home as well. Witt was a two-time national champion in youth wrestling.
Tragedy came when Witt's older brother was killed in a farming accident in 1979, two days before his 17th birthday during one of Green County's worst snowstorms. His funeral fell on Witt's birthday, he said, and it was hard to let go of a big brother he adored.
"He was undefeated at the time in his season for wrestling," Witt said of his brother. "It was a significant moment in my life, and it was tough on all of us, as a family."
In high school, Witt also pursued football and baseball. His sophomore year, he was put on special teams and was a big part of the 1986 season when Coach Pat Martin won his first football state championship in Monroe. He feels lucky to have played at Camp Randall Stadium twice during his high school career.
The sport he deeply loved, however, was always wrestling, and he qualified for state as a junior. His senior year, his record was 37-1 and the 160-pound wrestler became a state champion. He said that was his ultimate goal and he never lost focus of achieving it. He remained positive-minded and had himself convinced he would win.
"That was awesome," he said. "That was my goal."
Not only did he achieve it, but he did it with a torn ACL and brace on his knee. Witt's accomplishments didn't come without adversity. He injured his knee at some point, still pushing through baseball and then starting football.
On his first day of football practice, Witt tore the ACL in his right knee and had two choices - fix it and be done for the season or rehab it and continue with a brace. He chose the rehab option that fall of 1988 and only missed a single game.
His 37-1 wrestling record was done with that torn ACL and brace - and he said many remember that about him.
Sports weren't all about wins and losses, however. Witt said Martin gave the football team an opportunity to become more civic-minded and brought the team to be involved with the Apostolate to the Handicapped. They would help set up for parties and took the senior players to do the Sunday Mass on Channel 3.
Witt said he found boundless enjoyment in that.
"Helping out and giving back was great," he said. "Just knowing you're helping people and giving a fun day for them was great."
The 1989 Monroe High School graduate had a longtime plan that never wavered. He would follow in the footsteps of one of his mentors - Cairy - and make plans to become a technical education teacher. With his athletic background, teaching and coaching seemed to be the perfect fit.
"It just made sense to me," he said.
He attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he pursued his degree to do just that. He also wrestled and played football there for four years, seeing more success in sports.
As he continued his wrestling career in Platteville, Witt was named an All-American, ranked seventh at that time. However, his body would fail him again - he tore the ACL in his left knee this time - ending his wrestling career.
His brother John, who was also at UWP then, encouraged Witt to join him on the football team. Witt snapped the ball for the coaches and played that year despite his injury.
"That's all I did - I was just the long snapper," he said.
After his freshman year on the team, he took more of a permanent position and played defensive end. He earned all conference honors his junior and senior years.
One of the best parts of playing football at UWP was having the opportunity to be coached by George Chryst before his untimely death and then coached by his son, current Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst, who filled in as the offense coordinator for a season. The legendary coaches were an honor to play for, Witt said.
After his graduation from UWP in 1994, Witt and his wife, Kristine, landed in Sheboygan Falls for a semester before a job opportunity came available in Janesville.
The couple felt it was important to return to Monroe, and Witt eventually landed a job in the fall of 1997, beginning his longtime career teaching and coaching in his hometown. It was a dream come to fruition.
"It was a huge draw for us to be close to family," Witt said. "Monroe's not tiny - it's bigger but still has a small-town feel and a great school system."
When he began coaching, it was alongside his own high school coach, Martin, and he said it was an honor he didn't take lightly.
"It was so cool to be coaching with him," he said.
Witt also took on the assistant wrestling coach position at that time and moved on to head wrestling coach in the early 2000s. After Martin retired following the 2003 season, Witt became head football coach but didn't want to do both. He swapped out positions through the years for different reasons and now serves as the head wrestling coach and assistant varsity football coach at MHS.
"There's never been a year when I haven't been involved in athletics in some way," he said. "That's who I am."
He said coaching goes hand-in-hand with hands-on learning and helping people, two things of the utmost importance to him.
"You get kids with different levels of abilities - and you just hope they improve," Witt said of why he loves coaching. "It's not always about the wins and losses. You want the kids to get even better."
He said one of his favorite coaching moments is when he can see a wrestler who loses a match early in the season go back and win later on against the same athlete. Those marks of improvement are what keeps him motivated to work with athletes almost daily.
"It's always a joy to be here at the high school and work with these students and athletes," he said.
Witt and his wife have three children who are following in their father's footsteps in many ways. He's taken on coaching in their lives as well, with his daughter's softball through parks and rec and then creating his own tournament travel team with Monroe and other nearby schools.
He said he spends many weekends taking children to sporting events with his son, Alex, who is a wrestler. Much like when he was a child, they often make a small vacation out of some of those trips. They have a 27-foot pull-behind camper, and Witt said they're creating memories around the wrestling and softball tournaments.
Although someday Witt hopes to relax more, for now, he's enjoying the hustle and bustle of family, fun and sports.
"Coming back to Monroe was one of the best decisions I've ever made," Witt said. "There are good kids here."
The family also loves professional sports and are Badger and Packer fans. Witt loves to take his children to games and has been to several Badger games with Alex. He's a member of the Wisconsin High School Coaches Association for football.
Witt's final quote is something he often says and helps him relate to his students and athletes. He hopes it reminds them to make good choices and stay away from things that could lead them down the wrong path.
"Good things happen to good people," he said.
