He has gone from being a high school pole vaulter, to a college triple jumper, to one of the most successful Girls track coaches in Iowa high school history. Not to mention a pretty darn good Cross Country coach as well.
Bruce Henderson graduated from Mt. Ayr high school in 1966. While there he competed in football, basketball, track, golf and baseball; qualifying for the state meet as a pole vaulter in 1965 and the Drake Relays in the vault in 1966. He then moved on to UNI where he lettered twice in the triple jump before graduating in 1970.
He started teaching at Atlantic in 1970 then was drafted into the Army. After his stint in the military it was back to Atlantic in 1973.
Bruce began his career as head girls track coach in 1974 and the stats he and his squads have assembled are impressive to say the least. Sixteen times they have finished in the Top 4 at the state meet; 7 times bringing home the first place trophy. Three times they were 2nd, three times they were 3rd and they were 4th four times. They have won 18 regional titles, 22 Hawkeye-10 crowns and have been the winner of 203 invitationals.
Under his guidance, Henderson coached athletes have won 27 individual state titles, 17 state relay championships and 8 Drake Relay gold’s.
Bruce has been at the helm of both the boys and girls cross country programs since 1983.
In that time he has had 29 qualifying teams, 4 of which finished in the top 7; 5 top 10 state individual finishers; 9 district or regional team champions; 11 Hawkeye-10 team titles and 103 other meet titles.
Bruce’s leadership qualities have not gone unnoticed among his peers. He has held the offices of Vice President and President of the IATC. He was selected as National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High School Coaches in 2002. And was a national finalist in 1998 and 2003. He has been an IATC regional coach of the year for Track and/or Cross Country 21 times and has been an IATC state coach of the year 5 times.
Bruce has been very involved with the IATC Senior All Star track and field meet and has been on the coaching staff 3 different times in his career and served on the girls track advisory board for 6 years. He has been the high school referee at the Drake Relays and has been selected as the Southwest Iowa Coach of the year out of all coaches, of all sports of 45 different schools.
Bruce and Gail, his wife of 39 years, have 3 sons, Scott wife Beth, Todd and Brad and wife Michelle.