Coach Thole to be Honored Prior to Ponies-Raptors Game

For the first time in school history, Stillwater will take to the gridiron against East Ridge.

But prior to that the Ponies will put a halt on the present and honor an individual from the past, who essentially put Stillwater football on the map.

George Thole will receive a plaque for his 29 seasons as Ponies head football coach, where he accumulated a 285-69-2 record.

He also was part of four state championship teams, the first in school history in 1975, which proceeded titles in 1982, 1984 and 1995.

Despite knowing this day would come, Thole said he has not taken the trip down memory lane, until now.

“You know what, talking about it right now, it does make me think about those days,” he said. “I have been out of coaching for 12 years and I am not getting any younger, but right now, it’s hard not to think about them.”

Quickly looking back, Thole was able to recall the importance of all of his state championship teams.

In 1975, Stillwater was not known as the football powerhouse it is today, so the title was part surprise and part growth of good things to come.

“There really wasn’t a whole lot going on when we won that first one,” Thole said. “Getting that win kind of got things heading in the right direction. We beat a good Richfield team and we just started going from there.”

The 1982 title was important for a couple reasons.

It marked the first time the state football championships were played in the Metrodome and more personally for Thole, his son, Eric Thole, quarterbacked the Ponies to a tightly contested 34-27 win against Owatonna.

“With the games being played at the Metrodome for the first time, we had 40,000 people there which was a record,” Thole said. “Having Eric be a part of that was special for me, so the win was special for a lot of reasons.”

Thole and the Ponies had to wait only two more years for another win and it came against Burnsville by a score of 36-33.

According to Thole, the game was recognized by local sports scribes as the best football game in state tournament history.

Not to be outdone was the 1995 championship team that went 14-0 and beat Rochester Mayo 31-7.

Thole said that team was considered the best team in state high school football history.

“I remember at the anniversary of the 1995 team, we were told sports writers considered the 1984 game the best title game in history and the 1995 team as the best and I really think they were.

“That team never trailed at any point in the season. We just had a great balanced team, which may surprise many because we were always considered an offensive team.”

Thole retired prior to the 2000 season as his longtime assistant Scott Hoffman took over.

Hoffman was the head man for 11 seasons after Thole and most of the staff stayed on board as well.

After Hoffman retired, several assistants decided to retire as well after two consecutive Suburban East Conference titles and two trips to the section finals.

A mainstay through it all and still on board with new head coach Beau LaBore is defensive coordinator Mark Elmer.

Elmer started out on Thole’s staff as a defensive backs coach and has stayed the course to coordinate a traditionally strong defensive team.

“I was glad they kept Elmer,” Thole said. “He is a great coach who has worked really hard to get where he is and is a man that has a lot of respect in the Stillwater football community.

“I think he has been a great help to LaBore and there is no doubt there is a link to the great defense’s we have seen and the coaching of Elmer.”

With all that occurred in his 29 years at Stillwater, Thole was quick and upfront on who he wanted to thank.

“This is all a credit to the kids that played for me,” he said. “Without them, Stillwater does not have the wins or state titles we have right now.

“They did all the work on the field, so they are the ones that deserve as much credit. A lot of them have called me recently to congratulate me, which has been really nice. Some of those guys have families of their own and are even grandparents as well, so it has been great to hear what they have been up to and am glad they are doing so well.”

Receiving an honor such as Thole will receive does not mean the book closes on his era.

He is at almost every game analyzing them as if he was still coaching.

Stillwater will open a new chapter in the program playing East Ridge for the first time, but sometimes, it isn’t bad to take a look in the past to understand how the program became what it is today.

Tonight, they need to look no further than George Thole.