For coaches, the start of another high school season is always a special one – Post Bulletin

ROCHESTER — Just like that, another high school sports season is here.

Today, Monday, Aug. 11, officially signals the start of fall sports practices, while serving as the de facto first day of the school year.

It always seems to bring with it excitement and hope for the unknown that lies ahead. Longtime John Marshall cross country coach Mike Sonnabend knows that better than anyone.

But this season will carry a special meaning for Sonnabend, his family and the Rochester cross-country community, as it appeared a few months ago he wasn’t going to get the opportunity to coach in another season.

Back in April,

Sonnabend found himself fighting for his life after a bout of meningitis led to swelling in his brain.

He was told at one point to get his affairs in order.

“They told the family to all come because it doesn’t look good,” Sonnabend said.

But Sonnabend — a leukemia survivor and a bone marrow transplant recipient who also had his spleen removed — has never been one to give up. As he lay in his hospital bed, defying the odds, he only thought about getting ready for today.

“When I was in the hospital, I started thinking, I’m missing the track season, so let’s get healthy for cross country,” he said. “(I) couldn’t do a lot of the beginning, but once I got my bearings straight, I started focusing on cross country again, and met with the coaches and got everything set up there. We’re ready to go.”

It took until the end of July for Sonnabend to start feeling like his normal self. Unfortunately, the repercussions of the infection carried on to his extremities. He had the tips of three of his toes amputated last month and just recently had surgery to remove the tip of his thumb. He is scheduled for the same surgery on the other foot today. Yet, he’s bent on being at the first day of practice, even if he will likely wear a boot on each foot and a splint on his hand.

“I’m going to try and be there,” Sonnabend said. “I should be able to make it.”

He laughed as he jokingly said he better not hear anyone complaining this first week of the season. Sonnabend has long been a champion for the youth in this area and wasn’t going to let anything get in his way, especially with this year’s group.

“It’s going to be a fun season, because the kids just have a different attitude this year than I’ve had before,” Sonnabend said. “I stopped and saw them (the other day) at captain’s practice, and they’re pretty excited. They’re ready to get going. They want to send at least three to state this year.”

Another coach who is eagerly looking forward to the season is Century girls swim and dive co-coach Dale Magnuson, who is entering his 25th season at the helm — most of them with his wife Megan as the co-coach. This group, too, holds a special place in his heart as he’s going to enjoy one last campaign with a group of 14 seniors that includes his daughter Chloe.

“This group of seniors came out in 2020, with COVID, and the majority of them have stuck with it for six years,” Dale Magnuson said. “Our daughter is one of those girls who’s going to be a senior this year, who came out as a seventh grader. It’s been amazing to watch them over the years, just mature in the sport and really become the heart and soul of our team for this year, which is exciting to see.”

Even someone as tenured as Magnuson still gets the butterflies that accompany the first day of a new season.

He does his best to keep things fresh, whether that be through new dad jokes or different games.

Many longtime coaches agree that the key to another new season is keeping things fresh and light.

“As a coach, I think you always just want to keep the girls fresh,” Fillmore Central volleyball coach Travis Malley, who enters his 16th season with the Falcons. “You want to keep things new and keep them wanting to come, but you don’t want to let them down. As a coach, I think no matter how long you do it, you have to put them in the best position so they can compete. So you’re just always putting (in) the time to make sure you do your best so they can do their best.”

That’s why the defending Section 1, Class 1A champion Falcons had a busy summer, playing in a league at Stewartville, while competing in multiple summer tournaments.

Speaking of staying busy, that’s exactly what a typical summer for third-year Chatfield coach Kristi Rindels is like. Rindels works full-time at the Mayo Clinic, manages the Chosen Valley Golf Club in Chatfield and coaches varsity volleyball. Her work ethic has seemed to rub off on her players, who compete in beach volleyball, as well as league and club volleyball in the summer.

Perhaps that’s what led to Chatfield’s first section title and a magical season a year ago. It was one that Rindels admits felt like an achievable but far-fetched goal to begin the season, before the girls believed in themselves to make it a reality.

With their first two matches against top-ranked Southwest Christian and last year’s Section 1-2A runner-up Winona Cotter, the Gophers are ready to hit the ground running today.

“We’re going to have to have two strong weeks of practice and be ready quickly to compete at level where we want to,” Rindels said. “So hopefully all the things align.”

No matter what the expectations are for any team in any sport, or whether a coach is entering their third year or their 20th, the arrival of another season simply does not seem to get old.

“My wife and I have been doing this for about 26 years now, and the first day is always exciting,” Magnuson said. “It goes by so fast. It’s kind of funny because once the season starts, I blink and it’s Thanksgiving. It’s important to just enjoy each day.”