Iowa History Daily: On February 5, 2020, legendary Britt West Hancock football coach Bob Sanger passed away. Over 52 years, Sanger led the Eagles to 358 wins, seven state title appearances, and three state championships.
Born in Monona, Sanger attended country schools before standing out in football and track at MFL High School. He continued to shine athletically while attending Upper Iowa to put together a Hall of Fame football career for the Peacocks. Hired by Britt Community Schools as a 22-year old in 1968, Sanger set about bringing his passion for football and track to Hancock County.
Sanger’s hard-nosed football teams ground opponents into the ground from the outset, and in 1973 the team captured the state title. A second state championship followed in 1996, and a final title run capped off Sanger’s career in 2019. “Developing a team is not an easy thing. You’ve got some kids on the team that might not like each other, but they will play for each other. It’s pretty special,” Sanger once said.
Sanger’s coaching success extended beyond the football field, with state track championships in 1974, 1992, 2007 and 2008 adding to Sanger’s IAHSAA Coaches Hall of Fame. More than just a coach, Sanger’s legacy endures as representative of making an incredible difference within a community through decades of doing things the right way. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar