By Jane Briggs Palen

Managing Editor

Heís going to hate us for writing this.

After all, heís the coach that wonít take the credit. Itís the players, the parents, the other coaches, the managers who deserve the credit. And while weíre at it, throw in the ticket sellers, the fans, the scorekeepers and whoever it is that chalks the field.

Put a microphone in his hand and turn on a television camera, and he looks as uncomfortable as someone whose about to have a root canal. Try to take a photo, and heíll duck if he can.

Ask him, about the game, and itís all about someone else.

But this is the year that head coach Carl Fruechte canít fly under the radar. A perfect record in the regular season and a trip to the state tournament finals guaranteed that the spotlight was going to be trained on him sooner or later.

Quarterback Cory Messner, a senior, said Coach Fruechte ìdoes a good job of keeping us focused. When we were up 30-0 at the half, he kept us motivated. Heís tough. He knows when to yell and when to pat you on the butt and and say ëGood job.íî

The coaches have been telling the players all year that if they work their hardest, they can beat anybody, said Messner.

ìHeís been great for all the seniors,î said Messner.

And has he taught them anything besides football? Definitely, said Messner.

ìHe taught us that nothing is ever given to us. We have to work for it.î And he lives the motto, ìWork hard, be humble.î

Senior Luke Nelson is especially appreciative of Coach Fruechte because he has been supportive of him even though soccer is his number one sport. Nelson won all-state honors as a goalie on the soccer team, and has been successful as a kicker for the football team.

ìHeís been supportive of me kicking whenever I could, and he always wished me good luck on my soccer games,î said Nelson. ìHeís been really, really good. Iíve enjoyed playing football for him.î

While an athlete could get burned out playing two varsity sports in the same season, Coach Fruechte is big on rest and recovery, said Nelson.

ìHe makes us work hard, but he makes sure we recover,î he said. ìHe definitely cares. Heís been like a father to some of the guys off the field.î

After Sam Gerardy learned that he wasnít going to be playing in any of the state tournament games because of an injury, Coach Fruechte was who he turned to.

ìIt was really tough right awayî said Gerardy, a senior defensive end/tight end who broke his foot in the game against Pine Island. ìHe was the first person I went to. I really needed him. He was sympathetic.î

The main thing, said Gerardy, is that Coach Fruechte has the ability to motivate players and get them to believe in themselves.

ìHe gets you working toward one thing,î he said.

Another reason Fruechte is a successful coach, Gerardy believes, is that he thinks about football all year.

ìFootball doesnít end for Carl,î said Gerardy. ìHeís always talking to you, getting you to go in the weight room.î

At Sundayís reception for the players, athletic director Ken Van Den Boom recalled the day he recommended Fruechte to the school board for the position of head coach. The board hired him, and heís proven to them over and over again that it was a good decision.

ìThere is no coach more dedicated,î said Van Den Boom. ìHe has a great concern for kids and wants them to be the best they can be.î

Living up to his reputation, when Coach Fruechte took the podium Sunday, he expressed gratitude to everyone who supported him in any way as he took his team into the state finalsóthe secretaries, cooks, janitors, other teachers, the administration...the list went on and on. He told the fans that he could hear them through his headset at the games, and thanked them for their support and encouragement.

His reputation for being tough was damaged slightly as he thanked the players, and his voice broke with emotion.

ìIím sorry. I said I wouldnít cry,î he told the team.

ìAlways keep your head up, and thank you very much.î

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