MONROE — Howie Jubeck used to tell his students: “I wish you luck, but I wish you better decisions.” 

After more than three decades in the classroom, coaching thousands of athletes and raising his own children, he said that although life is a bit of luck — it’s truly more about making good choices, being able to laugh at yourself and finding the comfort in your own skin that can eventually make you successful. 

He’s been retired from teaching for nine years and coached his last season almost a year ago — and said though the wins and losses have faded into his memory — he hopes some of the other life lessons stuck.

“The wins and losses kind of fade,” he said. “But the memories and the relationships — they stay with you. That’s what I’ll miss.”

Jubeck was born in Milwaukee and lived there throughout his childhood with two younger brothers on the south side. 

He felt surrounded by family and despite the “big city life” he lived, he said his wholesome childhood with a simple home and lifestyle was positive. Sports became a large part of his upbringing early on, and although there were fewer opportunities for organized sports, he recalls shoveling off the playground for a game of basketball with the neighborhood children. 

He was an “outdoors kid” from the start — often spending time with his father and brothers hunting and fishing around the state. The family had land on Washington Island, at the time with no electricity, where they spent weeks during the year. 

“I was very fortunate,” he said.

At Milwaukee Pulaski Schools, it was a time that lent itself to racial tension and riots, but Jubeck said he was more focused at the time on his close-knit family. Once a month they would congregate on Sunday after church for t-bone steaks and take a ride to Waukesha for ice cream.

Jubeck’s sports interest grew in high school. He ran cross country and track and played basketball. He served as the captain of all of those teams. He said though he didn’t see himself as a leader at that time, it was certainly within him. His favorite sport was track — and said as a rambunctious, talkative child, the activities were the perfect outlet to keep him from trouble.

His senior year, Jubeck won the W-Club award, celebrating the top athlete at the school, and said it helped build his confidence. His high school had more than 2,500 students. 

After his graduation from Milwaukee Pulaski High School in 1972, Jubeck said he felt inspired by his math teacher and track coach, who had somewhat taken him under his wing. He hoped to follow in the footsteps of the person who talked him into going out for track.

“It was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said.

He chose to attend the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, a school that specialized in physical education and health and decided to become a teacher.

“It was because of some of the influences people had on me,” he said. 

He was on the track team at UW-La Crosse and the hurdler turned sprinter eventually became the team’s captain. 

“I was a shy kid but I did develop into a leader,” he admitted. “It was partly skill, partly who I am and partly the people around me.”

While in La Crosse, Jubeck met his future wife, Robyn, and several friends. He said college was when he “came out of his shell.”

After graduation, Jubeck landed two interviews — but while in the placement office, he saw a sign for a job opening in Monroe. Although Robyn had spent some elementary school years in Monroe and Jubeck had heard of the small town from people he encountered through track, he didn’t know much about it.

He sent in his resume, and recalls the day he came to Monroe in a tight leisure suit to interview. 

“I had the job in an hour,” he said. 

It could have been the intrigue from the principal and superintendent at that time wondering what the “city boy” wanted in Monroe; Jubeck said he wasn’t quite sure why they chose him above the five other candidates who still had to interview in June 1977.

He even grabbed a studio apartment on his way out of town — Robyn still had schooling left in La Crosse — and said his life changed that day in a matter of just a few hours. 

“It was the luckiest day of my life to be honest with you,” he said. 

The couple married in 1978 and Robyn made her way to Monroe as well. Her father, Bob Wells, once taught in Monroe. 

Jubeck started as the middle and elementary school physical education teacher. He said he has wonderful memories of traveling to Browntown, Hiawatha School, old East School and South School before things changed. 

During his first years of teaching, Jubeck worked in La Crosse during the summers for CESA with underprivileged children and was the recreation director at Viterbo College. He said that changed the way he taught and introduced him to people he would have never otherwise encountered. He spent a couple of summers in charge of the Monroe public pool. 

After 33 years of teaching, Jubeck retired at age 55, but didn’t give up coaching. He enjoyed middle school students — and said he felt lucky to be around such a unique group of students.

“They were floundering — but innocent and honest,” he said. “I learned more when my own kids went through.”

