Ronald Kurtz excelled in track and cross country at UWM, earning seven letters before military service cut short his athletic career. He performed mainly as a hurdler but actually competed in a wide variety of events. In fact, along with competing in field events, Kurtz participated in events ranging from the 45-yard hurdles to the 10,000 meters in cross country. Kurtz also served as captain of the cross country team in 1969 and was secretary of the UWM Letterman's Club in 1968 and 1969. While in the military, he was the honor graduate of the 1971 Ft. Ord, Calif., Drill Sergeant Academy and the 84th Division Drill Sergeant of the Year in 1972-73. He has been a coach in various sports for over 36 years and recently retired from a 32-year teaching career from the West Allis/West Milwaukee School District, where he continues to coach. In 1989, he earned his master's degree from UW-Whitewater and was named to the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Meanwhile, his West Allis Hale Boys Cross Country team won the Wisconsin State Championship in 2000 when he was named Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Cross Country Coach of the Year. |
