Apple Valley High School's Dirths Do What They Love, Love What They Do

Rod and Geri Dirth were in their mid-20s when they moved to Apple Valley.

Recently married, the couple had to cut their honeymoon short to begin their new teaching jobs at . They were just a few years out of college and had no idea how long they would stay.

Thirty-one years later, the Dirths are still here.

"We just love what we’re doing," Geri Dirth said. "Apple Valley is like our family."

And after all these years, they’re still demonstrating success as coaches of the boys and girls track and field teams at the high school.

Take this past school year, for example. In June, the boys and girls teams at the state track meet. In the spring, the two . And to top it all off, Geri in April.

The couple attributes their success to the genuine love they have for coaching and teaching kids.

From the beginning, Rod and Geri knew they had an interest in teaching and sports. They met while working in the athletics office at Luther College, a small private school in Decorah, IA.

Both were star athletes at Luther; Rod played fullback and offensive guard for the football team, and Geri played basketball.

Rod began teaching math while coaching wrestling and track in Buffalo Center, IA after graduation. Geri joined on as the girls track coach despite minimal experience coaching track.  

The early years proved to be time-consuming for the young couple—each coached four teams while teaching. Geri estimated they put in 12- to 14-hour days frequently.

"We were so gung-ho about it in the beginning," Rod Dirth said.

Just a couple years later, the two married a week before moving to Apple Valley.

All in the Family

Rod and Geri aren’t the only Dirths with athletic talents—they’ve passed those genes on to their three children, as well.

Deidra Dirth participated in track at Drake University. She graduated last year with a degree in psychology and is working in human resources at Target in Iowa.

Their two sons also participate in college track, Devin at the University of St. Thomas, and Dalen at Luther College. In June, the two participated in the NCAA Division III national decathlon championship.

But before they went on to become collegiate athletes, each of the Dirth kids was coached by their parents. While having your parent as a coach could lead to awkward situations, the Dirths tried to avoid treating their kids any differently.

"I guess your heart beats a little bit faster, that’s for sure," Geri said. "But we try to treat all of our athletes as our own."

No Plans to Quit

This summer marked the first time in decades that the Dirths haven’t been overseeing the weight lifting and workout sessions at the high school, but that doesn’t mean they have any intention of slowing down.

Recently, the Dirths , a sporting goods store dedicated to running. And as always, they have been keeping up on fundraising for the track and field programs at Apple Valley.

Fundraising has become increasingly difficult as budget cuts affect non-revenue sports like track and field; Rod said track and field equipment, like mats and hurdles, can be more expensive than equipment for other sports.

But any hardships they’ve endured along the way haven’t deterred the Dirths.

"I always sign my emails with 'Do what you love and love what you do,' " Geri said. "And we still do."

As for that honeymoon cut short? There are still no plans for that, either.