This Section - By: Ira Rebella

The WFCA had its beginning at Union South in the Spring of 1975. At a football clinic sponsored by the Wisconsin Coaches Association, Burt Hable - Madison West, chaired a meeting during which a steering committee was selected to facilitate the forming of a football coaches ONLY association. This committee that met at the WIAA offices in Stevens Point on May 2, 1975, consisted of Don Barnabo - Janesville Parker, John Brodie - Homestead, Cal Callaway - Oregon, Jack Charlesworth - Brookfield Central, Gene Noonan - Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln & Ira Rebella - Merrill. Rebella was selected to act as committee chair and Callaway was to serve as secretary. A constitution was written and plans to contact football coaches through the last WIAA Bulletin of the 1974-75 school year was made. This contact of all high school football coaches using the WIAA Bulletin never came about. In the Fall of 1975, through the efforts of Corey Johnson, Lancaster, every head football coach of a public school received a copy of the proposed constitution along with a letter explaining the Wisconsin High School Football Coaches Association (WHSFCA) and requesting names of coaches to serve as representatives. On December 1, 1975, at the WIAA offices, the steering committee decided that in order to facilitate the existence of the WHSFCA for 1975-76 the acting officers for the Association for the first year should be selected from the membership of the steering committee and the Board of Directors and their alternates, would be selected from the respondents to the 1975 fall mailing to each head football coach. The following were selected:

Acting Officers:

1. Football playoffs should be rid of the experimental tag and become a permanent structure with play off status for all conference champions.
2. An All-Star game (John Brodie),
3. Coaches select an All-State team (Fred Kuhl).
4. District & State Coach-of-the-Year awards. (Bob Noldolf-Jim Waller).
5. Honoring of conference & state championship coaches. (Ed Goss)
6. A first class clinic (Gayle Quinn)
7. A placement service for football coaches.
8. A better working relationship with UW System.
9. A football newsletter (Mike Hahn)
10. A high school football Hall of Fame (Bill Collar, Ed Goss)
11. A WHSFCA representative on the WIAA FB rules committee
12. Associatoin be involved with football coaches' certification.

A football clinic was held at Union South on April 23rd & 24th of 1976. This clinic was subsidized by the WCA. Membership in the WHSFCA at this time was 567. Two hundred and thirty-six (236) public schools out of a possible 405 (58%) had coaches that were charter members. Gayle Quinn, Waunakee, was appointed clinic chairman for the 1977 clinic, and at the July 30/31, 1976, board of directors meeting at the Holiday Inn in Stevens Point was given a free hand to set up the 1977 clinic as he felt best.

State, district & conference championship coaches awards were presented at the 1977 clinic. The first Shrine All-Star game was played in Oshkosh's Titan Stadium in the summer of 1977. That fall the Association in conjunction with the UPI News Service selected its first All-State team and the WHSFCA's first newsletter was sent out. Also in 1977 the private/parochial schools were represented on the board of directors and ALL head football coaches in the state that were WHSFCA members became eligible for Association awards.

The WHSFCA relationship with the WIAA during this time (1975-79) was excellent. This was due in large part to the efforts of Don Herrmann. He attended all board of directors' meetings and was a great aid in the formative years of the Association. Some rule changes that occurred during this period were:

• Offensive players were required to be numbered by position (the old tackle eligible took a hit!):
• Butt blocking & face tackling resulted in 15 yard penalties;
• Coaches' boxes were enlarged from the 40 yard lines and extended to the 30 yard lines;
• Yard lines were required to stop 4" from the sidelines;
• Shoulder pads and hip pads became required equipment;
• Successive time outs were permitted;
• Coaches may wear head sets during time outs;
• Football shoes must have a minimum of 14 cleats;
• WIAA medical board stated that only 3 days were needed between games;
• Blocking below the waist is illegal;
• Coaches could be reimbursed mileage for scouting purposes;
• Scrimmages between schools became illegal and then legal again;

Playoffs started as an experimental stage with four teams being selected by a point system in each class with a semi-final and final played six or seven days apart. (Different cities were used for the different division championship games.) The stance of the WHSFCA from day one was conference champions in six divisions with all finals at the same location.

This Section by: Fred Kuhl

The WFCA is a fantastic organization, one of the best, if not the best in this wonderful country of ours. There are a lot of coaches that contributed time and effort to make it function during its infancy. We were sailing over uncharted waters. We overcame mental mistakes, bad field position, fumbles, missed opportunities and broken promises to succeed.

I took over as president on Saturday, July 21, 1979. I was an assistant South coach in the All-State game that year. I had to conduct a Saturday morning Association meeting. At half time I greeted the fans for the association. We lost the game to the North team when Dave Greenwood from Park Falls made a fantastic catch in the end zone to beat us. It was a day I'll never forget.

