To the Editor,
Travis Bartels, the head wrestling coach for the Chatfield Gophers, was not renewed as head coach this past week. As a wrestling fan, I was shocked and in disbelief. Travis has been coaching here in Chatfield for the past 19 years, and has helped build this program into something special. Travis has been a dedicated leader of a program that many towns would envy. He has helped coach two state tournament teams, winning a title, and placing third. He has also coached many place winners, and a champion, since taking the helm as head coach. Travis is one of the most respected coaches in our section, if not the entire state.
This travesty of injustice is outrageous, and the wrestling community has risen up in support of our coach. What our school board has done, is without the community’s support. The parents and wrestlers are all in lock step behind Coach Bartels and are putting up a good fight, but we need more support to stop these people from ripping apart our wrestling family. No school board should be able to go against the will of the people that elected them. They’ve given little reason for their decision and didn’t even call Coach Bartels with the news, they sent him a text message.
Anyone that knows Coach Bart, knows he’s not a quitter and neither are the many wrestlers he has molded here in Chatfield. We are all behind Coach Bartels, as he deserves better from a school that he has put so much into these past 19 years.
Let’s hope people come to their senses!! And soon!!
Dave Johnson
Chatfield, Minn.