DeMers retiring after 33 years as teacher, coach, AD

By ERIC PLUMMER

Sports editor

SANDPOINT — If you’ve spent any of the past three decades around Sandpoint Middle School, chances are you’ve crossed paths with David DeMers, who just called it a career recently after 34 years as a teacher, coach and athletic director.

Born and raised in Sandpoint, the 58-year-old DeMers graduated from Sandpoint in 1978, married Cindy Farmin DeMers shortly thereafter and set about raising Eric, 31; Brooke, 28; and Alexis, 22; in his hometown.

After attending Boise State on a football and track scholarship, the athletic 6-foot-4 DeMers started his teaching career at Kuna for a year, before spending the next seven at Sandpoint High School and the last 26 as athletic director at Sandpoint Middle School.

Along the way he was the Bulldog head track coach for 28 years, also coaching football and basketball at both SHS and SMS. The track complex at Sandpoint High School will soon be named the Dave DeMers Track and Field Complex, an idea spawned by SMS principal Casey McLaughlin and passed by the school district.

He enjoys hunting, fishing and being outdoors, being with his family and friends and watching his grandchildren grow, activities he should have more free time to pursue.

The Daily Bee asked him to reflect on 33 years working for the schools in his hometown.

Looking back on 34 years in the schools, is there one thought that springs to mind first?

The dynamics of the classroom and the responsibilities of the teacher have changed dramatically in the last 20 years or so. We are no longer just teachers. We assume many roles other than teaching on a daily basis. Overall, teaching is still presenting and getting a response from your audience.

You grew up a Bulldog, is there a moment or two that stick out most from your athletic career?

I was so lucky to have great teammates and great coaching. Some memories that stand out are beating Cd’A at home in football my senior year when they were ranked No. in the state. Memorial field was standing room only and we took it to them in every aspect of the game. Our coaches, Cotton Barlow and crew prepared us so well for games. The next week we knocked off Mead at Mead, who was rated No. 1 in the state of Washington. There were no playoffs at the time. There is no feeling or emotion I have ever experienced like being behind center on a Friday night at Memorial Field in front of a home crowd.

The only games we lost that year was when many of us had the flu and did not play. Also, our basketball team was pretty good. Back to back trips to state, standing room only in the gym every time we played. The support of this community was phenomenal.

Best part about being an athletic director? Worst part?

Being an Athletic Director is a challenge at times, but it is always a good challenge. I have always enjoyed watching the kids improve and most of them were thankful for the experiences that the school was allowing them to have. The least enjoyable part of the job was the dealing with athletes and parents of athletes who could not or would not follow the rules of our school and activities. In today’s society everyone wants to be the star and that is the expectation of many parents. This sometimes leads to more bad than good. I want student athletes to be good citizens.

You were the head track coach at Sandpoint for more than a quarter century, is there a memory or two that sticks out most from those years?

Well being the track coach in the beginning of my career was very complex. Our track was made out of cinders. Before track meets Al Alt and I would borrow the roller from the county and drive it through town and come roll the track. That was kind of fun. And then we would drag the track by hand and pull chalk boxes behind while we walked around the track marking the lanes. I remember our starters would use real guns sometimes to start the races, with caps of course, but nonetheless it was always interesting. One year we needed more cinders, so Duane Ward and I found a site by Hope along the railroad tracks with a pile of it. We got the county to haul some cinders to the track and we spent hours spreading them and picking rocks out of it so the kids could run on it. Certainly not like today.

What was it like to coach your kids Brooke and Eric, both of whom went on to compete in track and field at Boise State?

Coaching your own kids can be such a pleasure. Pertaining to Eric, he was so easy to coach. So smart and enthusiastic. I remember we went to Canada to play football and I let him call all the plays in the game at quarterback. He knew what to do in every situation. I had more fun watching him run the team. It was fun to watch his career from middle school, high school and then to college. He was successful because he was so coachable and made himself a great athlete in college in the decathlon with hard work and consistency. I am so proud of him.

Brooke was a totally different dynamic. She was so aggressive and did not believe there was anything she could not do. She was not the biggest or the fastest, although she thought she was, and she was coachable, athletic and wanted to succeed more than anything. She was so quick off her feet. She played middle blocker at 5’4” in volleyball and was a four-time regional high jump champion. That has never been done before or since. I am so glad I was part of their careers and would not trade it for the world.

Who is the best athlete you ever saw come through Sandpoint during your time, and why?

Wow, there have been so many great kids. I will choose the following based on what they did in games and in practices. Two females: Amy Dyck, athletic, fast, strong, powerful, smart, tough, state record holder, school record holder, D1 athlete, exceptional young lady; My other, Alli Nieman, if you saw Alli play you stood there and said ‘wow.’ She had it all, size, quickness, intimidating skills, and the presence of leadership. Did I mention these two were great kids?

For the males: Eric Becker, he was the most powerful high school athlete I ever saw play football. He was fast, strong and had a motor that we could only wish for. He never came off the field and was phenomenal athlete. Defensive backs ran away from him when he would bust up the middle; Chad Childears, only 5’8, fearless, fast, fierce competitor in track and football, loved to compete. Amazing young man.

You were born and raised in Sandpoint. What sticks out to you most when you think about your hometown?

My hometown is the best place in the world to grow up. I had such a great childhood growing up here. We made our own fun and would spend hours at the beach playing football, basketball and swimming. I had a group of great friends who had each other’s back. Still good friends to this day. I cannot believe I have had the chance to work, start my family with my high school sweetheart, raise my kids and be part of such a great community. This town has special meaning to me for many reasons. But mainly, the support of the community is amazing in all aspects.

If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?

No, I would not change anything about what I chose to do with my life. I have had a fantastic career, I have a wonderful family, I have great friends and I live in a great, safe community. What more could you want?

What do you want your legacy to be at SHS and SMS?

What is a legacy? It is basically someone’s opinion of who you are or what you did. It is out of your hands. I guess if anything I would want to be remembered for being a great father and husband. That’s all that matters when the chips fall and your number is called. Everything else is just a ribbon on the prize.

What are you going to do with your newfound free time when retirement officially sets in?

I hope I have time to spend quality time with my family and enjoy the outdoors more, play a little golf.

Thanks for all of your years as an educator. What did you love most about your job?

I love the aspect of teaching a child something that they were not interested in when they came into my class. Opening up a young mind is a very powerful event and I love the fact that kids will let you into their space to teach them if they know you are sincere and excited about your subject. Teaching life lessons is so important today. Every day was a new beginning. I would like to thank all my colleagues that have supported me and been there for me throughout the years.