Anson Reflects On Nearly Two Decades At WCHS, The Future
Anson Reflects On Nearly Two Decades At WCHS, The Future
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Mark Howe-
Anson Reflects On Nearly Two Decades At WCHS, The FutureAs the weeks dwindled down to days, then to hours, before Dave Anson becomes the former athletic director at Warsaw, his thoughts tend to drift to the familiar and unfamiliar.
He and his wife, Roz, are headed to Florida, but without jobs lined up or a place to live on a permanent basis. But Anson has some life experiences that are relateable to his current situation, one of which was taking his brother Steve to Kansas State University, where the elder Anson played baseball and some basketball.
“I recall dropping off my brother in Manhattan Kansas in the summer of ‘72. I was 7, we and spent about a week there at the Holiday Inn,” the athletic director said. “I know he was working out with the baseball team, and we stayed and watched some, and I recall him throwing me fly balls off to the side of the field. I know I ran full blast into a light pole tracking one of them...I don't think I caught that one.
But regarding the move...I think the biggest thing I remember about that time, and actually every single time thereafter - even the last time I saw him about a year or so before he passed away – I had a golf-ball sized knot in my throat and could barely make the word ‘goodbye’ audible.
“There's certainly going to be a Titleist lodged when the U-Haul wheels start south. While today's Facetime and efficient and economical travel will allow us to see our kids and our granddaughter on a fairly regular basis, we've not been faced with that distance before, and that won't be the same. There have also been a few times saying goodbye to people here at school - coaches, co-workers, kids - where I've felt that as well.”
Despite the unknowns, Mr. and Mrs. Anson know in their hearts the move is the right thing to do.
“Once Roz's father, Dick Duncan, became ill in the late winter, and then more so after his passing this past spring, it was clear we were making the right decision to move to be closer to her mother in Florida,” Anson explained. “Roz's mother, Barb Duncan, did so much for us when we were starting out, watching our boys twice a week for about 5-6 years, and they have been so gracious and generous to us over the years. While we are not in a situation where we have to move...We are in a situation where we should move and we can move.
“There is a sense of excitement in looking forward to what the next chapter holds. We are a few weeks away from exiting the state, and we still don't know exactly where we will land or what we will do for work when we get there, so there's a little bit of crazy in all of this for sure. I'm certainly not planning to retire and downshift to part time, but I know I will need to find employment that affords benefits, one where we can pay the bills and possibly add tuna to our macaroni and cheese on occasion. We don't need much, so I am confident I will in time.”
As part of the process of making room for his heir apparent, Anson has had a ton of memories triggered by the process of packing up the office he’s occupied for eight years in a building he’s worked in for 19 years in a variety of roles, from dean of students, to assistant principal, assistant AD and finally to the job that ended Friday.
“There truly has not been a single day that I woke up and dreaded going to work. This isn't work,” emphasized Anson.
“After the better part of two decades in Warsaw, I feel fortunate to have been a part of an outstanding system that provided great opportunities and experiences for kids. My wife and I were also fortunate to have been able to watch our kids grow up in this community and be involved in Tiger Athletics.
“Brock (class of 2012) played football, basketball and baseball, and Brett (A 2014 grad) played football, served as basketball manager and he ran track. They were well prepared academically, socially and emotionally for their next chapters, and we partially credit this to the opportunities they had, the relationships they developed, and the experiences they were fortunate to be a part of here in Warsaw.
Anyone who knows anything at all about the job description of an athletic director knows the person filling the position has to love it in order to be successful. Anson isn’t any different.
“From picking rocks on the soccer fields, removing water from ballfields, setting up for events, evaluating programs, planning for facilities, planning for special initiatives, troubleshooting issues, mediating and managing issues, to writing grants to fund programs...The list goes on and on regarding what goes on in that office,” he said. “Just like many other roles in the corporation or in every day business, the role of the athletic director is so diverse, and it's a role that you may not fully appreciate until you are there in that chair or in one very close by.
I can't tell you how many times (former Tiger head football coach) Phil Jensen popped his head into my office door and said, ‘hey...Remember...You wanted this job!’"
A strong memory Anson takes with him is the 2015 Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association District II Charles Maas Distinguished Service Award. He was quick to credit others, including those who preceeded him, for the recognition.
“That's one that really goes to our office team and just the way things are done here,” he said. “From managing contracts, officials, volunteers, event staff, ensuring facilities are prepped and both your home and visitors are taken care of properly for 23 athletic programs, planning for special events - that takes a dedicated team with a mission to serve our student-athletes, coaches, school and community.
“When you host over 300 home contests a year and annually host between 12-14 IHSAA tournaments, manage one of the more successful programs around, maintain first-class facilities and plan for improvements...That takes a great team effort - and that's exactly what we have with Jeff Hamstra (assistant AD), Amy Burgh (office manager), and Brenda Wright (events and staff coordinator).
“We also have clock workers and ushers and event staff, such as Rick and Judy Timmons and Hall Heagy, who are tremendous at their roles, and our ticket takers (I thought I'd add that since my wife took a lot of tickets) are fantastic ambassadors for the school and community! It's nothing I created, but I inherited it when taking over the chair from Joe Santa in 2011.
“The community support here is wonderful - and I hope it continues to be so. Warsaw is a community that supports its programs. athletics, educational, arts and more.
“Sports matter here. Those that understand that, appreciate that, too. While some may enter into the realm of being overzealous at times, the Warsaw community values athletics, represents the school and community well, and are well respected by our conference for providing great support. There are high expectations set for achievement by our teams, and that is also good. There are many schools and communities where the only people travelling to or attending home contests are parents and relatives along with just a handful of students.
“We have a very good following for several sports, and most all of our home contests are well attended. Other school officials notice, and I guarantee you our kids and coaches notice, and that's appreciated!
“Because the community understands the value of athletics and physical education and extra-curricular activities, the community has supported our corporation's growth in terms of facilities. Thanks to recent building projects - the 2006 expansion that added two soccer fields, two softball fields, two practice football fields, a football field, and a track and field complex on campus, as well as the partnership with KCH-Lutheran/OPS providing the football and track improvements in 2016 - Warsaw entered the top tier in the state when it comes to athletic facilities. With the exception of two programs (baseball and gymnastics), every single one of our athletic programs are competing at home venues suitable to host state tournament contests. Overall, the student-athletes, programs, school and community are fortunate.”
Anson thought long and hard about how he’d like his time leading the athletic program to be remembered.
“I am simply appreciative and humbled to have been given the chance at my dream job for eight years,” he finally said. “While I was going to college, I covered sports for the South Bend Tribune part-time. I watched and worked with many athletic directors and coaches in the process. After graduating, I returned to college for my certification in education, and I eventually earned my master’s degree and certification in secondary administration while teaching and coaching in Plymouth.
I've been around athletics - from playing sports at Penn, in college, writing about sporting events, and then coaching - in an environment I have known for more than 40 years.
Finally... I cared as much for the kid that is "pretty good" as for the ones wearing the all-Northern Lakes Conference patch. I cared about the program that finished in the middle of the pack as much as the one that won the conference. I cared about the fan experience, the facilities, the opportunities, and I cared greatly and appreciated our coaches for their tremendous investments and sacrifices.
On the other side of the coin, there are some things he’d like to see change, and be an instrument of that change, if he were staying.
“Probably my biggest disappointment is that I could not change the culture of sport specialization, but I also know it's a big issue everywhere,” said Anson. “While I am thankful our coaches and administration supports the emphasis on multiple sport athletes, and it is fantastic to have close to 800 opportunities on rosters as players or managers, I would have loved to have seen more of our "athletes" being athletes.
“Part of that is selfish because it improves the teams. The other is that ultimately, I cared a great deal about the value of athletics and what it provides kids socially and emotionally, academically, and behaviorally.”
Like any job with strong demands, there’s a few things Anson admitted he won’t miss about the position, but he’s keeping his contacts list and plans to keep track of the activities at Warsaw.
“Ultimately...Ironically it is the same thing that I loved...and that's the pace and the time it takes,” he smiled. “Also, it’ll be nice to go to WalMart and not have people come up to me in the coffee aisle and tell me what's wrong with one of our coaches.
“While the departure is bittersweet, I am confident there are great things ahead for WCHS Athletics, the WCHS Programs, and the Tiger Athletics family. I’m looking forward to listening to the internet broadcast of Tiger football games with waves and seagull sounds in the background on Friday nights this fall, and I will be following everyone on Twitter.”
