By Abby LaForest
Introduction: A Wildcat Warm-Up
“It's easy to become a better basketball player but harder to become a better teammate or person.” These words from Iron Mountain native and 1977 Northern alum Tom Izzo lie at the heart of what makes NMU Wildcats truly great, especially in the world of athletics. Best known as the head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball team, Izzo is among many Northern graduates who have gone on to make the world a better place with their coaching, both in the lives of their players and their communities. Their athletic skill, commitment to their communities, and exemplary leadership have defined what it means to be a coach, mentor, role model, and friend - a legacy that’s continued since the school’s founding in 1899.
Northern Normal’s First String: Early Coaching at NMU
Northern graduates have gone on to coach athletics since the university’s early days as Northern State Normal School, with a reported 70% of graduates from the 1920 Industrial Arts program going on to coach athletics as part of their teaching careers. While sports and physical education have been a priority at Northern since the school’s beginnings. The first official sports clubs appeared a few years following NMU’s establishment with the introduction of the football team and women’s club basketball in 1904, along with men’s varsity basketball in 1906. The first coaches of these sports included William McCracken, DeForest Stull, and Charles H. Estrich, respectively, giving these programs the start that they needed to become staples of Northern athletics.
Northern’s first full-time physical education teacher, Grace Stafford, took over coaching for the women’s basketball team in 1911, one of the many coaching changes at Northern that helped shape the university’s athletic programs. Stafford extended her reach beyond her individual sport and introduced fitness classes and events to the university, such as pommel horse exercises (not always met well by the students), and organized Sa
turday afternoon hikes. Following in her footsteps in developing Northern’s sports and athletics programs, Wayne Burr McClintock had come to Marquette in 1912, teaching at Marquette High School and serving as principal from 1914-15 before transferring to become head of Northern’s Industrial Arts department later that year. Coaching the men’s basketball and football teams from 1915-17, McClintock organized the first Upper Peninsula high school basketball tournament held at Northern in 1918, in addition to refereeing different games across the state. Following McClintock’s football coaching position was Luther O. Gant, the namesake of the former Gant Hall, who became coach in 1919 and served 
in the position until 1921. Another notable coach who cemented his place in Northern’s history was Charles Bolton Hedgcock, the namesake of the original Hedgcock Fieldhouse (now the student services building on campus.) Hired on to be the head of the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation department in 1922, Hedgcock was the longest-serving coach in Northern’s history, coaching both basketball and football and directing the track team during his time with the university. A promoter of his program and staunch advocate for athletics and physical education, Hedgcock retired in 1956. Both he and McClintock are now members of the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame for their contributions to sports in the area.
If You Build It, They Will Come: Wildcats Coaching in the U.P.
While Northern has had an excellent lineup of coaches helping its collegiate teams throughout the years, there have been a massive number of graduates who have gone on to coach high school sports throughout the Upper Peninsula. Using combinations of their athletic experiences and strong senses of character to inspire young athletes, these coaches teach students to improve their physical skills and learn how to be members of a community and well-rounded people in their own right.
Tom Russo’s Slam-Dunk Career
One of these coaches is Tom Russo, a 1963 Negaunee High School graduate and recipient of a teaching degree from NMU. He spent his coaching career on the basketball court, beginning at Bayport High School in Wisconsin where he accepted a teaching position in 1968. Returning to the Upper Peninsula in 1978 to help with the family grocery business and his dad’s upcoming retirement, Russo accepted a position at Ishpeming High School in 1984. After teaching and coaching in Ishpeming for seven years and in Munising for two, Russo made his way 
back to his alma mater in 1994 as a history and science teacher, leading both the Ishpeming and Negaunee varsity boys’ basketball teams to a total of four “Final Four” appearances in the State tournament, eight district championships, six regional championships, seven Mid-Peninsula Conference championships, and the Class C Boys Basketball State Championship in 2000 throughout his career. To add to his accolades, Russo was named the U.P. Coach of the Year in 1999, the same year Negaunee received the title of U.P. Class C Team of the Year. He’s the only coach to have brought two Class C public schools to the state championship game, having done so in Ishpeming during 1989 and 1990 before his career in Negaunee. Russo cites the relationships he’s formed as a factor of his success, which include other notable U.P. sports names. These include connections with Al Sandona, Gildo Canale, Mark Marana, his high school coach Jack Taylor, and an NMU role model in coach Stan Albeck. His coaching philosophy was one focused on building trust and communication with his players, and his experience as both a teacher and coach allowed him to meet the kids he knew on different levels, which proved to be quite effective given the magnitude of his success.
