March 18, 2024

End of an Era

Colfax-Mingo’s Bryan Poulter to retire in July

Ten months ago, Colfax-Mingo’s Bryan Poulter decided to step away from a wrestling program he had guided for 30 years.

At that point, he continued his role as the school’s athletic director, softball coach and teacher.

Fast forward nearly a year from that date and Poulter has made another life-altering decision — this time accepting an Iowa Public Employees’ Retiring System (IPERS) package from the school district.

“As you make a decision like that, when you have been doing it for so long and in my case at the same school, leaving is tough no matter when you do it,” Poulter said. “It’s a big part of your life. It would have been that way though if I stayed five or 10 more years.”

Poulter will coach the Tigerhawk softball program through the end of the 2016 season, and then the IPERS package requires him to resign all of his positions at the school.

Poulter has to wait four months, but he can reapply for any position he still wants to hold after that, according to Colfax-Mingo Principal Todd Jones.

At this point, Poulter seems at peace with his decision to retire from his athletic director post and teaching position, but he may want to continue directing the softball program for a few more years.

“This is something that you basically build your life around outside of your family. Your job becomes a lot of you,” Poulter said about working in the Colfax-Mingo school district for more than 30 years. “It’s a lot of realization that ‘hey you are not going to be doing that anymore.’ So now, what’s the next step, what’s the next path that you’re going to take. You have to be secure in taking that step, too.”

Poulter is unsure of that next step at this point. He wants to continue working somewhere for a few more years. He said he may have opportunities in the business world or even a different opportunity in education.

“I am still looking at some options. I am still looking for some employment,” Poulter said. “I have options in the business world and even an opportunity in education that wouldn’t be the time commitment that I am doing now. I would guess that for the next few years I will still work in something, but I am not exactly sure right now.”

Poulter had plenty of success as a coach at Colfax-Mingo. He has coached a State Champion in all three sports in which he’s been a Colfax-Mingo head coach.

He coached Michael Bucklin to a state wrestling title, guided Levi Van Oort to an individual state title in track and field and one of his softball team’s won a state championship.

One of his biggest accomplishments as athletic director may have been finding a way to get the Tigerhawk athletic programs into a more suitable conference moving forward.

Colfax-Mingo joined the South Iowa Cedar League this past fall after spending several years in the Heart of Iowa Conference, and the on-field results have the decision to be a positive one. Unfortunately, Poulter won’t be able to enjoy all the fruits of that labor when he steps away in July.

“It was time for us to be in a situation with schools more our size,” Poulter said. “We tried for several years to remedy that situation, but the offerings weren’t there to make a change. We continued looking, and the South Iowa Cedar League made an offer to us that we accepted and it’s gone well so far.

“Just looking at the winter seasons, you can see that both of our basketball teams have wins this season that were above and beyond what they’ve had the last several years and the wrestling program finished in the top half of their conference tournament. It’s a good situation.”

Guiding the wrestling program this winter was Erin Hume, who wrestled for Poulter when he walked the halls as a high school student at Colfax-Mingo.

Hume has an incredible amount of respect for his former teacher and coach and current boss.

“For the district as a whole, you couldn’t ask for a better guy to be a part of the district for 30-plus years,” Hume said. “He cares greatly for the district and the kids in the district. He wants nothing but the best for everyone in our community. He’s a great guy.”

Matt Barkalow, the high school boys track and field coach, has been a part of Colfax-Mingo’s district for the past decade. Poulter has been a part of his coaching journey the entire time.

“Coach Poulter has unwavering integrity and regularly provided me with even-tempered wisdom during the past decade,” Barkalow said. “He coached Colfax-Mingo state champions in three different sports, which clearly is a testament to his expertise.

“However, Bryan’s ability to build relationships with our student-athletes has been far more significant than simple athletic accomplishments.”

The time Poulter spent as administrator at Colfax-Mingo will now be spent more with his family.

Poulter and his wife Mary have three children, a son in Minneapolis, a daughter in Omaha and a daughter in Iowa City. They have two grandchildren in Iowa City and will soon add another grandchild in Omaha.

“The family time will definitely increase,” Poulter said. “It will be fun to have the ability to go see them whenever I want.”

Poulter’s wife Mary recently retired from her administrative position in the Prairie City-Monroe school district. She’s now on Colfax-Mingo Board of Education. She visits the grandchildren in Iowa City at least once a week.

“She has been surprised with herself that at this stage she is really happy with just being retired,” Coach Poulter said. “She’s been really happy with her schedule.”

Jones has been in the Colfax-Mingo district for 10 years, but he coached against Poulter in wrestling and softball during his 23 years at PCM.

“He’s made the athletic director position very invaluable,” Jones said. “He’s had great success in all of his sports and touched a lot of kids during his time here.”

Jones said the search for Colfax-Mingo’s new athletic director is on hold for the time being. He wants to make sure all of Poulter’s positions are defined. Poulter also taught technical applications, which is an introductory typing class.

As far as Poulter’s position as softball coach beyond 2016, Jones said he would be able to re-apply for the head coaching job if he wants to continue coaching the program.

“It is my understanding that the six retirees who accepted the package have to give up all of their positions for four months,” Jones said. “That means Poulter wouldn’t be able to do anything until December. He could then re-apply for the softball coaching job at that point.”