SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
THEATER
Burnsville is the only high school theater group in the United States that is endorsed by the Federal Bureau os Prisons to present entertainment at State and Federal institutions.
It took Tom Mraz five years to acquire permission to bring his student shows to prisoners. The first visit was at Sandstone and now their reputation is established and visits and annual springtime events. The tour is now in its 14th year giving many performances annually.
Scheduled performances include Illinois, Kansas and Missouri as well as regional institutions. In total, these students cover over 12,000 miles, travel ten states, and play to over 20,000 men and women in state and federal prisons.
The large volume of mail received each is a fine tribute to the success of this troupe and the happiness it brings to others.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
After graduating Gustavus Adolphus College, Ronald Ronning taught at Washburn, North Dakota for three years. He came to Burnsville High School in 1956 to become the school's first band director. At the time, only two students had any training in music. The first ten years, there was a tremendous growth in the department. Don Jerdum became the second director in 1968. Unlike many schools, Burnsville High School places little, if any, emphasis on marching bands. It is primarily an academic program, with classes in college preparation for performance and theory, traditional as well as classical. The courses include training in various popular styles from big band sounds to rock music. Frank Gaymon teaches a course in rock and its beginnings to about 110 students per quarter.
There are approximately 200 students each school year who participate in seven different performing bands from band, rock and roll, and even one for the polka and schottish. In 1975 the Burnsville tour band spent 19 days in Central Europe, Scandinavia and England. Every spring takes the band to fine airts and jazz festivals at schools and colleges in addition to performing in and out of the state .Several former students are now performing on nite club circuits or teaching. Doctor Lyle Nordstrom, 1961, is head of the department of Renaissance music at Oakland University in Michigan and is now writing a book on wind instruments. His brother, Randall is currently principal basest for the Berlin Symphony Orchestra.
VOCAL DEPARTMENT
In 1962, there were only 30 students in the choir, 25 girls and 5 boys. It soon grew to 80 students and a girls' glee club was added. By 1970 Burnsville High School had a mixed chorus and three choirs. A chamber choir was organized in 1973. This past year there were over 300 students in various vocal ensembles including the popular choraliers. The prime purpose according to Mr Squires, is to make the students realize they are doing something important by exercising their spirits in creative communication.
The students perform major concerts each school year. Many students have gone on to advance music studies at schools throughout the country.
TRACK
The Lions Relays, which began in 1968, are held at the Burnsville High School each Spring. The event has grown to include 65 teams from around the state, making it one of the largest high school invitational meets in Minnesota.
Many young Burnsville men have qualified for the State meet in track and field:
1972 Todd Thompson, fifth in medley relay.
1974, Don Fricktel, sixth in 880.
1975, Bruce Carter, sixth in the 440.
1975, Tom Pinger, fifth in the two mile.
Dave Griffith is the present track coach and is a fine contributor to the program.
FOOTBALL
Burnsville High School enter the Missota conference in 1960. The football team, under Coach Bob Pates, won the first conference championship, a co-championship with Lakeville High School. Dick Hanson coached the team to the 1972, 1973, and 1975 championship--the longest wining streak extended to twenty-seven games during the 1972, 1973, and 1974 seasons. The team won the state championship in 1972 and won the playoffs with the Skyline Conference in 1972 and 1973.
George Harris, an all-state in 1972, is currently playing at Brigham Young University. