LA CROSSE - Monroe boys track coach Dave Hirsbrunner has reached hundreds of athletes by holding a stop watch and being a motivating force in athletes' track careers.
Hirsbrunner closed out his track head coaching career at the WIAA Division 2 State Track and Field Championships Saturday. Hirsbrunner has coached track for 16 years at Monroe. He served as the girls track coach for eight years and served as the boys head coach for eight years. He has also served as the cross country head coach for 14 years.
"It was sad," said Hirsbrunner, who was hired in May as Monroe's next athletic director to replace Kevin Keen who is retiring. "When it hit me was right before Michael (Barrett) jumped before the National Anthem. I realized that would probably be the last National Anthem I would hear as a head coach."
However, Hirsbruner's impact can't be measured in the minutes, seconds and the heights high jumpers and pole vaulters get to. In the two years I have worked as a sportswriter in Monroe, Hirsbrunner has been what every coach should be. He has high expectations and has a knack for motivating runners to get the most out of their abilities. And he has a passion for coaching.
Hirsbrunner said he still plans to be the boys cross country head coach, but he wants to discuss the boys track head coaching position with Rick Waski, the new Monroe High School principal, before launching a search.
"That will be one of my first duties to find a replacement track coach," he said. "I still want to be the high jump and long distance coach for track."
Hirsbrunner has a respect for the history and great track athletes that have come through Monroe. He takes pride in the fact that the Monroe boys repeated as Badger South Conference champions this spring and added their 20th conference title in track.
There are two national accomplishments that track athletes under his tutelage achieved. Matt Barrett was invited to run in a national invitational 3,200-meter race in Salt Lake City with 20 of the nation's top runners and he finished third. The other accomplishment that Hirsbrunner won't forget is when Monroe's 3,200 relay team of Brandon Miles, Brett DeNure, Tyler Schmidt and Aron Kehoe ran at the Penn Relays in 2007 and finished 11th out of the top 72 relay teams worldwide.
Monroe also owns the 3,200 relay Division 1 state record. Monroe's Miles, DeNure, Patrick Klein and Kehoe set the record (7:42.91) in 2007.
If and when Hirsbrunner is ready to announce his replacement, Monroe track fans can only hope that head coach will have the same determination to challenge runners and push them to excel.
- Mark Nesbitt is a
sportswriter at The Monroe Times and can be reached at mnesbitt@themonroetimes.com or (608) 328-4202 extension 30.
Hirsbrunner closed out his track head coaching career at the WIAA Division 2 State Track and Field Championships Saturday. Hirsbrunner has coached track for 16 years at Monroe. He served as the girls track coach for eight years and served as the boys head coach for eight years. He has also served as the cross country head coach for 14 years.
"It was sad," said Hirsbrunner, who was hired in May as Monroe's next athletic director to replace Kevin Keen who is retiring. "When it hit me was right before Michael (Barrett) jumped before the National Anthem. I realized that would probably be the last National Anthem I would hear as a head coach."
However, Hirsbruner's impact can't be measured in the minutes, seconds and the heights high jumpers and pole vaulters get to. In the two years I have worked as a sportswriter in Monroe, Hirsbrunner has been what every coach should be. He has high expectations and has a knack for motivating runners to get the most out of their abilities. And he has a passion for coaching.
Hirsbrunner said he still plans to be the boys cross country head coach, but he wants to discuss the boys track head coaching position with Rick Waski, the new Monroe High School principal, before launching a search.
"That will be one of my first duties to find a replacement track coach," he said. "I still want to be the high jump and long distance coach for track."
Hirsbrunner has a respect for the history and great track athletes that have come through Monroe. He takes pride in the fact that the Monroe boys repeated as Badger South Conference champions this spring and added their 20th conference title in track.
There are two national accomplishments that track athletes under his tutelage achieved. Matt Barrett was invited to run in a national invitational 3,200-meter race in Salt Lake City with 20 of the nation's top runners and he finished third. The other accomplishment that Hirsbrunner won't forget is when Monroe's 3,200 relay team of Brandon Miles, Brett DeNure, Tyler Schmidt and Aron Kehoe ran at the Penn Relays in 2007 and finished 11th out of the top 72 relay teams worldwide.
Monroe also owns the 3,200 relay Division 1 state record. Monroe's Miles, DeNure, Patrick Klein and Kehoe set the record (7:42.91) in 2007.
If and when Hirsbrunner is ready to announce his replacement, Monroe track fans can only hope that head coach will have the same determination to challenge runners and push them to excel.
- Mark Nesbitt is a
sportswriter at The Monroe Times and can be reached at mnesbitt@themonroetimes.com or (608) 328-4202 extension 30.
