There was not a girl’s track team when he showed up at Tipton High School in 1968 to teach Business. In 1973 he started the girls program from scratch, and when Dave Fetterman retired he had developed one of the most successful programs this state has ever seen.
This Sioux City native graduated from Wayne State College in Nebraska in 1966 and began his teaching career in the Melvin school system. In 1968 he and Becky, and children Brett and Brittany, moved to Tipton where Dave enjoyed a fine career. He coached baseball, softball and basketball during his tenure there, but it was coaching track and field that would become his passion. In his 35 years at the helm, Tipton won 7 state team titles, was second twice and had 36 state meet event champions. Members of his squads won a state title in every event but four. His squads also won 12 conference and 11 Regional team titles.
Longtime coaching companion and friend, Dave Vogelgesang, said “Dave developed a great training regimen for his girls and was very good about getting his athletes in the weight room, long before many girls were doing it.” Vogelgesang added that “Coach Fetterman had a real knack for putting the right kids in the right places to score well at Regionals and advance and do well at state.” Dave was honored by his peers by being selected as the Regional Coach of the Year seven times and the State Coach of the Year seven times. Twice he was a National Coach of the Year finalist.
Dave retired from teaching in 2005 and from coaching in 2007.