L. G. Friedrichs
In December
of the year 1960 it was announced that Campion high school had contracted
the fourth football coach at Campion since 1911. He is Mr. L. G. Friedrichs,
who had formerly coached at St. Ambrose college until the close of the
1959 season when St. Ambrose decided to abandon football. He had posted
a 21-13 record at the Davenport school.
After being
an all-stater at Jesuit High in New Orleans, La., Mr. Friedrichs played
under Stidham at Oklahoma. He coached Marquette high school in 1941 to
the Milwaukee Catholic Conference championship before serving in World
War II. At Holy Cross High in New Orleans he compiled a 19-4 record in
two seasons after the war. At St. Louis University high school in 1949
his team won the Catholic and district championships.
After leaving
the coach's bench for a year, he went to Omaha in 1951 where he guided
Creighton Prep to two Nebraska state championships in 1953 and 1954 before
going to St. Ambrose college. He had a 59-15-1 prep coaching record. From
St. Ambrose he came to Campion.
As the
1961 football season opened with a heartbreaking defeat to La Crosse Central,
14-12, it was seen that there was one person working just as hard, if not
harder than, the team. That person is Mr. L. G. Friedrichs. No one man
is more capable of inspiring the football players as well as the entire
student body.
The season
started out with two tough defeats to such formidable opponents as LaCrosse
Central and Milwaukee Marquette before narrow victory came, but that is
not the sign to let fire of spirit dwindle.
Mr. Friedrichs
has picked up his squad after the initial defeats and has inevitably replaced
some of the lost spirit. His characteristic optimism has grown on the players
and this is a sign of a good coach. He has given the team his spirit and
that spirit is to never let up or admit defeat even if the going is rough.
That is something you will never see Mr. Friedrichs or the team do this
year or any year while Mr. Friedrichs is here.
There is
no one in this whole school who wants to win more than Mr. L. G. Friederichs;
he deserves the support of the student body, backing this coach and this
team to the end of a great season. To Mr. Friedrichs Campion pledges its
very best effort as he has his to Campion.
As the
last month of the summer vacation rolled around, each of the
members of
the 61 edition of the Campion Knights received a letter inviting him back
for pre-season football practice. The letter was as personal as was possible
under the circumstances, It expressed optimism and enkindled a real spirit
of enthusiasm.
On Aug.
28 there was a steady stream of football players arriving on campus. The
first order of the day after they got settled in Lucey hall was to check
in with Mr. Friedrichs. After he welcomed them back, they were issued equipment
and told to put it on and work up a sweat.
Tuesday
dawned bright and clear and the real work began, There were two workouts
a day. By the time that second workout was over everyone had worked up
quite an appetite and a tremendous thirst to go with it.
The work
was not through when the afternoon session ended. In the evening after
supper there was usually a meeting to go over what had been covered on
the field that day.
The next
week was spent on building an offensive punch. Fr. Halloran took charge
of the linemen while Mr. Friedrichs was teaching the backs their assignments.
It was a long and tiresome task but finally the offense started to jell.
By the time Sunday rolled around things were looking much better. There
was only one workout Sunday; in the afternoon all those who could muster
enough energy went on a town per.
Lest the
enthusiasm diminish after a day of rest, there was an hour and a half straight
of full scrimmage Monday afternoon.