(Denison) — Dave Wiebers never envisioned a return when he left the sideline 14 years ago.
But things have changed, and the pioneer behind Denison-Schleswig football’s success in the 1990s and 2000s is again in charge of the program.
“I never thought this would occur,” Wiebers said. “I’m probably as nervous as I was when I took over in 1989.”
Wiebers led the Monarchs from 1989 to 2009. His teams compiled a 131-73 record with 10 playoff appearances. While he left the program, Wiebers kept an eye on it as Denison-Schleswig’s athletic director and then principal.
“I still think I can motivate and lead kids,” Wiebers said. “Hopefully, I can get the kids prepared. A lot of it is teaching. I’ve been teaching for many years, so I think that’s good.”
Wiebers’ familiarity with the program and his players should make for an easy transition.
“We know the kids we have,” he said. “We have to teach our kids the basics and work a lot on fundamentals. We have some good kids in the system. We just have to build anticipation and get them prepared. They know my philosophy. Now, it’s just getting the kids to believe in what we’re telling them to get us back on track.”
Wiebers hopes to quickly return the Monarchs to the winning ways they grew accustomed to during his first tenure. Denison-Schleswig had 17 winning seasons from 1989 to 2009. They had only three from 2009 to 2022.
“My first goal is to have a winning record,” Wiebers said. “The second is to win the district, third is to qualify for the playoffs and the fourth is to go to the dome. Those goals haven’t changed. It’s a process. It will take the kids to believe in what we’re doing.”
There are certain things Wiebers will have to adapt to this time around, such as the technology and the more complex offenses at the high school level. While those things have changed, Wiebers’ style and philosophy haven’t.
“I’m still who I am,” he said. “My demand is that they come to practice and work hard. I want them to think football is something fun. It’s not a job. We know the challenges, but we’ll put the kids in spots to be successful. Hopefully, when they get on the field, they bust their tails for their teammates, coaches and community. We may not be the most talented team, but we’ll be prepared.”
Click below to hear the full interview with Coach Wiebers.
