Hall of Fame
When Don Erusha applied for admission to Coe, he was thinking of commercial art as a vocational choice. That choice was natural because he had proved in high school that he was a talented cartoonist. During a two-year stretch in the marines before college, he furthered that cartooning interest by designing his squadron's insignia. But when college classes began, Don Erusha found his place on the football field and in the classroom with a physical education major. He made his mark as a defensive guard and earned three letters on teams coached by Dick Clausen. He didn't drop cartooning, however, and his sketches lampooning his fellow athletes were popular decorations in Coach Clausen's office. After graduation from Coe, Don Erusha began a long and fruitful football coaching career. Cedar Rapids Washington High School was his team for four years, and he also coached high school teams at West Branch, West Union and Cedar Falls in Iowa, as well as Mount Clemens in Michigan. Armed with a Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa, he served a year as assistant football and head wrestling coach at Coe. For fifteen years he was the top assistant at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. He left coaching in 1977 and has remained on the staff at UNI since. Don Erusha has coached and taught generations of fine young men. He has carried on the proud tradition of Coe athletes who have dedicated their lives to sports and young people. For that reason, it is appropriate and pleasant that this day we honor him for his long coaching career through this induction into the Kohawk Athletic Hall of Fame.
