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Invite renamed after Bay Port coaching legend

By RICH PALZEWIC
CORRESPONDENT

HOWARD – After 34 years of teaching psychology and coaching cross country and track and field at Bay Port High School, Mike Jameson recently called it a career.

To honor the longtime mentor, the former “Pirate Invitational” cross country meet was renamed the “Mike Jameson Invitational” in a Sept. 15 dedication at Meadowbrook Park in Howard.

“I’m very honored,” Jameson said. “I’ve always felt appreciated, but something like this shows a lot. I’ve had great support from my family, the parents and the administration.”

Jameson, who graduated from Bay Port in 1983 and came back to teach and coach in ’88, had mixed feelings when cross country practice began in early August, and he wasn’t there.

“It was weird — almost like summer vacation,” he said. “I miss the kids and the camaraderie with the coaches and teachers, but it’s been nice not dealing with the paperwork, apparel, fundraising, phone calls, etc. It’s amazing how quickly it all went. Bay Port was my first and last teaching/coaching job.”

Jameson said he couldn’t have accomplished what he did without the “incredible support” of his family.

“My wife Kim would run our two daughters — Brooke and Morgan — around all those years while I was coaching,” he said. “It was a great support system.”

Jameson said there have been many memorable moments in his coaching career, but several stand out.

“In 2015, we won the boys (WIAA Division I) team state championship in track and field,” he said. “In cross country, the girls took third place two times. We were so close to the top spot — it was painful. We also had Trista Baye take first (in cross country) in 2003 by running the fastest time in the state.”

Cole Van Lanen, now an offensive lineman for the Jacksonville Jaguars, won individual state titles in the shot put and discus at the state track and field meet in 2015 to help the Pirates take home the gold trophy.

Now that he no longer teaches or coaches, Jameson said he’ll still have plenty to do.

“I have lots of house projects to work on,” he laughed. “I also enjoy following Bay Port athletics and will continue to do that. I also like being outdoors. I’ll see where the future takes me.”

Jameson also had an impact on many who ran for him.

“While running is an individual sport, coach Jameson created a community of runners — ranging from all abilities and experience levels,” Erin Whitman posted on the event’s Facebook page.

“I’m grateful to have had such amazing coaches during my time on the Bay Port cross country team. (Jameson’s) ‘get after it’ (phrase) will always be in the back of my head during my races.”

Andy Nuthals, who took over the track and field team two years ago from Jameson, is the new cross-country coach.

“He’s one of my best friends, my mentor and one of the reasons I coach,” Nuthals said. “I’ve looked up to him my whole life and I can’t think of anything better but to change our home meet in his honor.”

Nuthals has taken lots from Jameson to use in his own coaching.

“Mike has always brought a family feel to coaching,” he said. “I got to coach alongside Mike for the past 15 years, and the kids loved him. Kids wanted to be together in his programs. He created a fun, loving culture.”

All in the family

Brooke, who ran cross country and track at Bay Port from 2008-12, is now a psychology/world history teacher and cross-country coach at Brookfield East.

“Ironically, I didn’t have my dad as a teacher in high school — I requested to have the other teacher,” Jameson laughed.

Jameson ran cross country/track and field at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and brought her Brookfield East team to the Sept. 15 dedication.

“I’ve been telling my team about ‘Big Bertha’ for a long time, now they finally got to run it,” Jameson said. “It was nice to come to the meet and see different teams and support my dad.”

“Big Bertha” is the steep hill on the Meadowbrook course behind the park’s playground equipment.
Runners had to tackle the hill twice during the race.

Before the race, Jameson said the dedication was emotional for her, too.

“It’s a huge honor for my dad — he deserves it,” she said. “He’s very humble and quiet about these types of things, but I know it means a lot to him.”

Jameson said she’s taken several things from her dad she uses today — both in coaching and teaching.

“I’m more organized because of him,” she said. “When you’re a head coach, there are many duties you’re responsible for besides coaching. My dad had the unique ability to reach every athlete — no matter how good of a runner they were or where they placed. When you’re a coach who cares about your athletes, they’ll work hard for you.”

Event results
Jameson’s Brookfield East girls’ squad won the meet overall in resounding fashion.

Brookfield East’s 34 points easily outdistanced Appleton North (87) and Two Rivers (100).

Bay Port finished fourth with 109 points.

West De Pere’s Kate Schmoll led the area runners with a second-place finish (19:05).

For the boys, Brookfield East also won the overall crown with 56 points.

Appleton North (66) and Bay Port (77) rounded out the top three.

West De Pere’s Noah Jahnke won the meet overall in 16:45, finishing 37 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.

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