High School

Iowa High School Football Coaching Legend Passes Away

Kerry Van Winkle won two state football championship leading Roland-Story

Dana Becker

Former Roland-Story head football coach Kerry Van Winkle passed away.
Former Roland-Story head football coach Kerry Van Winkle passed away. / Roland-Story Schools/X

A community is mourning after the passing of an Iowa high school football legend.

Kerry Van Winkle, who led Roland-Story High School to two state football championships and won 275 games in his coaching career, passed away.

Van Winkle and the Norsemen won 38 consecutive games from 1979-1982, capturing state titles in 1980 and again in 1981. They reached the playoffs 17 times under Van Winkle, who ranks as the 20th-winningest coach in Iowa high school football history.

“Coach Van Winkle’s passing leaves a profound void, but his spirit endures in every Norsemen game played, every student who walks onto the field he helped define, and every life he touched,” the school posted on social media in a release confirming his passing. “His story is woven into the fabric of Roland-Story, a reminder that true greatness is measured not only in victories, but in the lasting impact one leaves behind.”

Kerry Van Winkle Led Roland-Story to Multiple Deep Playoff Runs

Van Winkle led Roland-Story from 1973 until 2013 after beginning his coaching career at West Hancock. He won 32 games with West Hancock before passing off the torch to Bob Sanger. 

The Norsemen reached the state football semifinals three other times besides the two championship seasons, including in 1982 after the title run. They advanced to the quarterfinals three other times.

Van Winkle is a member of the Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame and also coached the Roland-Story girls track and field team. When he retired in 2013, he did so with an overall record of 275-147-3.

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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