He kept noon hour duty through the duration of his time with the district — a job few enjoyed as much as him — saying he found joy seeing his students in a new light.

Through the years Jubeck led about 12 student teachers and always felt proud when some would stay in the district. He also supervised several eighth-grade field trips to Toronto and Washington D.C. He said a strong staff and so many wonderful mentors through the years kept him happy while teaching for so long.

“My mentors,” he said. “They all ended as close friends. Pretty soon — you’re the mentor – it just happens.”

He served as the district health coordinator for several years and was the middle school athletic director for seven years. Although he was just a few credits shy of his administrative degree, Jubeck said it was never a real interest to him. 

“I just think I would have missed coaching too much,” he said.

When he first started coaching, he was an assistant to Clarence Bruess, who proved to be a longtime mentor and friend to him. He took on middle school wrestling and assisted track for a while. Through the years, he would never coach fewer than three sports per year — and many years he coached four. He stuck with junior high wrestling for 31 years, middle school cross country for 21 years, middle school girls basketball for 13 years and middle school boys basketball for five years. He was the high school girls cross country coach for 20 years, the high school girls track coach for 13 years, the high school boys track coach for six years and the high school assistant track coach for 18 years.

“I had a lot of great mentors over the years,” he said.

Although he stopped for a stint, he said he got back into coaching when his own children were going through the programs so he could coach them. Although the success came in strong, he said he better recalls the athletes, fellow coaches and friends he encountered. He loved coaching his son, Eric. 

 “We took an individual sport and turned it into a team sport,” he said.

All in all, Jubeck coached 127 seasons of both high school and middle school sports, finishing his final last fall. He said he coached a grandchild of someone he previously coached — and that was his telltale sign to hang up his whistle. 

“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “The relationships and the memories — they’re wonderful.”

One thing of which he’s most proud is that his son, Eric, has followed in his footsteps and is now the girls track coach and a special education teacher in Monroe. Jubeck finds it humbling as a father. 

“His grandpa was a track coach,” Jubeck said. “We have three generations and I’m proud of that. He’s ‘Coach Jubeck’ now and I’m a fan. We’ve been so blessed.”

Jubeck has received recognition to the program as well. He brought home 19 Badger Conference Championships as the head coach and was named District Coach of the Year for the cross country program and three times for the track and field program.

When athletes see him and express their gratitude, he said their gratitude for the life skills he imparted is more meaningful than their memories of victories or defeats. Though there were plenty of wins to be excited about. For eight years in a row, he took girls cross country teams to state with sectional championships under their belt and helped the track team in 2014 with the state championship.

“The kids keep you young,” he said. “I loved coaching. I loved the relationships we developed.”

Robyn also made a career of teaching, and completed 35 years as the adaptive physical education teacher in Monroe. Jubeck said without her strong support, he wouldn’t have been able to do what he’s done.

“I was gone so many nights,” he said. “Robyn was the glue that held everything together.”

Through the years, Jubeck said he never really considered being anywhere else. Monroe was too great a place to raise his children and he had made several deep friendships. 

“I wouldn’t change anything,” he said. “I never really thought of my teaching and coaching as a job.”

He still hasn’t completely given up on sports — he now officiates track and cross country meets and has for the past four years. He said it keeps him busy and he still loves to watch student accomplishments.

“I loved coaching the JV kids just as much as I loved coaching the stars,” he said. “I loved motivating kids, seeing kids succeed. Sports did that. It’s the greatest feeling.”

He said now with two wonderful children and a career of teaching and coaching under his belt, he’s ready to enjoy life, travel and become a fan on the sidelines. He and Robyn have taken a few trips, one recently to Alaska and have some more things planned. He’s still an outdoors person, hunting and fishing, although he said he enjoys more the sounds of nature than his gun these days. He still loves sports — working the down box, officiating and following his favorite Wisconsin teams.

“I try not to let any dust grow under my feet,” he said.

He also enjoys playing poker and spending time with family. His friendships and family are what matters most these days.

“If everybody could have the life I have I think they’d be pretty happy,” he said.

His final thought is something he would tell to both his students and athletes. He hoped to push them enough to not be afraid to put themselves out there, be themselves and yet stay humble.

“Don’t be afraid to be good,” he concluded.