By KIRK BEY / La Crosse Tribune
Nate Skaar didn’t hesitate when UW-La Crosse athletic director Joe Baker called him.
Skaar told Baker he would return as UW-L’s wrestling coach on a one-year interim basis, the same position he held last season. Even though there are no guarantees beyond the 2005-06 season, it was a risk Skaar was willing to take.
To say Skaar is returning to UW-L under difficult circumstances would be an understatement. He was not a finalist for the job on a permanent basis after UW-L posted a nationwide search in July. One of the job requirements was a master’s degree, and Skaar said he still is a year away from obtaining his.
Former UW-L coach Tim Fader and former UW-L wrestlers Brad Bruhn and Russ Peloquin were the finalists for the position, and all three were brought in for on-campus interview earlier this month.
However, Baker had to close the search last week due to an administrative error that wasn’t discovered until recently. The position had been advertised as a three-quarter time position (50 percent running UW-L’s adventure program, 25 percent coaching). But Baker said parts of the paperwork outlining the position had somehow been changed to describe the job as a 12-month position after it had been posted.
Skaar admitted Monday that the entire process had been “nerve-wracking. “Skaar said he had pursued other job opportunities, and he would not say if he would reapply for the position next year.
“In my heart, I knew that this was the right place for me, “Skaar said. “My phone has been ringing off the hook. The show of support from our wrestlers and coaches made me realize they’re the true reason I’m coming back.”
The Eagles flourished last season under Skaar. UW-L won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and finished fourth at the NCAA Division III Championships. Ryan Allen won his second straight national title at heavyweight. UW-L had seven Division III All-Americans, and Skaar was named National Wrestling Coaches Association Rookie Coach of the Year.
Skaar’s accomplishments made Baker realize it would be easier to bring back someone who was familiar with the program rather than an outsider for one year.
“If they had another interim coach and then we brought in a new coach next year, that’s too many transitions, “Baker said. “Nate had done a good job, and when I called him about coming back, he was willing to do so.
“This wasn’t an easy situation to start with. Nate wished he had been a candidate for the permanent position, but he understands why he wasn’t. I told him, ‘Here is another opportunity for you.’ ”
Skaar knows it’s an opportunity that may be short-lived. But does that mean he has any misgivings about accepting it?
“Not at all, “Skaar said. “I think I have a good attitude about the situation. I’m ready for whatever happens, and let the chips fall where they may.”
Kirk Bey can be reached at (608) 791-8414, or at [email protected]
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