IGHSAU honors Sauser

     Dan Sauser, head coach of the Monticello High School cross country teams, is the 2017 cross country recipient of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Golden Plaque of Distinction Award.

     He was presented with the plaque during the awards ceremony at the State Class 2A Cross Country Meet Saturday, Oct. 28 in Fort Dodge.

     The award honors the Iowa coach who had demonstrated a successful career while making notable contributions toward school, community and the coaching profession.

     He has coached the Panther teams since 2004. His girls’ teams have won two state championships, and the boys’ teams have won four. The Panther teams have four state runner-up finishes, three third place finishes, and 18 of his 22 state qualifying teams have placed in the top five.

     Sauser has been named Iowa Association of Track Coaches (IATC) State Coach of the Year six times, and has been a northeast Iowa coach of the year nine times.

     “It’s very humbling, and it’s definitely an honor to be considered and to receive that award,” Sauser said. “We’ve had a lot of people that have been part of our success here. I’m surrounded by wonderful assistant coaches, and we have wonderful spring coaches as well that have contributed.”

     Dan has been married to his wife Donna for 22 years. They have three children: Nathan, Ella and the late Kyle Sauser. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa and teaches mathematics at MHS and Kirkwood’s Jones Regional Education Center.

     “Dan is an amazing coach that instills a hard work ethic in his athletes, and he has the ability to help students reach above and beyond their own expectations,” Monticello Superintendent Brian Jaeger said. “Dan is also an amazing math teacher, and spends countless hours planning and providing extra help to his students on a daily basis.

     “He exemplifies that a winning coach and teacher should represent, and that winning attitude is reflected in the athletes and students he works with each day.”