Sideline milestones: Husband-wife dedicate 63 years combined to coaching Brandon Valley prep athletes

For 63 years combined – and still counting - a Brandon husband and wife have been organizing rosters and scheming up winning game plans. 

And earlier this month, Brandon Valley teachers and coaches Todd and Roxie Geerdes were recognized by the South Dakota High School Coaches Association for their milestone devotion to coaching middle and high school athletes. The Geerdes’ were each presented a “meritorious service” plaque during half-time of the 11AAA state football finals. Todd has 33 years of coaching experience in the books, and Roxie has dedicated 30 years.

“I think it means a lot to us, because No. 1, we’ve been in the same place for as long as we have, pretty much the majority of our adult lives has been spent in the community of Brandon, and Brandon has good people, a good reputation for academics and athletics both,” Todd said. “It’s been a good place for us, a good place that we call home. You don’t see a lot of coaches coaching 30-plus years, because it is a lot of work, a lot of nights, weekends, it’s a lot of hours and a lot of commitment, but it’s good to be recognized for doing it for that amount of time.”

Currently, Todd coaches both girls and boys golf, while Roxie, starting in 1990, continues to guide the freshman and middle school volleyball programs.

The Geerdes’ have a long history in sports – and together. High school sweethearts at George, Iowa since 1983, Roxie was a four-sport student-athlete. She competed in volleyball, softball, basketball and track.

“Growing up in a small town, that’s just what we did, and we were successful, so you wanted to be part of it,” she said. “And I had two really good coaches growing up.”

Todd, who says “it’s still fun to be involved” after 33 years on the sidelines, was also a four-sport athlete at George. He suited up for football, basketball, golf and baseball.

From George, both went on to Morningside College, where Todd graduated in 1988 and Roxie in 1989. In 2003, she earned a master’s degree from Southwest Minnesota State.

Todd said he was initially drawn to a career in education – and coaching – by his love of athletics. “Then you get involved in other things and pretty quick the athletics aren’t there before you start teaching, so the teaching becomes the main component,” he said.

Roxie’s coaching career includes a single volleyball season at West Lyon (Iowa), eight seasons of junior varsity softball at Brandon Valley and two seasons of middle school basketball.

“I just like being in the gym with the kids and seeing their improvement through the year,” she said.

Now three decades into coaching, several student-athletes have become her coaching peers.

“I have lots of girls that I have coached and to this day, I am friends with, and I’ve coached with them later. Like Suzanne (Carroll), I coached her in ninth grade volleyball, Coty McGuire I coached in ninth grade volleyball, and we coached together, Jessie Hunsaid, and there’s a lot of others,” she said.

At Brandon Valley, Todd has coaching credentials in football (1989-2003), boys basketball (1989-98), boys bowling (2001-07), boys golf (2003 to present), and girls golf (2008 to present). Prior to moving to Brandon, he coached baseball in George for four seasons.

One of Roxie’s fondest coaching memories were the Wednesday evening suppers at their home with a group of hungry football players.

“Todd the ‘O’ coach, and every Wednesday we’d have those boys over for supper to watch film. Our boys were thrilled to death to see those kids and the grocery bill went a little crazy, but you wouldn’t trade it for the world,” she said. “We had such good kids come through here and when you see them out and about, they’re like, ‘Hey, coach,’ and catch you up on their life.” 

Todd had the opportunity to coach each of the couple’s sons, T.J. and Zach, in bowling. He also coached T.J. in football and Zach in basketball, and said he did is best to be “dad” at home and not “coach.”

“We tried never to mix that up at home,” he said.

Having dedicated the majority of career to Brandon Valley, Roxie said this is also where she plans to retire from.

“It’s a great district, and I don’t know that we would’ve been as happy anywhere else, I can’t imagine,” she said.

The Geerdes’ live in Brandon and have two sons, T.J. (wife Randi), and Zach (wife Desirae), and four grandchildren, Aidan, Jackson, Zoey, and Miles.