MONROE - Curt Miller, one week after the football season ended, decided to resign as Monroe head football coach, citing a need to spend more time with family.
Miller guided the Cheesemakers to a 4-5 season for the second straight year. In eight years as head coach, Miller is 23-49 with one playoff appearance in 2012.
Miller said the pressure of being a playoff team and a late-season incident that forced the suspension of two senior players for one game due to their parts in carrying out a prank in Fort Atkinson were not deciding factors in his resignation.
"There are a lot of things that had an effect on my decision," Miller said. "We are definitely in a conference where many weeks we are the underdogs. There is pressure. It didn't weigh much into my approach or decision. My dream job was to be a head football coach and a physical education teacher. That goes up against my dream family and at the end of the day I will choose to spend more time with my family. Ultimately, it was a family decision."
Miller was named the Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week earlier this year after the Cheesemakers beat conference leader Oregon 25-21. Miller and the football program were awarded $1,000 by the Packers.
Miller has coached 20 seasons for the Cheesemakers, including seven seasons as the girls track coach and five as the boys track coach. He helped guide Monroe to a WIAA Division 2 state title in boys track in 2014. Miller resigned as boys track coach last spring.
"That was neat to get a mark in the history of the state," he said of the program's first state championship since 1966 and setting state records along the way. "It's something I will never forget."
Miller, a Waterloo native, is a 1999 graduate of Waterloo High School, where he started at quarterback for his father, Doug Miller, a Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame member. After high school, he played football at Carroll College where he was a receiver and punter.
Miller said some of the most memorable moments as a football coach include making the playoffs in 2013, seeing the Cheesemakers storm back from a 20-point halftime deficit in 2008 to knock off Stoughton 21-20 on Mitch Tordoff's touchdown pass to his brother Bryan Tordoff, seeing Alex Barenklau lead comebacks in back-to-back years to knock off Milton and this year's upset of Oregon.
"It's probably the biggest win for the program since I have been here," he said of the thrilling win against the Panthers on homecoming. "Every game we played this year we were competitive. We haven't always been able to say that."
Miller informed his players and coaching staff of his decision about one week after the season ended.
"I told the coaching staff I would certainly be willing to help with the transition process," he said of when a new coach is hired. "It will come down to the athletic director, and the decision on when they hire a coach. There are a lot of teams doing things right now. I want the best for Monroe football and I hope they have a new coach and leadership soon."
He won't be a stranger to football next fall or track in the spring. He plans to be a color radio commentator for football games with Big Radio in Monroe. Miller recently received his officiating certificate so he can work track meets this spring.
"I'm planning on officiating some track meets with Howie Jubeck," Miller said of the longtime Monroe track coach. "I won't be coaching, but I will still be there and be a part of it."
Miller guided the Cheesemakers to a 4-5 season for the second straight year. In eight years as head coach, Miller is 23-49 with one playoff appearance in 2012.
Miller said the pressure of being a playoff team and a late-season incident that forced the suspension of two senior players for one game due to their parts in carrying out a prank in Fort Atkinson were not deciding factors in his resignation.
"There are a lot of things that had an effect on my decision," Miller said. "We are definitely in a conference where many weeks we are the underdogs. There is pressure. It didn't weigh much into my approach or decision. My dream job was to be a head football coach and a physical education teacher. That goes up against my dream family and at the end of the day I will choose to spend more time with my family. Ultimately, it was a family decision."
Miller was named the Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week earlier this year after the Cheesemakers beat conference leader Oregon 25-21. Miller and the football program were awarded $1,000 by the Packers.
Miller has coached 20 seasons for the Cheesemakers, including seven seasons as the girls track coach and five as the boys track coach. He helped guide Monroe to a WIAA Division 2 state title in boys track in 2014. Miller resigned as boys track coach last spring.
"That was neat to get a mark in the history of the state," he said of the program's first state championship since 1966 and setting state records along the way. "It's something I will never forget."
Miller, a Waterloo native, is a 1999 graduate of Waterloo High School, where he started at quarterback for his father, Doug Miller, a Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame member. After high school, he played football at Carroll College where he was a receiver and punter.
Miller said some of the most memorable moments as a football coach include making the playoffs in 2013, seeing the Cheesemakers storm back from a 20-point halftime deficit in 2008 to knock off Stoughton 21-20 on Mitch Tordoff's touchdown pass to his brother Bryan Tordoff, seeing Alex Barenklau lead comebacks in back-to-back years to knock off Milton and this year's upset of Oregon.
"It's probably the biggest win for the program since I have been here," he said of the thrilling win against the Panthers on homecoming. "Every game we played this year we were competitive. We haven't always been able to say that."
Miller informed his players and coaching staff of his decision about one week after the season ended.
"I told the coaching staff I would certainly be willing to help with the transition process," he said of when a new coach is hired. "It will come down to the athletic director, and the decision on when they hire a coach. There are a lot of teams doing things right now. I want the best for Monroe football and I hope they have a new coach and leadership soon."
He won't be a stranger to football next fall or track in the spring. He plans to be a color radio commentator for football games with Big Radio in Monroe. Miller recently received his officiating certificate so he can work track meets this spring.
"I'm planning on officiating some track meets with Howie Jubeck," Miller said of the longtime Monroe track coach. "I won't be coaching, but I will still be there and be a part of it."