In the first president's letter I wrote, "It is with a great deal of pride and humility that I officially greet the members of the WFCA for the first time." I still feel that way about all of my time spent working for the association.

The first president's letter that I wrote contained the visions and goals I believed would be good for the association. They included:

1. Finding a home for our Football Hall of Fame and induct our charter members. (Thanks to Ed Goss and others, that goal was achieved on March 29, 1980.)
2. Develop our Football Clinic to be the best and most respected in the upper midwest. (The clinic staff continues to improve upon this goal.)
3. To continue to select the best all-state team possible.
4. To develop a more cooperative attitude between the membership and committee chairman.
5. To encourage coaches to improve in providing information for selecting the All-State and All-Star teams.
6. To be sympathetic to the problems and needs of college recruiters and provide honest information about players.
7. To work and to develop a better relationship with the WIAA to improve rules and expand the football playoffs.
8. To continue the relationship with the Shriners to develop the All-Star game into an affair respected by everyone.
9. To develop a philosophy and recommend that all schools have qualified trainers.
10. To develop an awards banquet that all football coaches will want to attend.
11. To develop a code of ethics. (Adopted in 1980 or 1981 - Thanks to Dick Basham and his committee for developing the Code.)
12. To develop a minimum set of standards all individuals must meet in order to coach football.
13. Increase numbers of members running for positions of leadership in the WFCA.

These were lofty goals during that period. Thanks to the district representatives and individuals of leaderships, many of these goals were met.

The most difficult situation as president I had to handle was the year the Coaches Association voted to encourage the membership not to attend the WIAA rules interpretation meetings. The reason for this vote was the WIAA board of Control prevented the member schools from reimbursing coaches for scouting and eliminating scrimmages. The coaches association changed its position and recommended coaches to attend. This occurred after many phone calls, meetings, loss of sleep and some angry coaches.

The greatest thrill as president occurred on March 29, 1980. The Charter Members were inducted into the WFCA Hall of Fame. I had the pleasure of helping Woody Hayes present the inductees with their Hall of Fame plaques. My high school coach, Harley Graf was a charter member. What a great moment this was to be the one to present a man I loved and respected his Hall of Fame Award. I still get very emotional when I reflect on this moment.

My philosophy of coaching was very simple. An athlete should be a better human being when he/she completed their career than when they started. If we, as coaches, didn't achieve that goal, then I feel we have failed. Coaches must set the example for their athletes by the way they live and conduct their lives. I believe it is our responsibility to teach lifetime values. "Love" is a difficult word for some people to say or express, yet it is the most powerful word in our vocabulary. We never won a championship when players didn't love each other. We had teams that loved each other that didn't win a championship. We also had teams that should have been champions, but they didn't love each other. Those teams had a lot of "I" athletes.

If the overall high school athletic programs are going to continue to improve, then that ugly word "specialization" must be eliminated from the minds and thoughts of all coaches. What a tragedy that a good athlete only experiences the joy and thrill of participating in one sport. The great three sport athletes are the ones that allow average and below average student athletes the thrill of success. Coaches who work together in love and respect for each other's sport will help to eliminate this problem. Coaches that stress specialization are not concerned about what is best for the athletes, but are driven by their own selfish desire for success and glory.

Football has always been very important to me. It was the driving force that encouraged me to get a college education. It has enhanced our lives with many great friends and relationships that will be everlasting.

This Section By: Bill Rice

My two-term presidency was characterized by an expanded inclusiveness and better communications, especially through the rebirth of our major communications tool, The Point After II. More coaches (schools) were involved in the All-Region/All-State selection process (every conference is now represented at the initial All-Region meeting). The first-hand observations have had a positive influence in the All-State selection process and more coaches have become more involved in the WFCA's activities.

Attendance at our annual clinic became so great that we had to move to the Marriott in Middleton. Our attendance has continued to increase to where we've become the largest high school football clinic in the midwest and quite possibly the nation.

The WIAA did expand our football play-offs in 1995! Nothing else could have been more noteworthy, as the plan they adopted was almost identical to the plan I presented some 12 years earlier. This expansion represents even greater equity for all football schools in Wisconsin. Many teams, which have not won their conference title have gone on to become state champions in divisions where school of similar enrollments are competing.

This Section By: Paul Engen

Changing With The Times

Dick Rundle, WFCA Executive Director, asked the past presidents of the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association to write an article about their respective tenures as President of the WFCA. I had the pleasure of serving as president of the WFCA for terms, 1982-84 and 1993-96. Thinking back to my first term seventeen (17) years ago made me realize the time has gone by very quickly, and remembering everything isn't quite as easy as I thought it would be. I will do my best.

1982-84 - My first term as president followed the term of Fred Kuhl, former coach at Wisconsin Dells and Rhinelander. At that time our association was called the Wisconsin High School Football Coaches Association, an organization run by high school football coaches. There were associate memberships in the WHSFCA, but the officers were all high school football coaches.

Many issues/events transpired during those years:

1. The annual Spring Clinic, which was to become one of the biggest and best football clinics in the midwest, was run by Mike Hahn, Sun Prairie football coach.
2. The WHSFCA was looking to build a partnership with the WIAA with a two-fold purpose; enhance the status of high school football and our association in the state. (During this time, each sport belonged to the Wisconsin Federation of Sports.)
3. The WHSFCA had the responsibility of selecting coaches to serve on the Football Coaches Advisory Committee.
4. The representation within the WHSFCA was parallel to the state classification of public schools at that time, A, B, and C. (We later made a change in our organization that increased representation for all football coaches. We now have three District Representatives from each region for WIAA conference schools plus representatives for the private/parochial schools.
5. The All State Football Team was selected by the WHFSCA representatives, as they are today, but the format was different. In 1982-84, members on the All State selection team could talk about each player that was nominated for the All State team. I can tell you our association continues looking for ways to streamline the All-State selection process to make it as fair as humanly possible.
6. The WHSFCA pursued the expansion of the WIAA football playoffs. Bill Rice, McFarland football coach, was instrumental in keeping the issue of expanded football playoffs alive. You can see it takes alot of time and effort to get something done, but if it benefits student-athletes and the game of football, it is worth the commitment.
7. Dick Rundle continued to pursue his dream of establishing a Hall of Fame for football coaches.
8. The Wisconsin Shriners and the WHFSCA continued to work together to enhance football by hosting the WHFSCA/Shrine Football game.
9. At all association meetings coaches were reminded to talk with their respective school administrators about football related issues since administrators were the ones who voted on these issues at the WIAA level.

   1993 - 1996 - One of the big changes to occur was the renaming of the organization. The new Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) included all football coaches; however there was some concern at the time that the organization would be taken over by the collegiate coaches. This has not occurred, but the colleges do have representation on the WFCA Board of Directors.

   In addition to the elected representatives, the WFCA had an Executive Secretary, Peg Callaway, and an Executive Director, Dick Rundle. With the growth of the organization it was necessary to have two individuals who could spend the time needed to keep up with the paper work plus promote the organization and the game of football. Near the end of this, my second term, Ms. Callaway was looking to retire so the WFCA Board of Directors decided to combine the positions. Dick Rundle was named Executive Director of the WFCA.

   Other events/actions occurred during this time period.

   • The WFCA Board of Directors (district representatives) voted to establish a WFCA Executive Board which consisted of the president, northern/southern vice-presidents, executive director and past president. It was the Executive Board's responsibility to meet and bring issues to the WFCA Board of Directors.
   • The Spring Clinic continued to grow. Mike Huhn and his staff decided to step down, so it was decided the clinic would be run by the WFCA Clinic Committee and the WFCA Board of Directors.
   • Expanded football playoffs became a reality. (While some thought this wasn't a good idea, a huge majority of the Wisconsin football coaches supported this concept.)
   • The WIAA asked the WFCA to serve as a model as the WIAA set up advisory committees for all sports in the state.
   • The WFCA Executive Board serves on the WIAA Football Advisory Committee. (District representatives bring issues from the coaches in their district to the annual fall meeting. The WFCA Executive Board brings these concerns to the annual WIAA Football Advisory Committee meeting.) In my opinion our willingness to work in a partnership with the WIAA has been a positive example for all of the other sports in the State of Wisconsin.
   • WFCA Executive Director Dick Rundle started the Badger Classic. Not only has this given athletes, coaches and communities an opportunity to play football in Madison, but it has also promoted football in the state. In addition, the Badger Classic is a good source of revenue for the WFCA.
   • Sensing a need to have an official contact with the University of Wisconsin football program, the WFCA Board of Directors voted to make the Executive Director the liaison with Badger Coach Barry Alvarez. (Coach Alvarez and his staff, along with the other collegiate football coaches across the state, have given their support to our Spring Clinic assisting us in our desire to make it one of the best clinics in the nation.)
   • The WFCA's Point After II is a quality publication that continues to provide Wisconsin football coaches valuable information about the sport.
   • The support the tremendous growth of the organization, a budget process was implemented. This process assists the Executive Board and the Board of Directors in projecting resources and expenses as they plan for the future.

   While this gives a snapshot of a few years in the organization, we must all remember the WFCA continues to change and move forward. I encourage all coaches to stay abreast of issues that affect our game. It is your participation that will keep the game of football and our association healthy.

   A quote by Halm Ginott is on display in my office. I think it speaks to all of us in our roles as educators, coaches and members of the WFCA.

   I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom (football field, WFCA meeting). It's my personal approach that creates the climate. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, (coach, WFCA member) I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child (person) humanized or dehumanized.

   I view my years serving in the association as a great opportunity to serve athletes, coaches and the game of football. Thank you for the honor.

   This Section By: Bill Collar

   As the sixth president of the WFCA I have been very fortunate to have five outstanding leaders precede my term. These people and the various District Representatives laid a firm foundation on which to build. Since I have been asked to reflect on changes or new developments during the past couple years while I have been president of the WFCA, several things stand out in my mind.

   1. The size of the spring clinic. With over 2,500 coaches attending, our clinic has become one of the largest in the nation. It takes a lot of effort and cooperation to organize a clinic of this nature. The most impressive thing about the WFCA is the number of people who contribute their time to make the clinic a success. Everything from facilities procurement, speakers, registration, audio-visual needs, vendors, UW-practice, etc. Many coaches devote a considerable amount of time to provide service for others.
   2. Participattion of youth coaches. More and more youth coaches are making the commitment to continue to learn about the game. Participation at our most recent clinic reflects this fact. The WFCA will look to meet the needs of this emerging group at future clinics.
   3. Access to the World Wide Web. Many coaches are making it a habit to check the Association web site (www.wifca.org). We have quite a collection of football articles and numerous items beneficial to a coach. Whether it is "Inspiration" or "Discussion" it can be found on our site. In the past year it was accessed over 20,000 times.
   4. Moving the Shrine Game. With more promotion and teamwork the game will grow in stature. The move to Madison provides us with the potential for greater media coverage and exposure.
   5. Cooperation with the WIAA. Our relationship with the WIAA continues to grow into a partnership Recent participation in playoff pairings and WIAA sensitivity to coaches' concerns is a sign of progress. Representatives of the WIAA have been present and active at our last two clinics. Three significant changes include firming up playoff selection, allowing a day to issue equipment and suspension of the 14-cleat rule.
   6. The Point After II and Clinic Manual. - The Point After II has continued to be a very impressive publication packed with a wide variety of useful information. The manual is a tremendous resource for all coaches. Both of these publications show constant improvement and are available at a reasonable cost.
   7. The Badger Classic. - In recent years the "Badger Classic" has expanded to the point where over fifty teams have the opportunity to play in Camp Randall. This is a memorable experience for fans and players and helps promote football participation throughout the state.

      Several trends are of concern at this time. There seems to be a movement toward specialization in one sport. Coaches must work together to encourage young men to experience the value of multi-sport participation. When one considers the overall value to the player, a strong argument can be made against specialization. Many of the best teams in past years featured players who were active in several sports.

      • Parents must keep high school sports in perspective. - They should encourage their son and the team, but realize the coaching should be left to the coaches. Too often parents go to one extreme or the other. Taking the approach "it is up to him if he wants to play," isn't necessarily the route to go. When given the choice to make a commitment to play football or get a job and buy a pickup truck, young people need help in making the correct decisions. Many parents see the value of sports and assist their sons in making good decisions.
      • Too often young coaches leave the game because of frustration. - The time commitment and the pressure to field a consistent winner cause the stress level to increase. It is the responsibility of school administrators to encourage and support all coaches who run a well organized and honest program. Coaches must make it a point to spend quality time with their families after the season is over. Find different ways to make your coaching a family affair. Numerous articles in past publications have elaborated on this topic.
      • The image of the football player has deteriorated. - Coaches must work hard to shatter the stereotype of the self-centered macho player who has little time for others. Involving your team in community service projects can do wonders toward reversing this trend. Adopt a family at Christmas, rake the lawns of the elderly, tutor in the elementary school, assist with youth sports, etc. There are many ways the players can contribute in the community. The coach must lead by example.
      • Younger coaches must seek leadership roles in the WFCA. - Now is the time to volunteer and become more active. Several committee positions are available at this writing. Contact the president or executive director and inform them of your desire to serve. In the next several years there will be a considerable turnover. Run for an elected position or volunteer to be a committee member.
      • Suport the Shrine Game. - Every year head coaches are asked to purchase tickets. This is an extremely worthwhile cause. Assistant coaches may also participate in the advanced ticket purchase. Even if you are not going to the game, make a donation and help promote the event in your community.

      Serving as president the past two years has given me the opportunity to work with many outstanding people. I appreciate all the assistance in helping do what is best for football and youth. We have a very good organization of coaches, let's all pull together to make it even better.