My high school football coach, Bob Timmerman. He was our neighbor from when I was about 6-9 years old. Then he got a coaching job 28 miles west of us and moved. Then he came back when I was a senior in high school.
He coached us, my high school football team, in my senior year in 1974 to our first Mississippi Valley Conference football championship.
He coached my former high school team against Coach Barry Alvarez in 1978 to a 15-13 heartbreaking loss at the UNI-Dome in the Iowa high school football championship.
But in 1979, Coach Timmerman coached my former high school team to the state championship.
He could ignite his players to do what they otherwise would not, or could not. On our team, we nicknamed him Combat Bob. I don't know if he knew it. He could motivate you to do what you couldn't do without him.
We were in Dubuque, the Driftless Area. Hills are all over. He said, "When you are 85 you will roll kegs down the hill at our football games with your class year on the keg. You will be back here talking about the Wahlert game when you are 80!"
My team and about 15 others are going back Friday to a Hempstead football game in Dubuque to walk on the field to honor Coach Timmerman. We are only circa 66-67.
Prep football: Legendary Hempstead coach Timmerman dies at 86 | Local Sports | telegraphherald.com
