Lenard takes his place in Track Coaches Hall of Fame

By Ginna Young

Ed Lenard, Cadott, is known by many titles, and as of July 17, Wisconsin Track Coaches Association Hall of Famer is one more to add. Ed is no stranger to the hall of fame limelight, as he was inducted into the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002.

He also received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008; was inducted into the Cadott Hall of Honor in 2012; and the Edgar Alumni Hall of Fame in 2017.

Ed grew up in Athens, where he attended grade school until 1961, then his family moved to Edgar, where Ed graduated from high school in 1965. After that, Ed went on to earn a BS degree from UW-Stevens Point in 1970, with a major in history and a minor in physical education.

He then returned to his roots, teaching and coaching at Edgar for over three years, before moving to Cadott, where he taught for 29 years. During that time, Ed served as the head track coach for 20 years; head football coach for 21 years; and head wrestling coach for 24 years.

“I kept myself pretty busy,” said Ed.

Eventually, Ed retired in 2002, but not before he saw two girls track teams win WIAA Division 3 State championships in 1994 and 1997, and Sectional championships in 1994 and 1997.

Ed also racked up eight West Cloverbelt Conference championships between the girls (1982, 1994-97) and boys teams (1990-91, 1995); and eight Regional championships between the two teams (girls – 1982, 1993-94, 1996-97; boys – 1990-91, 1993). Overall, Ed ended with 45 State qualifiers and 30 place winners, with eight individual champions.

He didn’t coach track all on his own, as his wife, Pat, was right by his side. Pat also grew up in Edgar, with the two dating when they were seniors in high school. Over their 49 years together, the couple had three children and four grandchildren.

Since Pat had a lot of track & field experience from when she coached at Medford early on in her career, the two combined their abilities to form one half of the Cadott track team coaching staff.

“So, it worked out really, really well,” said Ed, adding jokingly that people ask what it was like having his wife as an assistant coach. “It was the greatest time of my life. How many of you guys out there can tell your wife what to do every day for two hours? And then she just stuck right with me until we were done.”

At the time, the track wasn’t located around the football field the way it is now, but on the north side of the school.

“This parking lot over here at one time, was our track,” said Ed. “My wife announced the track meets through the classroom window over there.”

Because the area wasn’t a designated track, every single piece of equipment had to be put away at the end of the day.

“And one night, we asked the people to bring their cars over to the side and put their lights on so we could finish a 4x4 at the end of the meet,” said Ed. “Times were different.”

Homemade hurdles were stacked up against the side of the building, and needed to be taken apart and oiled at the end of each season. Ed says they also dug a long jump in the late 1970s, but after that spot was blacktopped, they dug another jump pit somewhere else.

“Those were things we did to keep the sport going back in the day,” said Ed.

A new track for Cadott came along in the early 1980s, as a six-lane blacktop area, before it was updated. Ed says it was the nicest one around and that everyone wanted to come run on their track.

“We hosted everything we could host here,” said Ed.

Now, each year, the DeJung Invitational is held, in honor of Bill DeJung, former Cadott teacher/coach, who worked closely with Ed.

“I got that started for Bill,” said Ed. “He did so much to keep track alive. We had a very stable coaching staff and we all worked together extremely well.”

Included on Ed’s staff, were Clay Gindt and Jim Sekel, who, though they have since moved on, remain close to Ed and Pat.

With the help of his assistants, Ed coached Amanda Soppeland to a State championship in 1997. Brooke Stelzer also made her mark while Ed was at the helm, winning the 400-meter dash three separate times, as well as the 100-meter dash and was on the 4x400-meter relay team that won State.

Laura Kaste was also a State champion who stood out, winning in the 1,600-meter run and placing second in the 3,200-meter run, before becoming an All-American at UWOshkosh.

“She was an outstanding athlete,” said Ed.

Ed says when he coached, he ran the boys and girls together.

“Hurdle technique is hurdle technique,” said Ed. “It doesn’t make any difference if it’s a guy or a girl.”

During his career at Cadott, Ed also made history in 1994, with the girls team bringing home the first State championship in the school’s history. Ed has always maintained that if a school or person wins one championship, they will continue on a winning path, when people see their success and want to replicate it.

Because of that mentality and the many accolades under his belt, Ed’s recognition in the Track Hall of Fame is a reflection of his life’s dedication.

“I’m absolutely honored and humbled to be picked,” he said, “because any time it comes from your peers, it’s so meaningful.”