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March 31, 2000
Barenz toleave MVLfor positionin ColoradoBy Jim BastianJournal Sports WriterNEW ULM -- Minnesota Valley Lutheran's John Barenz has accepted a Wisconsin Synod call to help open a high school in Denver. Barenz was the head football coach this season at MVL and the head girls basketball coach for the past four years. Barenz will leave MVL at the end of this school year. "The people of Denver have demonstrated that there is a real need for a (Lutheran high school) in Denver," said Barenz, who came to MVL 10 years ago from Denver where he was an elementary school principal. "I have been here for 10 years and I feel that maybe the timing is right at this point both in the sense of MVL and Denver." Barenz said "a lot of things have come together for the association of people that are trying to start a high school in Denver. They have worked at this for a number of years and it seems as though a number of things have come together (there). "And then I look at myself and I think that I have gained a lot of experience in the workings of a high school. I have had the chance to work on a variety of classes and work on a number of committees. Plus, I have had the chance to coach some different sports. I think in that regard the timing is right." At the new Rocky Mountain Lutheran High School, Barenz will be the principal. "Initially, I will be setting up the school and then the principal," he said. "They think that the school will grow rapidly once the doors are open." Initial enrollment figures have 60 students beginning there. Barenz said the new high school will be in northwest Denver "just opposite of the elementary school where I was before." Barenz said he will take a lot of fond memories with him from MVL. "The first thing that comes to my mind is the memory of the wonderful kids that I have had here at MVL" he said. "A number of experiences in coaching, certainly not the least of which was our playing in the state title game for girls basketball this season, and the memories of coaching in Williams Arena. "But I will also remember helping coach (Jim) Bauer in the number of state (football) tournaments that we were in. I also take with me the association that I have had with the faculty members and working with them. It has just been a pleasure working with them." No replacement is in mind for the head coaching position for the girls basketball spot as of yet. "We will miss him a lot, we are sad to see him go," said MVL athletic director Craig Morgan. "I know that the kids, along with the entire faculty, are happy for him in that he is able to serve the Lord in Colorado with the new school. We appreciate all of the things that he has done in coaching and teaching." Barenz was a B-squad coach in basketball and an assistant in football. He also taught World History and also taught senior religion. "God's given the man a gift and we were happy that he used that gift here at MVL," commented Morgan. INDOOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Midwest Sports Channel will broadcast 13 regular season games of the Indoor Football League beginning April 1 when the Minnesota Purple Rage, based in Mankato, host Duluth in a noon game. Adding local flavor to the league is Todd Gorsline, who played football at Martin Luther, is on the roster of the Madison Mad Dogs. Gorsline is a 6-foot-5, 302-pound offensive tackle. HAVEMEIER COURTED BY AIR FORCE: Loren Havemeier, who in my opinion is the best athlete to ever come out of Sleepy Eye, was visited by representatives of the Air Force Academy this week. Yale is also in the hunt for Havemeier, who is also an outstanding student. Havemeier will play in the Chicago Showplace Tournament April 8-17. He is one of 20 top unsigned players and will play a forward spot on the team. This team will play in the Twin Cities April 8 and 9 against a North Dakota team. Minor league hockey teams looking at Havemeier are Omaha, Waterloo, Tri-City Storm and Sioux Falls. The University of Minnesota has also expressed an interest in Havemeier for hockey, but want him to play one year of junior hockey first.
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