Karen Zitzow-Laughlin

earns Woman in Sports award

Article from Thursday, January 11, 2001 edition of the Perham Enterprise Bulletin, John George - Sports Editor

Karen Zitzow-Laughlin thought the worst when she received a phone call from Perham Activities Director Fred Sailer a few weeks ago. "Somethings up," she thought to herself.

She assumed it was a call to cancel an event from the upcoming track schedule.

"I thought it had something to do with the levy. That we didn't have money for something now," she said.

She couldn't have been more wrong. Sailer was calling to inform her that she would be the third recipient of the Ruth Cole Women in Sports Award. "My mom and my husband had known about the award since before Christmas," Zitzow-Laughlin said. "I don't know how they kept it a secret." "I thought,'no way'. What an honor." "It's very special to me because of Ruth. She was and is my teacher, coach, colleague and friend. She is the reason I got into coaching. To receive an award with her name on it is a special honor." "I can only hope that I can have the same influence on young girls today like Ruth had on me," she continued.

Zitzow-Laughlin has been employed at the Perham Nursing Home for 19 years.

She has worked as the director of activities for the past 12 years. "My job has been very flexible and that has allowed me to stay active as a coach," she said.

Her career began 18 years ago as an assistant with the Perham High School track team. She had earned a physical education degree and coaching certificate from Moorhead State University (now Minnesota State-Moorhead). She almost coached softball instead of track, but the combination of individual and team effort in track drew her to the sport. "It's easy to remember when I began because I was about to give birth to Andrea during my first year," She said. "The track season ended at the beginning of June and I had Andrea at the end of the month." Andrea is Karen and Bob's first child. She is currently a freshman at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. They have another daughter, Erin, who is a sophomore at Perham High School and a son, Jon, who is six years old and attending St. Paul's Elementary.

"They all grew up on the track," Zitzow-Laughlin said. As a special bonus, when Karen is honored on Friday night at the girls basketball game against Hawley, Erin will sing the National Anthem. "When I didn't get a phys ed job out of college, I needed to find a way to stay involved, so I went into coaching. I love it. I bet I get just as nervous as anyone out there. I run every race with them. My stomach is turning just as fast." It's that passion and commitment that has earned Zitzow-Laughlin this award. "It hasn't really sunk in yet," she said. "A person always likes to be recognized, but I'm not doing it for the recognition." She doesn't like to be called "Coach". She likes her athletes to call her Karen.

Well, here's to hoping that many more young track athletes are able to call out `Karen' on a sunny spring afternoon around the track at Meinhover Field.

She joins Ruth Cole and Janet (Schmelz) Seifert as previous winners of the award.

Karen Zitzow Laughlin

Athletic Career at Perham High School

Track: Four-year letter winner. Held the school record in the 100, 220, 440 yard relay with her sister Dona Mae Zitzow, Mary Matchinsky, and Becky Mathias (record retired), 880 yard relay with Mary Moenkedick, Mary Matchinsky, and Carol Schmitz (record retired).

Basketball: Played guard on two District 23 championship teams, losing to New York Mills as they went on to be state champions. During regular season Perham was the only team to beat NYM.

Fergus Falls Community College

Karen played volleyball for two years and basketball for one year.

Coaching career at Perham High School

Karen began coaching track in Perham in 1982, as an assistant to Ruth Cole (1999 Women in Sports Award Recipient). She works with the relay teams and sprinters. Karen lists one of her coaching highlights as taking place in 1997 when the boys 4 X 100 and the girls 4 X 100 and 4 X 200 relay teams qualified for the state meet. That year the boys 4 X 100 team consisting of Andrew Fritz, Adam Rose, Kyle Schrupp, and Jason Braaten set the current school record and won the state title.

Perham's Women in Sports Award

Article taken from CraigOlsonSports.com

Have you ever been part of planning an event, and had the courage to attach "First Annual" to the title? If you have, then you know how much you hope it will be well attended, well-received, and most important, welcomed back by the community. That is exactly what happened when the Perham decided to usher in a new program, called "Women in Sports."

"We're pleased to say this is our third year," said Fred Sailer, Athletic Director at Perham High School, "and this has really turned into a fun evening that the community looks forward to each year."

Sailer went on to explain they recognize an individual who has been instrumental in elevating athletic programs for women in the community. "This year, we are proud to honor Karen Zitzow Laughlin," said Sailer, "Karen is a Perham High School graduate who has been coaching for 18 years in our track program." Karen was also an athlete while in high school, participating in track, basketball and volleyball, and went on to play both basketball and volleyball for Fergus Falls Community College.

"This year," said Sailer, "we have an extra special evening planned, as we will also recognize the Perham Girl's Basketball team of 1991. This group of athletes took their team to a 4th place finish at State under the direction of Coach Darrel Pederson. This group was really quite talented, both academically and athletically." Names you might recognize include Wendy Meyer Gravelle, who went on to become a Captain of the Women's basketball team at University of North Dakota. Sarah Happel, who went on to Kansas State and played volleyball there. Shayne Hamann, who is now an attorney in St. Paul, and who is involved in planning this weekend's event.

Award recipients from the two previous years include Ruth Cole, who will introduce this year's winner, and 2nd year winner, Janet Schmelz Seifert, who continues to work in the Athletic Department in the Perham School System.

Karen Laughlin...

Coach, Parent and Athlete

Karen has shown us what determination, hard work and strong ethics can do for a person in life. Karen has been the glue that has held our track teams together over the years.

As an athlete, she was a coach's player, as a coach she is a coach's type of coach, as a parent she has been a stellar example of what compassion, tough love, and hard work can do for raising well-rounded children and strong competitive athletes.

Karen's accomplishments have been many, but her impact on student athletes will reach far and wide throughout their lives.

Mike Peterson, head track coach from

Perham High School

Highlights of 1991

Basketball team:

* First and only PHS basketball team to advance to the state tournament. At this time only 16 teams advanced in 1991 since there were only two classes.

* Co-champions of the Heart O' Lakes Conference.

* District 23 and Region 6 Champions.

* Entered the 1991 state tournament with a 24-2 record and beat the 1990 defending state champions in the quarter final round.

* Outscored their opponents during the season by an average of 64-41 points per game.

* Ended the season with a 25-4 record.

* Coach Darrel Pederson was selected as District 23 Coach of the Year.

* Wendy Meyer was selected to the all-state team and all-tournament team, Sarah Happel was all-tournament and all-state honorable mention, Shayne Hamann earned the Minnesota State High School League award for AAA (Academics, Arts, and Athletics).

Go

Yellowjackets!