51 years and counting for Mayville coach, Bob Berry
MAYVILLE, Wis. (BVM) — Bob Berry has coached at Mayville High School since 1969, and there are no signs of him retiring anytime soon.
Berry, 77, graduated from Loyola University back in 1964 with a degree in history and education. He taught a fourth grade class for a year, but did not really like it. He then went into business with his dad, but Berry felt he wanted to teach and coach at the high school level.
“I always loved my high school coach and wanted to help young people be successful at the sport the way he helped me find a place in athletics,” Berry said. “He took a poor athlete (me) and helped me be successful and find a place in my high school years.”
In high school, Berry had tried basketball and baseball, but ended up running cross country and track for three years. He continued with both sports through college.
After three years, Berry attended DePaul University in Chicago and received his masters in history. He proceeded to get interviews with several schools including Mayville.
“They needed a track coach and assistant cross country coach, so I took the job,” Berry said.
Over the course of his career, he has also coached boys and girls basketball and slow pitch girls softball.
Berry has found it can be a challenge to get athletes to try new things and be part of a team.
“I have always had to convince young people to try cross country and track because you have to be an individual in these sports,” Berry said. “Many young people are afraid to be totally on their own.
However, from these challenges Berry has learned to be patient and to appreciate the efforts of all the athletes he has had the opportunity to work with.
“It is fun to win events but it is even greater to see young people achieve their goals through hard work and dedication,” Berry said.
Berry credits the successes of his teams to “A lot of great athletes who are willing to work and learn about their events. Also, Mayville has always supported athletics which has made the sports programs successful.”
Besides his high school coach, Berry was also inspired by coaches Bob Wojtusik, Rod Holt, Jack Omer, and Bobby Blair whom he had the pleasure of working with at Mayville. “These people each help me to be a real coach by their examples.”
The fondest memories from Berry’s career include winning two cross country state championships and coaching his son and daughter at the state basketball tournaments. Overall, he has coached 76 varsity conference championship teams in track, cross country, and girls basketball.
Last spring, there was no track season, but this fall the cross country team was able to have a season consisting of smaller meets and a shorter schedule.
Berry says he still enjoys coaching and hopes to continue as long as he stays healthy. “I have the best job in the world and thus I hope to coach for a while.”
It is clear Berry loves his career, as well as his athletes.
“I would like to thank all the athletes I have had an opportunity to Coach,” Berry said. “I enjoy them all.”
