Coach Baglien Remembered as Great Motivator, Person

Duane Baglien’s imprint on the sports community is still there, long after the last game he coached on the sidelines.

Baglien, who led the Hornets to three straight state basketball titles from 1966 to 1968, died Aug. 1 at the age of 85. Four decades after that last championship, those who knew him then still recall his passion for sports, his sense of humor and his ability to inspire.

“He was doing the right thing, whatever he was doing,” longtime said. “Whether it was time to have fun or time to get down to business, he did what was supposed to be done.”

Downey said the 1960s were a unique time in the Edina sports community. Not only were the Hornets successful in their sports, but all the coaches were teachers in the school system and knew each other well.

Baglien—a natural three-sport athlete—stood out in the teachers' slow-pitch softball games and certainly stood out with his personality.

But on the court, Baglien’s teams stood above the rest.

The Hornets won those three straight championships while Minnesota’s state tournament was a one-class system. During that stretch, Edina went 79-1 and boasted a 69-game winning streak.

Downey said Baglien joked that in his previous coaching position at Fergus Falls, he’d speak at eye-level during his time outs on the court. With Edina, he’d be “looking at the ceiling because they were a foot taller than at the other school.”

He also coached sophomore football in the fall, and in 1968 he led the Hornets varsity baseball team to a state title.

His stint as coach, which ended in 1969 after taking an administrative position, still has an imprint on Edina’s programs.

“He put Edina on the map back in Edina’s heyday as a powerhouse in every single sport,” current Athletic Director John Soma said. “It’s a big deal.”

His success was part discipline, part motivation. Downey said whether he was teaching in the classroom or coaching on the court, Baglien expected his kids to be focused.

When it came to postseason play, Baglien got the best out of his players.

“He knew how to get people ready for the playoffs,” Downey said.

Baglien is a member of the Minnesota State Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and was in the Class of 2000 for the Edina Athletic Hall of Fame.

At a school filled with legendary coaching figures, Baglien left his mark both as a leader and as a person.

“He was a great guy,” Downey said. “He was just a great person—great sense of humor.”