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Raetz rises to historic win mark
When Mark Raetz was hired to become Terre Haute South’s head football coach in January 2007, there was one word that he used to describe what his return to lead his alma mater meant to him – excited.
Raetz, who was 28-years old at the time, and his wife, Carol, had been living in Ohio and were eager to return to the Wabash Valley where they were both from. And while the excitement Raetz had when he was initially hired to lead the program he played for as a quarterback during the mid-1990s never left, he admitted the six years he spent there were difficult, especially playing in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC) that’s won a combined 33 state championships.
“When I got the South job, I had only been out of the Air Force for a few months. I was just excited to have the opportunity and was excited to move back to this area because I’m from here and I had been in the Air Force for 10 years,” said Raetz. “But it was hard. Those years at South were hard. I loved the players there and loved the school, which is where I went, but it was hard playing in the MIC.”
Raetz won 15 games during his time at Terre Haute South before moving 18 miles northeast to Northview where he became the program’s all-time winningest coach, averaging 7.4 wins per season over the last 12 years. It’s been a match made in heaven, said Raetz.
“I had always said if the Northview job opened up, that was the job I wanted,” Raetz said. “Sure enough, it opened up, and the rest is history.”
And with Friday’s 35-0 win over Sullivan, Raetz, who had his father, Dennis, in the booth calling the defense, his two sons, Jake and Max, on the sideline with him as a player and a ball boy, and his wife and daughter, Annie, in the stands rooting them on, won his 100th career game. He credited the players and coaches that turned Northview into a perennial winner, as well as those that helped him get his coaching feet wet at Terre Haute South before that, for bringing him to win No. 100.
“This is not about me. It’s a culmination of the players, all of the coaches I’ve had, and my family,” said Raetz. “It’s a reflection of all of that because everybody makes a lot of sacrifices. It’s really a testament to all of those people.”
The Brazil Times recently spoke with the nine starting quarterbacks – Koby Kraemer (2 wins), Bryn Schwartz (5 wins), Danny Etling (8 wins), Tucker Stewart (25 wins), Trey Shaw (23 wins), Keegan Garrison (13 wins), Dillon White (9 wins), Kyle Cottee (12 wins) and Colton Bath (3 wins) – Raetz, a former high school quarterback himself, coached at Terre Haute South and Northview and asked them to reflect on their time with the 18-year head coach. Their responses are below:
Koby Kraemer (2007)
“It was a great experience playing for him. That was his first year as a head coach so I’m sure a lot has changed. We were running the triple option from under center back then. I wish I could’ve helped him win more games that year, but it was a tough schedule in the MIC. He’s a great coach and has been a great mentor for all his players. Disciplined, tough, and fair. All the things that a parent would want their child to learn from a football coach. I would trust him to coach my own son. I’m happy for his accomplishment, and I’m sure there'll be many more to come.”
Bryn Schwartz (2008-2009)
“I remember Coach Raetz for his unwavering character and enthusiasm. He played a pivotal role in my development as an athlete, but most importantly, as a person. Coach Raetz was able to take his experience with football and his time at the Air Force Academy and help spread that toughness and discipline through his coaching. I cannot thank him enough for showing me how to approach each day both on and off of the field. I am proud to have been a part of Coach Raetz’s coaching career. I am sure he will enjoy many more wins in the years to come.”
Danny Etling (2010-2012)
“It's awesome to be a small part of such a wonderful career as a high school coach. Even more important than the 100 games won for coach Raetz is the impact and discipline that he’s passed on and instilled in the individuals who have played for him. He helped me establish excellent habits early on in my career and those habits have taken me far in all areas of my life, even outside of football.”
Tucker Stewart (2013-2015)
“I’m thrilled to see coach Raetz reach this 100-win milestone. This achievement is a testament to his dedication and commitment to every team he’s coached over the years. My time playing for coach Raetz was an unforgettable experience and I’m glad I was able to be part of his journey. He deserves all the recognition and more.”
Trey Shaw (2016-2018)
“Playing for coach Raetz was an experience where I couldn’t have asked for much more. Not only was he the ultimate competitor, but coach Raetz really cares about teaching his players life lessons and treating them like his own sons. He is very disciplined in the way he runs his program, and that reflects in the results and in how players in the program carry themselves. Also, for me, coach was pivotal in both my decision and transition to playing at DePauw. Playing for coach Raetz was not only an enjoyable and rewarding experience as an athlete, but to look back on it now, I realize how valuable it was to me as a person. He has had a fundamental role in so many players’ careers and lives, and he deserves a lot of praise for that. Being able to be the starter for, I believe, 21 or 22 of coach Raetz’s 100 wins is pretty special to me. I had such a great experience playing for, learning from, and spending time with coach. Since he came to Northview, he has run the program and treated the community in the right way, and it reflects in his success. It is no doubt a great milestone, and I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon. I’m super happy for him and his family, and the Northview football program.”
Keegan Garrison (2019-2020)
“Coach Raetz is the epitome of what a coach should be. The things I learned from him I still use in day-to-day life. He is the best leader I have ever been around to this day. Even though I’m thousands of miles away, he still reaches out from time to time. That shows what kind of leader and person he is. Northview football is something I want my children to experience because of the way he made the program something special. I’m truly honored and lucky for the opportunity to have been a part of his career.”
Dillon White (2021)
“Playing for coach Raetz was about so much more than football. He not only made me a better football player but also a better man. I learned so many life lessons playing for coach Raetz that have and will help me tremendously throughout my career and throughout life. I am honored to have been a part of a few of those 100 wins, but the wins don’t even scratch the surface of what he has done for the teams and players that he has coached.”
Kyle Cottee (2022-2023)
“I played for coach Raetz for two years of my high school career and I can strongly say that he is a great guy and a very uplifting coach. He helped me grow not only as an athlete but as a person as well by teaching me to keep fighting no matter how hard things got and to always try my best. He never doubted me and always believed in me and helped me be the best student-athlete that I could be.”
Colton Bath (2024)
“It’s been great playing for him. He has a lot of experience. He’s not only a good coach – he definitely knows what he’s talking about – but more importantly, he knows how to get his point across to his quarterbacks because he’s a really good teacher and coach. It’s cool to be a part of it. It’s a great honor. He’s had other quarterbacks before me to get him to this point, but really this is all about what he’s built.”