Doug Van Pelt’s legendary run comes to an end
Humboldt coach Doug Van Pelt gives instructions to Addison Thompson during a home softball game in late June. Van Pelt is stepping down from his head coaching position after leading the Wildcats the past 25 seasons. He has a total of 29 years in coaching softball, having worked four years as an assistant at Lisbon. Independent photo by Phil Monson.
25-year Humboldt softball coach steps down
By Phil Monson
At times fighting back tears, the magnitude of the moment caught up with Doug Van Pelt, who has been Humboldt’s head softball coach for the last 25 years.
Van Pelt, who took over the program back in 1997 and turned the school into a perennial north central Iowa power, submitted his resignation to the Humboldt School board, which accepted his retirement at their meeting Monday night.
“I’ve done this every summer night of my life for the last 29 years and I’ve been inside that ball diamond every single night of the summer. It has been an unbelievable ride,” an emotional Van Pelt said in an exclusive interview with the Humboldt Independent.
“It has been an absolute privilege to be the head softball coach here at Humboldt and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I feel like I have had the best seat in the house for that ride. There comes a point when it is time to move on to the next phase of your life. It has reached my doorstep and I’ll move on from there,” Van Pelt said.
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