Eric DeMink & Logan Carlson: Far Beyond the End Zone
Russo hasn’t been the only coach to embody a holistic approach to his job. Eric DeMink and Logan Carlson, both NMU alumni, have taken up the challenge of teaching and coaching football for their respective schools in L’Anse and Stephenson. DeMink, who has recently retired from coaching after doing so for 17 years, has a long history with football in his personal life. After playing during high school in the Lower Peninsula and going to Northern as a nontraditional student, he recalls how well everyone at the university treated him while he worked towards a Secondary English and Physical Education degree. DeMink then went on to work on his student teaching at Baraga Area
Schools in 2008, where he stayed until 2014 and started by assisting with the varsity football team there. He then went on to coach middle school football and became the head varsity coach for four years before ending up at L’Anse Area Schools, where he still teaches today. Some of the most rewarding work that he’s mentioned during his time as a coach includes watching the grit and determination of a junior varsity team in Baraga, who lined up to finish a game with 10 players after three injuries had some of their players on the bench. He’s also been dedicated to eliminating the gender bias associated with weightlifting and encourages the girls he teaches to build their strength even if they’re coming in with different levels of confidence. Over his career, DeMink has incorporated a growth mindset into both his coaching and teaching methods, where his students and athletes are inspired to improve their abilities through effort, curiosity, and persistence. He added that feeling valued in his position, working under a phenomenal administration, and having great mentors through his own teachers and coaches have all contributed positively to his mentorship philosophy.
Similar to Eric DeMink, Logan Carlson’s experience as a high school athletics coach is one that’s left him with great memories and pride in his athletes. As head coach for both Stephenson’s varsity football and boys’ track teams, Carlson’s dedication to his hometown roots helps build confidence and determination in the students he leads. Originally graduating from Stephenson in 2001 and starting his college career by playing football at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, Carlson later transferred to Northern to finish his Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with a minor in Physical Education. He 
recalls having a wonderful experience at NMU, enjoying the friends he made and his time in the Education department. His desire to become a teacher and mentor stemmed from high school mentors of his own, and a need to help others grow and learn helped him fall in love with coaching right away. In addition to his current coaching duties, Carlson also had periods where he coached girls’ junior varsity track and took a year at Manistique Area Schools to coach their junior varsity football team. While volunteering with the Stephenson football program in 2004, Carlson received the opportunity to coach the varsity team and has been doing so ever since. Coaching in his hometown has given him an idea of what the community expects out of a good coach, along with granting him the chance to coach alongside some of his own former mentors. One of his fondest memories as a coach was a season when his football team won a game after becoming accustomed to losing. Seeing the kids learn to believe in themselves and have higher expectations was a source of pride for Carlson, as developing confidence in his student-athletes on both the track and field is another way he’s watching them learn and grow outside of the classroom. While they admit that the Upper Peninsula isn’t always the easiest place to coach, Carlson and DeMink both share a similar sentiment of how motivated and willing to learn their athletes are, which makes the students’ commitment to growth and enjoyment of their sports a source of pride as Yooper athletes.
Katt Beerling: Point, Set, & Matching Her Energy
Volleyball has been a pillar in Katt Beerling’s life since her childhood, and many of those lessons influence the way she coaches the sport to this day. A Chicago-area native who moved to attend NMU, and now coaches the Ishpeming varsity team, Beerling’s coaching commitment is another extension of her desire to teach and work with youth in addition to her degree in Art Education. Coming from a more urban background, Beerling describes her experience moving to the U.P. as a huge cultural shift, but one that invited appreciation of the Upper Peninsula’s natural beauty, an opportunity to play volleyball on Northern’s team, and a chance to advocate for a sport she’s loved for years. Beerling’s mother, a volleyball coach for over 30 years, lies at the core of Beerling’s coaching philosophy, as she strives to emulate her mother’s expertise on and off the court. This led to her coaching the Marquette junior varsity team for three years before being approached by Kaitlin Rich, Ishpeming’s former junior varsity volleyball coach and now the school’s athletic director, when the program needed a varsity coach. Seizing the opportunity to take on the leadership role, Beerling has built a home and community 
in Ishpeming’s volleyball program. She spearheaded initiatives to teach her girls new skills and build their confidence, including the addition of a freshman team and a middle school volleyball program during her time as head coach. With the help of her fellow coaches, both at Ishpeming and in schools around the area, Beerling’s coaching combines the styles of her mother’s teachings, high expectations for her girls, and a determined, gritty and growth-oriented Yooper mentality that can be hard to find elsewhere. At the end of the day, it’s the seemingly small moments that Beerling treasures most dearly, whether it be seeing her athletes’ names in the newspaper, becoming 2023 Division 4 district champions, the looks on her athlete’s faces upon receiving new jerseys and gear, jumping into Lake Superior after their Munising Invitationals, or the pride that comes with her girls’ hard work at the end of a long match. The support of the community and the effort of her team and each individual student-athlete is what continues to propel the program upward, all with Beerling’s dedication to coaching and desire to build up U.P. volleyball, at the helm.
