... always have several interests.
John Raffensperger
John Raffensperger is best known as one of the greatest high school track coaches in the state of Iowa. But there's more to him than a clipboard and a whistle.
That's just what has made his life a success.
"I always had other interests," Raffensperger said. "You've got to have some other things."
Although his greatest success came on the track, he diversified from early on. He was a two-sport athlete in college at the University of Northern Iowa, splitting time between the track and the football gridiron. He also coached both sports at City High, where he taught social studies for 36 years.
He also sang in choir during and after college and remains active at the Johnson County Senior Center.
"I could forget the stress of coaching and everything else," Raffensperger said.
He retired from coaching in 2003 after winning 10 boys state track titles with the Little Hawks. He didn't want to continue coaching after retiring from teaching. But he has volunteered time as an unpaid assistant for the University of Iowa men's track team, working under his former star athlete, Joey Woody.
"It's been a good experience," Raffensperger said. "I was kind of apprehensive at first. I was used to working with developing-aged kids. But the more I'm around it, the more I see that kids are kids, if they're 16 or 21."
Raffensperger said his sense of humor also has been a key to his happy life.
"Don't take yourself too seriously," he said. "If you take yourself too seriously, you set yourself up for a fall."
— Jon Klinkowitz
