Kiel, Swanson begin new era of EAHS athletics
By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The children upon whom Dean Wilson will now be solely focused are those in his own family.
After decades of mentoring, coaching and teaching children the finer points of athletics, mathematics and life, Wilson is moving into his next phase.
Wilson retired earlier this summer as Athletic/Activities Director at Elkhorn Area High School. Long-time Athletics/Activities secretary Laura Humphrey moved on as well.
The Elkhorn Area School District School Board accepted Wilson’s resignation at its June 5 meeting.
At the board’s June 29 meeting members approved the hiring of Dan Kiel as the new
Athletics/Activities Director.
Robyn Swanson assumed the duties of Athletic/Activities Secretary on August 5.
“He’s a great resource, and I’m looking forward to picking up where he left off,” Kiel said of Wilson. “He did a lot of good things for the district for an awfully long time.”
Wilson counts 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren from the seven children he and his wife, Kathi, raised. He took over as Elkhorn’s Athletic Director in 1998.
“You care about the kids and you care about the programs,” Wilson said. “It’s not about taking care of yourself.”
Wilson came to Elkhorn in 1970. He served as an assistant coach for wrestling for 24 years and also coached varsity baseball. As a coach, Wilson is best known for his time on the gridiron.
Wilson started as an assistant in 1970 under Paul Yanke and took over the football program in 1994. Over the next 15 years the Elks compiled a 102-53 record and won seven Southern Lakes Conference titles. The Elks qualified for the WIAA playoffs 12 times under Wilson.
Wilson’s excellence as a football coach led to his 2012 induction into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Wilson coached Elkhorn football until 2009, when he hired current coach Tom Lee.
Wilson admits missing interaction with students while serving as the Athletic Director.
“I always enjoyed kids,” Wilson said. “I enjoyed dealing with kids. When you teach, you get 25 kids in five or six classes, and that’s 150 kids you’re dealing with.”
Wilson said he interacted with another roughly 100 students as coach of the football program. His responsibilities and time with students changed when he became the Athletic Director.
“I felt my No. 1 responsibility was getting games for the coaches and, once you have the games, making sure everything runs smoothly,” Wilson said.
For Wilson, that meant taking advantage of the quiet of a Sunday evening and calling referees and officials for that week’s games, or making sure transportation arrangements were set.
“It’s a challenge,” Wilson said. “It’s one of those jobs where you go in and you think you know what you’re going to do – I’m going to get this done and this done – and you don’t get a single one done because you’re putting out fires.”
In Humphrey, Wilson worked with a capable right hand. In addition to her office duties, Humphrey occasionally covered Elkhorn athletics for The Independent.
“Laura has been working very hard with us through the transition to make sure things run smoothly,” Kiel said. “Laura has really been good with the transition.”
Kiel is starting his third year as an Associate Principal at Elkhorn Area High School. He will continue in those duties as well as serve as Athletics/Activities Director. His goals for Elkhorn athletics, and all extra-curricular activities, are simple.
Kiel said he intends to hire and retain quality coaches. Kiel said he intends to ensure the Elks’ strength and conditioning, on the athletic level, is top-notch. Increased emphasis in strength and conditioning is the area in which Wilson said he noticed the largest change in high school athletics over the course of his career.
“We want our kids to have fun,” Kiel said. “We want our kids to enjoy sports and gain the mental toughness and self-esteem and discipline that sports can give to kids.”
Kiel said he wants all of the Elks’ extra-curricular activities, whether athletics, arts or clubs, to be competitive in the Southern Lakes Conference, in the region and on the state level.
“The same philosophy goes for the soccer team and the forensics team,” Kiel said. “It’s the practice and repetition to get the poise and self-esteem required to be able to do what
