Wisconsin Football Coaches Association

DAVE HAMSHIRE
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006

Dave was born and raised in Waterloo, Wisconsin.  He attended Waterloo High School where he was a 3-year letter winner in football and basketball. He was the starting point guard on Waterloo's 1964 state tournament basketball team that finished fourth in a single class tournament. After graduation in 1964, he attended UW-Stevens Point and graduated in 1969 with a major in mathematics and a minor in physical education/coaching.

Dave began his teaching career at De Soto, Wisconsin, where he taught high school mathematics and was an assistant coach in both football and boys basketball. In 1971 he moved to Fennimore to teach math, be an assistant coach in football and varsity boys basketball coach.

After three years he moved to Poynette, where he remained until his retirement in 2004. During his time at Poynette he was the varsity girls basketball coach for 17 years and his overall record was 221-127. He won three conference championships and reached the sectional tournaments twice. He was also the assistant coach for the girls Division 3 All-Star game in 1989.

Dave was an assistant football coach under Hall of Fame Coach Larry Thurston for 21 years. He was the offensive coordinator from 1984-1994 and became the head coach upon Thurston's retirement in 1994. He was the head coach from 1995-2004. In Dave's 10 years as head coach, Poynette's overall record was 87-24;  his teams made the playoffs eight out of ten years and won 5 conference championships (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004).  The 1999 and 2004 teams went to the semi-finals and the 2003 team played in the state finals. During his last six years Poynette's record was 55-8. Dave retired from coaching in 2004.

Dave has received the 25, 30, and 35-year service awards from the WFCA. He was named the Green Bay Packers Coach of the Week in 1999. He was the Capital Conference Coach of the Year in 1999 and the WFCA District Coach of the Year in 2004. For the past five years he has served on the Clinic Committee for the WFCA state football clinic.

"Two people have influenced my coaching philosophy a great deal, my high school basketball coach Don Gruber and the former head coach at Poynette, Larry Thurston. These two men taught me that to be successful you must outwork your opponent, you must demand respect and discipline from your players, you must surround yourself will dedicated and hard-working assistants, and most of all you have to make the athletic experience for your players enjoyable and fun.