Andrew Pekarek, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin/Published 7:24 p.m. CT July 15, 2014
It's no surprise Andy and Ben Kolstad became high school
football coaches. The brothers' bloodlines suggest they were destined to lead
on the gridiron.vTheir father, John, and late grandfather, Howard, are in the
Wisconsin Football Coaches Association hall of fame.
Howard was a high school coach for 19 years before ending
his career as the head coach at St. Norbert College from 1960-'79. John was an
assistant at West De Pere before becoming the head coach at Green Bay East
(1987-'96, 1998-2006), where in 19 years he had only four losing seasons and
advanced to the WIAA Division 1 state semifinals in 1995.
But when it came time for the third generation of Kolstad
coaches to start their careers, it led them far outside the state where their
grandfather and father were household names.
"It allowed me to start over and make a name for
myself," Ben said about North Carolina. "I think it really helped my
brother as well. I think it really helped us grow as coaches."
Ben, the elder of the brothers and a 1996 Green Bay East
graduate, is entering his 14th season in the Tar Heel state. It will be his
11th as a head coach.
Andy, meanwhile, is returning to the sidelines in Wisconsin
as a first-year head coach at Grafton. He previously spent five years as an
assistant coach in North Carolina, including three years as his brother's
defensive coordinator at Cary High School.
"I'm glad I did it because it opened me to a world of
football," said Andy, a 2003 East graduate. "My brother was able to
give me tremendous experience in the years I was there."
After being standout quarterbacks for their father at East,
the Kolstad brothers both played at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
However, with a seven-year age difference, they never crossed paths in their
playing careers.
Ben did get the opportunity to coach Andy during the one
season he spent on the East coaching staff while student-teaching.
Ben then decided to move to North Carolina to be with his
girlfriend, and future wife, who had moved there to be with her parents after
they had relocated.
"I came down here and nobody knew me for anything,
which was hard," Ben said. "I had multiple job offers back home. But
when I moved, all I could land was a middle school (coaching position) because
nobody knew who I was or what I was all about."
After three years in North Carolina, Ben became the head
coach at Cary and led its football team to the playoffs in each of his nine
seasons there. He is entering his second year as the head coach at Sanderson
High School.
Andy joined Ben as Cary's defensive coordinator in 2009
following two years on the West De Pere staff. Andy's defenses ranked in the
top 10 in North Carolina during his three years there and it was ranked No. 1
in 2010.
"It was great to have him," Ben said. "He's a
sharp guy and great football coach. He was excellent. He took a lot off my
plate. I basically gave him the defense and he took it and ran.
"It wasn't always easy being siblings on the same
staff. There was some harsh moments. We carpooled, so we typically talked it
out on the way home. But I wouldn't give up those years for anything. It was a
great time to get to know him better."
Andy was hired in December as the head coach at Grafton. His
wife, Kacia, recently had the couple's first child, so they wanted to move back
to their home state to be closer to family.
Andy also wanted the opportunity to take over his own
program. Grafton presents a challenge since it hasn't made the WIAA playoffs
since 1997.
"The first thing my dad said is be yourself and don't
try to be somebody else," Andy said. "He also said remember this
profession is about the kids; make sure you take care of them.
"It's just a matter of taking it one day at a time,
doing my job, reaching kids every day and, hopefully at the end, I can live up
to the same things they did."
