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Mike Taake - Rib Lake / St. John's Military Academy / De Pere / Mauston

03/01/2009, 12:00am CST
By Wisconsin Sports Network

MIKE “YOGI” TAAKE
Inducted in 2009

Mike was born July 3rd, 1955, in Madison; lived his first 2 years across from Camp Randall! He graduated from Beaver Dam (1973), where he played football, was elected captain and second team All-State linebacker.  Yogi continued playing football at UW-La Crosse. Yogi lettered all 4 years, and played fullback on three conference championship teams.

In 1978, Taake became head football coach at Rib Lake.  Taake was able to turn around this program posting the first winning record in Redmens history.

In 1981,Mike and Laura moved to St. John's Military Academy, Delafield. Taake's second year, he turned the program around winning the conference championship; earning WISSA Class B State runner up. In 1983, Taake orchestrated a game to Mexico City, Mexico. The Lancers went undefeated in Conference play, lost in the State semi finals.

In 1984, Mike took the head coaching position at DePere.  After just one year, the Taake’s moved to Gwinn, Michigan, where Mike was the athletic director /head football coach. Taake took another struggling program and posted three consecutive winning seasons.

In 1988, Mike, Laura, and their one-year-old daughter Mallory, moved to Mauston. In 1989, Mike became the head coach posting the school’s first winning record in thirteen years. In 1992, Mauston won their first conference championship in 47 years; qualified for the WIAA playoffs for the first time. Taake was nominated UW-La Crosse Alumni Coach of the Year. The ‘94 team went undefeated for another conference championship; second playoff appearance. The 2000 team was the best in Mauston history. The Golden Eagles went 10-2; undefeated conference champs; made it to the quarter-finals.  The 2001 team came close to matching the 2000 team by going 9-3; advancing to the quarter-finals. Taake was District Coach of the Year 6 times. In 2001, Taake started the first Midwest Wing T (Wings-N-Things) Clinic.  More than 200 coaches have attended this event each year for the past nine years.

After 30 years as a head coach, Mike Taake’s teams went 150-134, 5 conference championships, one State runner up, one State semi final, two State quarter finals and 10 playoff appearances. In his 20 years at Mauston, Taake’s Golden Eagles went 102-91, with daughter Mallory on the sideline. In 2005, Mallory was the first female awarded the WFCA Scholarship.

Tag(s): Hall of Fame