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Lindbeck to lead Gladstone athletics

West Iron County grad excited about position

DAVID LINDBECK

GLADSTONE — Originally from Iron River, David Lindbeck has made his way back to the Upper Peninsula.

Lindbeck officially took over as the new athletic director at Gladstone on Monday after Andy Jacques moved up to principal.

“I’m excited … I can’t sleep at night,” said Lindbeck, a West Iron County graduate. “My first days are now. I want to get to know the coaches. I’m really excited about it with the history of our programs here, to find out where I can best serve them as well. Those are the areas I’m going to focus on. I’m going to be at every game, especially early on. I want to be very visible, and meet with all the coaches at the beginning of next month, especially the fall coaches.”

Lindbeck began his coaching and teaching career 15 years ago at Waterford Union High School in Wisconsin, approximately 10 to 20 miles from Milwaukee. Then, five years ago, he and his family moved further North to Wausaukee, where he began coaching football and started a powerlifting team right away. He also spent the past three years as the varsity boys’ basketball coach there.

“It will be a little change now, not coaching, but being involved with all the sports,” he said.

Lindbeck, who finished his administrative licensing a few years ago, said he was told about the job at Gladstone by his brother-in-law at the end of May.

“I got my stuff together (to apply) about a day or two before it was due,” he said. “I’m really excited because I’m originally from West Iron. I played basketball over here against them back when I was in high school, I ran track against Gladstone, I’ve had friends from Gladstone, I know Gladstone and the history of the quality people that come out of here.”

He said meeting Jacques made it feel like an instant fit.

“Meeting Andy was fantastic. It just felt like an opportunity and a relationship already developing,” he said.

Lindbeck, who got his bachelor’s degree at Northern Michigan University, also said a big part of the decision to move here was for his family. He has two daughters — 10-year old Jocelyn and six-year old Mari, who is turning seven in two weeks.

“This is also where I want my kids to go. That’s the biggest thing — where do I want my kids to be and my family to be? This is a community that will definitely support that,” he said.

Lindbeck has spent the majority of his career teaching special education, and said he specializes in motivating people.

“That’s been kind of who I am — motivating people and getting them involved,” he said. “Helping kids find a way, establishing resilience and celebrating success. That’s more of my DNA, in a way. When I’ve coached sports, I’ve helped kids establish what their goals are, and I’ve helped them accomplish those benchmark goals step-by-step, rather than looking at the big picture and the major outcome.”

He also talked about some of the things he hopes to accomplish at Gladstone, specifically talking about multi-sport athletes.

“This year, I know Andy has a path established, and I’m going to continue where he left off,” Lindbeck said.

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