Wisconsin Football Coaches Association

David was born in Hartford, Wisconsin on December 11, 1959, to Alan and Emily Rusch.  He graduated from Hartford High in 1978 with 7 letters in football, basketball, and track.  Upon graduation, he was crowned outstanding athlete.  His brother Ally motivated him to work hard and get out for football which led him to earning MVP and 1 of 2 players in the conference to be first team All-Conference on offense and defense. In basketball and track he was captain.

Rusch continued his football career at UW-La Crosse where he earned three varsity letters under Hall of Fame Coach, Roger Harring.  In 1981 Rusch began his coaching career at Westby High where he was a student teacher.

After graduation in 1982 he began teaching and coaching in Hartford, Wisconsin where he coached varsity football, basketball, and track.  In 1984, he became the head track coach.  

In 1983, Rusch married his high school sweetheart and they had 3 beautiful daughters.  They now have 5 grandchildren and have enjoyed their lives together for 41 years and going strong.  

In the fall of 1986, Rusch was hired in Waukesha, Wisconsin where he coached football, basketball, and track.  In 1992, he was named head football coach at Waukesha South and then decided to devote all his time to football.  In his 24 years as the head coach he enjoyed playoff runs, one of which almost took him to the state championship in 1998 and was named County Head Coach of the Year.  Rusch is the longest head football coach in the school’s history and second in the Classic 8.  

In 2008 Rusch receive the Marge and Dick Rundle Positive Influence of Coaching Award from the WFCA. Rusch’s other accomplishments include:  2011 setting the world record in age group 50-54 pull ups defeating a man from Germany.  The record was published in Dale Harder’s book of world records.  In 2011, he was named head coach for the South All-Star team where they won 30-0.  In 2015, Waukesha South named an award after David called the Dave Rusch Character Award.  

Rusch retired from teaching in 2017.  He began coaching football again at Hartford Union in 2019.  In 2022 Rusch was named Assistant Coach of the Year for the Northshore conference.  He is now in his 42nd year of coaching football.  In those 42 years Rusch has enjoyed being part of 220+ victories.