hawkfan
06-06-2006, 01:28 PM
Iowa Park coach steps down
Fuhrman leaving the field for his family
By Andy Newberry/Times Record News
June 6, 2006
David Fuhrman was hoping to be coaching this week at the state baseball tournament, as he did for the Iowa Park Hawks on three occasions, but, instead, he got an early jump on his new position.
"I've told my kids I'm now coach Dad," Fuhrman said Monday of his decision to step down as Iowa Park's baseball coach after 14 seasons.
Fuhrman will continue to teach Algebra I and Algebra II at Iowa Park High School, but he wants to spend as much time as possible with his family.
"I came home one day last spring and my daughter was crying because I'd missed out on something," Fuhrman said. "I was missing out on my children. So I decided one more year was going to be it."
The Hawks finished Fuhrman's final season at 23-9 and were eliminated by Decatur in the Region I-3A quarterfinals.
Iowa Park advanced to the playoffs in every one of Fuhrman's 14 seasons as head coach, compiling a record of 279-150-3. The Hawks made it to the state tournament in 1993, 1998 and 2001.
"The closeness to the kids, that's the part I'm going to miss - being around those kids and getting to know them like sons, basically," Fuhrman said.
"Seeing the good sides and bad sides of the kids and them seeing my good sides and bad sides, that's the best thing about coaching. Getting close with the kids is the part I'm going to miss."
But to get that close takes time. The time away from his three children - Justin, a freshman tennis player; Amanda, an eighth-grader who plays volleyball and basketball; and Jacob, an 8-year-old - was too high a price.
"I was getting tired of all the practices and working so much, you miss out on a bunch," said Fuhrman, who was also an assistant with the football team.
Fuhrman, 49, wouldn't say his coaching days are "definitely" over, but he sounded eager for the next chapter of his life.
"I'm going to teach and maybe drive a bus; and watch my kids grow up, that's the main reason," Fuhrman said.
He closed his coaching career with a senior class of boys at Iowa Park that lost only one district game total in football, basketball and baseball.
Fuhrman feels the area's baseball has improved in the last decade.
"Look at Rider, look at Holliday," Fuhrman said. "Archer City and Windthorst are good. We've been pretty good. Our districts here in the area have done well in this region. These kids are playing more and the tournament teams are helping, if they don't get burnt out, and most of them don't. Baseball is a skill sport and they're spending more time playing baseball."
Assistant sports editor Andy Newberry may be reached after 4 p.m. weekdays by calling (940) 720-3470 or (800) 627-1646; or e-mail to NewberryA(at)timesrecordnews.com.
Fuhrman leaving the field for his family
By Andy Newberry/Times Record News
June 6, 2006
David Fuhrman was hoping to be coaching this week at the state baseball tournament, as he did for the Iowa Park Hawks on three occasions, but, instead, he got an early jump on his new position.
"I've told my kids I'm now coach Dad," Fuhrman said Monday of his decision to step down as Iowa Park's baseball coach after 14 seasons.
Fuhrman will continue to teach Algebra I and Algebra II at Iowa Park High School, but he wants to spend as much time as possible with his family.
"I came home one day last spring and my daughter was crying because I'd missed out on something," Fuhrman said. "I was missing out on my children. So I decided one more year was going to be it."
The Hawks finished Fuhrman's final season at 23-9 and were eliminated by Decatur in the Region I-3A quarterfinals.
Iowa Park advanced to the playoffs in every one of Fuhrman's 14 seasons as head coach, compiling a record of 279-150-3. The Hawks made it to the state tournament in 1993, 1998 and 2001.
"The closeness to the kids, that's the part I'm going to miss - being around those kids and getting to know them like sons, basically," Fuhrman said.
"Seeing the good sides and bad sides of the kids and them seeing my good sides and bad sides, that's the best thing about coaching. Getting close with the kids is the part I'm going to miss."
But to get that close takes time. The time away from his three children - Justin, a freshman tennis player; Amanda, an eighth-grader who plays volleyball and basketball; and Jacob, an 8-year-old - was too high a price.
"I was getting tired of all the practices and working so much, you miss out on a bunch," said Fuhrman, who was also an assistant with the football team.
Fuhrman, 49, wouldn't say his coaching days are "definitely" over, but he sounded eager for the next chapter of his life.
"I'm going to teach and maybe drive a bus; and watch my kids grow up, that's the main reason," Fuhrman said.
He closed his coaching career with a senior class of boys at Iowa Park that lost only one district game total in football, basketball and baseball.
Fuhrman feels the area's baseball has improved in the last decade.
"Look at Rider, look at Holliday," Fuhrman said. "Archer City and Windthorst are good. We've been pretty good. Our districts here in the area have done well in this region. These kids are playing more and the tournament teams are helping, if they don't get burnt out, and most of them don't. Baseball is a skill sport and they're spending more time playing baseball."
Assistant sports editor Andy Newberry may be reached after 4 p.m. weekdays by calling (940) 720-3470 or (800) 627-1646; or e-mail to NewberryA(at)timesrecordnews.com.