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Prep notes: Legendary Neenah coach Kelderman retires after 36 years

11/25/2015, 11:00pm CST
By ERIC ANDERSON
Harry Kelderman

Harry Kelderman, a legend among Wisconsin soccer coaches and a driving force in the game's development in the Fox Valley, announced Tuesday that he is retiring after 36 seasons as Neenah High School boys coach.

The 71-year-old Kelderman recorded more victories than any coach in state prep soccer history, according to the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association record book, compiling a 603-143-55 record with the Rockets.

His .787 winning percentage in those 801 games ranks third all-time among state boys coaches, and he coached the Rockets in 16 WIAA state tournaments – more than any other coach in state history. Neenah won state titles in 1985, '86 and 2007 to go along with runner-up finishes in 1983 and '91, collected 28 Fox Valley Association championships and had a winning record all 36 of his seasons.

Kelderman also was the school's interim girls coach in 2010, leading the Rockets to a 22-5-1 record and a state semifinal appearance. And he was the first coach for the Lawrence University men's program, recording a 47-20-2 record from 1974 to '79.

A native of the Netherlands, Kelderman was a founding member of the Paper Valley Youth Soccer program, which is now known as Neenah SC. He is a member of the Wisconsin Soccer Association Hall of Fame, the WSCA Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Soccer Hall of Fame.

"Harry's name will forever be synonymous with Neenah soccer, and he and his teams set the benchmark for quality soccer in the Fox Valley area and throughout Wisconsin," Neenah activities director Nate Werner said in a news release. "It is impossible to summarize what Harry has meant to this school and the soccer community."

The Rockets' 1985 and '86 state championship sides included Kelderman's son, Kris, who went on to play at the University of Virginia and in Major League Soccer and is now the UW-Milwaukee men's coach.

  • Jon Mroz (Milwaukee Marquette/UW-Milwaukee) stepped down after 19 seasons as Brookfield Central boys coach and will join the Marquette University coaching staff. Mroz led the Lancers to a 265-99-35 record, including a Division 1 state berth in 2001, and his .708 winning percentage ranks fifth in the WSCA record book. He previously coached the girls teams at Wauwatosa West (1985 to '87) and Grafton (1988 to '90) and served as an assistant in the UW-Milwaukee men's program from 1993 to '97 and also coaches for Bavarian SC. On Twitter: @jonmroz
  • WIAA Division 1 state champion Milwaukee Marquette (19-2-0) remained fourth in the final USA Today-National Soccer Coaches Association of America Super 25 Fall High School Rankings, while Division 2 state champion Whitefish Bay (23-2-1) slipped one spot to No. 16. Division 1 semifinalist Madison West (18-3-3) was among other teams receiving votes in the final poll. The Hilltoppers and Blue Dukes finished first and second in the Region VI rankings, which also included Madison West at No. 5, Hartland Arrowhead (21-2-3) at No. 7 and Cedarburg (19-1-4) at No. 8. USA Today-NSCAA Super 25 poll | Region VI poll
  • Marquette was 11th in the nation in the final Top Drawer Soccer Fab 50 rankings and third in the website's Great Lakes Region rankings. Whitefish Bay fell one spot to 10th and Cedarburg dropped one place to 11th in the regional rankings. TDS Fab 50 | Great Lakes Region rankings
  • Waunakee senior defender Jada Dayne, who's been named to the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association First XI each of her first three prep seasons, is one of five girls finalists for the Wendy's High School Heisman Award. Candidates must maintain a grade-point average of 3.0 or better and be proven leaders and role models within their schools and communities, in addition to having athletic success. Dayne, the daughter of former University of Wisconsin football star Ron Dayne, has verbally committed to Michigan for 2016. One girl and one boy will be announced as the Wendy's High School Heisman winners on Dec. 11 in New York.

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