Retirement party is held for longtime coach for Benton and Iowa City West

By JIM MAGDEFRAU

Believe. Do your best. Don’t give up.

It was on a sign in the school. The same sign was at the retirement party for Reese Morgan, longtime Iowa Hawkeye assistant coach, as well as high school coach at Benton Community, and then Iowa City West. It was held at Big Grove Tap Room in Iowa City on July 14.

Friends, associates and family recalled Morgan as someone who took on a West program with 32 straight losses, and then made them believe they could win a game, and eventually win a state title in football.

They talked about the boiler room, motivation, and the call from Coach Kirk Ferentz in February 1999 about a job opening at the University of Iowa. Morgan altered the culture of the school, according to colleagues, through his work ethic and motivation. He also created camaraderie throughout the entire staff.

Dan Dvorak coached with Reese at both Benton and Iowa City West. Dvorak also played for Morgan. He and teammates somehow pulled the seven-man sled down the streets of Van Horne and into Coach Darrell Schumacher’s yard.

Dvorak put the program together with Nate Kaeding, who played for Morgan at West and at Iowa.

Kaeding recalled what stood about Reese was his work ethic and what he demands out of all of his players. It’s what put him in the weight room in February, knowing Coach Morgan would be there. “You taught us how to work hard and the importance of a work ethic,” Kaeding said to Morgan, as well as Dvorak.

What also stood out was that Coach Morgan instilled a great fear of complacency. “If you’re at this level, you have to find a way to get to that level.” The always worked to find a way to get better.

Morgan continued the tradition of spaghetti night the night before a game at West. Kaeding said Morgan stressed that everyone is an important part of the program. Kaeding said, “He demanded that we all show respect for everyone around us. It was knowing the janitor’s name. It was knowing the last player on the scout team.”

“It was teaching us about character, doing things the right way and being good human beings.” Kaeding said this is his lasting legacy.

Family

Jessica Gerst, one of Coach Morgan’s daughters, shared stories from Benton’s practice fields, including broken clipboards, detasseling, his upbringing in Ohio, Morgan’s playing linebacker at Wartburg College, roofing work and then ending up in Van Horne as an assistant football coach.

Believing and doing one’s best were part of how Jessica and her sister, Caitlin, were raised.

He could motivate people to accomplish something they never thought was possible. While Benton might not always have the best athletes, other coaches would let Morgan know they had the hardest-working players that hit harder than anybody else. It was making the most of what one has.

Jessica also recalled that Reese stressed the most important people in the school are the custodians and the cooks. “The custodians were not there to clean up your crap. They were there to make things a better place,” Jessica recalled. As for cooks, it was because they made cinnamon rolls.

Never giving up. He demanded this. In his own experience, Reese and wife Jo were injured in 1988 when their vehicle was struck by a car driven by a drunken driver. He worked hard to get to school, eventually showing up at Jessica’s PE class in a wheelchair while his leg was still in traction. “He never gave up,” Jessica recalled.

Jessica used that philosophy when she was diagnosed with cancer 15 years ago. She used all she learned as the daughter of a coach. She worked on a game plan, visualized overcoming cancer and not giving into cancer, and never, ever giving up.

Reese’s wife, Jo, also recalled stories from Benton and West. She is looking forward to his retirement and travel. She also read parts of a column from “Sour Grapes” about Benton and West people cheering on West’s first state title.

Coach Morgan

Coach Morgan said it was a celebration of everybody in the room. “You have touched our lives. You have given us opportunities and experiences that we’ve had in two fantastic schools, and the ability to be around some great people. I’ve learned a lot more as a person, a parent and a coach than the people in this room.”

Morgan stressed it is a team game in which the relationships are special. “Those are the things that last forever,” he said, as well as the lessons and the people.

His fellow coaches introduce themselves. Among them was Jim Van Etten. Van Etten pointed out Morgan started out as Van Etten’s assistant eighth grade football coach.

Morgan singled out Wayne Demmel, for whom Morgan was an assistant coach at Benton. “I learned an awful lot about people, organization, trust and belief,” said Morgan of his time with Demmel.

He again stressed it’s a team effort. “You’re out there working with young people and doing something that you love. I hope everyone in here has something in life they are passionate about, whether it’s work or family or a hobby. We’re all pretty darned lucky.”

He recalled coaches not with them anymore. He said of Jerry Eckenrod, “You talk about energy and passion. He lived it every day.” At West High, there was Howard Harm, who was detailed on how he taught, and Morgan applauded his worth ethic.

He also recalled the sign he had on his refrigerator at Benton and at West. “Football is not a matter of life and death; it’s much more important than that.” He said that’s how he’s lived for 40 years.

So now they are taking a step back. “We’re going to learn things everyday,” he predicted.

(Reese Morgan stories to share? Send them to his daughters at Reese Morgan coachreesemorgan@gmail.com)

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