Brandon Sager & Tyler Larson: Courtside Heroes
Brandon Sager, the current Associate Director of Facilities, Building Services & Sustainability for Northern, also knows what it’s like to give back to the community that raised you, as he was the coach of the Negaunee varsity girls’ basketball team from 2012 to 2019. Growing up in the Ishpeming area, Sager played on the NMU basketball team during the 1990-1996 seasons, where he received both an Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree. Accepting a scholarship offer to play in front of his family and friends was an amazing chance to build on his already great experience 
with basketball, as there were quite a few Yoopers on Sager’s team. His experience with collegiate basketball gave him a wide variety of opportunities, including the chance to play in Europe on a team full of players from around the state. With that experience, he’s been able to help the players he’s been coaching develop relationships with themselves and each other, both on the Negaunee team and the NMU women’s basketball team. During the 2019-2020 season, Sager assisted under head coach Troy Mattson, who had taught him a lot about the game from both the coaching and playing sides. No matter where he’s been coaching, Sager has enjoyed the experience, as he tries to coach each player according to their individual needs while also exuding the same energy and passion that he remembers from his coaches. Whether it’s reviewing game film or doing drill prepping, Sager takes what he’s learned as both a coach and a player to build relationships with his athletes, an approach evident both on and off the court.
Most of Tyler Larson’s life has revolved around sports, from his dad coaching him in baseball as a child to playing football throughout high school and his time at Northern, and he continues to share that passion with the Baraga varsity girl’s basketball team. His care for his community is centered in his professional life as a departmental analyst for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, his involvement as a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, and his consistent coaching efforts. A lifelong competitor and lover of sports, Larson played football and basketball at Calumet High School before enrolling at Northern in 2003, where he received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2008 while also managing to be a full-time student-athlete on the football team, finding mentors in other notable NMU coaches such as Bob
Jurasin and Jovan Dewitt. After accepting a full-time position in Baraga, Larson volunteered to coach the elementary girls’ basketball program and fell right into coaching afterward. With a wife and three daughters all invested in the basketball scene, Larson considers it a family affair, where as long as his kids are enjoying the game, he’ll keep encouraging them to succeed. Larson led the Baraga varsity girls’ team to the 2023 Michigan High School Athletics Association Division 4 Basketball Girls Finals in East Lansing, where they fell to Glen Lake High School. He was thankful for the encouragement of the community and proud of his players’ resolve, letting them leave with their heads high. He aims to inspire his athletes to work just as hard in the classroom as they do on the court and use all of their energy to drive a spirit of competition that’s rooted in discipline and hard work. His connections to Northern are still nurtured and active to this day, as he watches some of his former players attend the university and keeps in touch with his former mentors and friends. Most recently, Larson was awarded the 2024 Copper Mountain Conference Coach of the Year, adding to his list of accomplishments that he’s rightfully earned as a coach and mentor.
Buzzer-Beating Triumph: the Future of NMU & Coaching
Today, Northern Michigan University has a total of 17 National Collegiate Athletic Association-recognized sports, including women’s cross country and volleyball, and men’s ice hockey, with both genders being able to participate in sports such as soccer and Nordic skiing. There are also opportunities for competition in non-NCAA sports - alpine skiing and Greco-Roman wrestling - along with a variety of intramurals and club sports for Wildcats looking to stay active outside of an intercollegiate level. A love for sports may continue to drive graduates towards coaching in their own communities, whether it be through the mentors they’ve had, the skills they’ve developed, or the memories they’ve created in their certain area of athletics. NMU students and alumni certainly have a way of leaving a lasting impression on wherever they end up, with the young athletes they coach sharing the grit and optimism that it takes to be a Wildcat.