Ted Lawrence
Monday, October 4, 2010
Thompsonville resident inducted into Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame
Thompsonville resident Ted Lawrence was inducted into the Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame during ceremonies at the Mt Pleasant, Iowa, college on Friday.
Lawrence graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1950. His athletic career on campus included participation in football, baseball, and basketball. He was a four-year letter winner in football and a two-year letter winner in both basketball and baseball.
After graduating from Iowa Wesleyan, Lawrence coached high school football for 16 years, including stints at Wilton Junction, Anamosa, and Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School in Iowa, and four years at Geneseo, Illinois. At Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Lawrence led his team to the state champion level in 1964 and 1965 as an undefeated team, as well as securing three Mississippi Valley Championships. He holds the record for the highest career winning percentage at 76.9%, with a final record of 40-12-2. His overall coaching record is 101 victories, 33 losses and six ties (winning percentage .743).
In 1964 Lawrence served as the first president of the Iowa Football Coaches Association, after playing a prominent role in founding the organization.
After being named The Des Moines Sunday Register High School Football Coach of the Year in 1965, Lawrence accepted a position as an assistant football coach at the University of Iowa. During his tenure with the Hawkeyes, the team broke 20 school and conference offensive records and became the highest scoring team in school history.
Lawrence holds a master’s degree in science and a master’s degree in education administration from Southern Illinois University.
He resides in Thompsonville, Illinois.
The Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame was created in 2003 to honor former student-athletes, coaches, teams or others who have had a significant impact on, or brought special recognition to, Iowa Wesleyan College. All inductees were nominated by their peers and selected by the Hall of Fame Committee, consisting of representatives from the Board of Trustees, Alumni Association and College administration.
Dave Mineart
Monday, October 4, 2010
Norwalk resident inducted into Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame
Norwalk resident Dave Mineart was inducted into the Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame during ceremonies at the Mt Pleasant, Iowa, college on Friday.
Mineart played halfback and fullback for the Iowa Wesleyan College Tiger football team from 1956-1959. He was the first player to be a two-time team captain, in 1958 and 1959. During one game he totaled 29 tackles, a school record that stood for three decades.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1960, Mineart went on to teach biology. He was awarded the Biology Teacher of the Year in 1972.
Mineart began his coaching career as a football coach at Harmony Community School in 1960. He moved to HLV Community School where he coached football as well as golf, softball, boys basketball and baseball. He continued his career in Norwalk, Iowa, in 1966, where his record stands at 173-77-1, winning nine conference and one district championships. His 1971 team finished an undefeated season. Norwalk went to the playoffs four years under Mineart’s leadership: 1983, 1989, 1990, and 1992.
He was named Coach of the Year in football seven times in the Norwalk athletics conference. The Norwalk football field is named in his honor. He was inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame in November 2009.
Mineart was a head football and track coach for 35 years, retiring after the 1994 season with a career 202-102-3 football record. He is one of the winningest coaches in Iowa, one of only 44 coaches to reach the 200 win level.
Mineart has served in many professional and civic organizations, including the Iowa Football Coaches Association, the Iowa Track & Field Coaches Association, the Iowa Academy of Science, St. John the Apostle Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.
He was also a member of the Iowa Wesleyan College Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1982-88, serving as Vice President from 1989-1994, and as President from 1995-1998. He and his wife, Libby, received the Iowa Wesleyan College Alumni Service Award in 2008.
Phil Johnson
Monday, October 4, 2010
Ames resident inducted into Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame
Ames resident Phil Johnson was inducted into the Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame during ceremonies at the Mt Pleasant, Iowa, college on Friday.
Johnson is a 1960 graduate of Iowa Wesleyan. During his collegiate career, he was a three-year offensive guard starter for the Tiger football team and a four-year starter in baseball as a catcher. He received the Outstanding Senior Athlete award in 1960. Upon his graduation from Iowa Wesleyan College, Phil pursued a master of arts degree from the University of Iowa.
Johnson taught mathematics for 37 years, most of those at Ames High School (1976-1997). He coached baseball, tennis, and football throughout his teaching career.
Johnson was a head football coach for 19 years, with a record of 103 wins, 60 losses, and 4 ties. He served as President of the Iowa Football Coaches Association in 1970. Hereceived the Iowa Football Coaches Association Distinguished Service Award in 1980 and the Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame Award in 1982. He also served as an assistant coach in the first Iowa high school Shrine football game in 1973 and head coach in 1975.
As a baseball coach, Johnson holds an overall record of 174 wins and 70 losses. He took Ames High School to the state finals in 1988 and coached in the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association’s All-Star Game.
Another aspect of Johnson’s athletic career is the 23 years he spent officiating high school and collegiate basketball and umpiring high school baseball. He umpired several state baseball tournaments, including the High School All-Star Baseball Game in 1979. He was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Officials Hall of Fame in 1989.
Johnson has also led a life of service to his community. He received the Ames Kiwanian of the Year Award in 1989 and 2004. He serves on the boards at the First United Methodist Church in Ames, the Ames Golf & Country Club, Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS) and various education associations. He was inducted into the Ames High School Hall of Fame in 2004. Phil and his wife, Sandy, have three children: Jeff, Marty Jo, and Jay, as well as six grandchildren. Phil and Sandy continue to make their home in Ames.
The Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame was created in 2003 to honor former student-athletes, coaches, teams or others who have had a significant impact on, or brought special recognition to, Iowa Wesleyan College. All inductees were nominated by their peers and selected by the Hall of Fame Committee, consisting of representatives from the Board of Trustees, Alumni Association and College administration.
