Hall of Fame
David Rosenberg's athletic achievements are unique in the variety of sports in which he participated and coached. Even before graduating from high school, he won nine state and regional tournaments in smallbore rifle shooting. In 1949 he was second in the National Rifle Association's national smallbore rifle tournament. The top ten shooters from this tournament represented the United States in an international competition, which they won with Dave firing the top U.S. score. Dave started college at Mankato State in Minnesota, where as a freshman he took first in pole vault and third in wrestling in the conference meet. He transferred to Coe, where he started the wrestling program in 1951-52 as a wrestler and student coach. His team won five of eight dual meets and placed third in the conference. He coached Coe's first individual conference wrestling champion, his brother John. After Air Force service as a pilot Dave returned to Cedar Rapids, where he coached track and field for 21 years and produced six state track champions. He coached wrestling 14 years, eight of them as varsity coach at Cedar Rapids Washington High School. His Warriors won the Mississippi Valley Conference Championship five of those eight years and were state champions in 1970. In wrestling he also had six individual state champions. Three times he was named Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches, and he served as president of the Iowa High School Coaches and Officials Association in 1971. At Coe he was the leading shooter on the most outstanding rifle team in Coe R.O.T.C. history. Twice Coe was named the top small college rifle team in the nation. Among the many team titles were the Nebraska Gallery championships and the Drake R.O.T.C. Invitational. Coe placed third in the College and University Varsity Intercollegiate and Dave Rosenberg was the high individual at this national tournament. To top off his sports interests Dave raced two seasons as a speedboat driver, winning nine first place trophies. When he retired from coaching he began the Cedar Rapids Building Trades program in which seniors in high school build a single family residence each school year. This program has led many students into their own businesses in construction and related fields and has produced more than $125,000 for scholarships and tool grants from the sale of the homes. As a coach, educator and athlete, Dave Rosenberg has left an indelible mark, and richly merits a place in the Athletic Hall of Fame.
