August 12, 2020

Edgewood golf coach Peggy Gierhart takes leave of absence

Jon Masson | Wisconsin State Journal

Longtime Madison Edgewood girls golf coach Peggy Gierhart doesn’t feel comfortable coaching a team sport in the current environment.

So, Gierhart, concerned about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and weighing personal reasons, said she is taking a leave of absence from coaching the Crusaders should Edgewood decide to play golf this fall.

Gierhart, 52, has led Edgewood to 13 WIAA Division 2 state championships, including the past two years, and three runner-up finishes at state.

She said she began as an assistant with the program in 2002, when Mark Rechlicz was coach and Edgewood won the state title for the second consecutive year, and took over as head coach in 2003. Under her direction, the Crusaders won seven straight Division 2 titles, starting in 2003.

Gierhart might take on a "general manager" role, working from a distance on administrative and scheduling needs and helping the interim coach, who hasn’t been named.

She said she would consider coaching the team in the spring of 2021 if Edgewood elects to play golf in a proposed alternative spring season being allowed by the WIAA during the 2020-21 school year and if the school wanted her to coach (depending on public health conditions in the spring). She said she plans to coach the team in fall, 2021.

“My view is, basically, I don’t feel comfortable in the environment where I will be around the team all the time”

“My view is, basically, I don’t feel comfortable in the environment where I will be around the team all the time,” Gierhart said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “I communicate closely with my players and staying 6 feet away would be difficult for me. I would be nervous in an environment where we travel together, having seen the virus’ effect on family and friends.”

She believes golf can be played safely, but added, “It’s harder in a team situation. I don’t feel comfortable with that right now.”

She said she didn’t know how schools and coaches will monitor players’ cold symptoms, which could affect who's available to play.

She has concerns for family and friends who might be at a higher risk for the coronavirus and those who could come in contact with it. She also said the death of her father, Ron Kelly, in July, has affected her emotional state and probably wouldn't permit her to coach in her usual manner. 

Edgewood athletic director Chris Zwettler, asked about Gierhart’s decision, said in a phone interview Wednesday: “We support it. We understand it. We get it. … If (the coronavirus) wasn’t out there, she would be coaching. She’s had some pretty strong opinions about it, and she hasn’t been afraid to share those opinions. We want to help her get through this.”

Zwettler said Gierhart “gave us her blessing. It was totally her choice. We are abiding by it. We know it’s not goodbye. We will see her next fall as our coach. I see her taking on what I like to call a ‘general manager’ role. She will be like Jon Horst (with the Milwaukee Bucks) or David Stearns (with the Milwaukee Brewers).”

Zwettler said he is waiting for details to come from Friday’s WIAA Board of Control meeting to see exactly what Edgewood does this fall.

That includes wanting to know whether schools can have some fall sports in the fall and move some fall sports to the alternative spring season and hoping to find out what training rules will be permitted in the fall for those schools that shift fall sports to the spring.

Edgewood has moved the start of first practices for “low-risk” sports, including girls golf, to Aug. 24 (from Aug. 17).

“We are keeping all options on the table,” Zwettler said about fall sports.

Gierhart indicated that Portage athletic director Ed Carlson has tentatively created two four-team pods, one including Edgewood, and scheduled golf dual meets for those schools in the area this fall.

Gierhart said she is comfortable with her decision. She said will miss the team’s seniors, but will stay in contact. She said she informed the team Tuesday in an email.

“They were very sweet with me last night,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a big deal. The big deal is what we are all going through.”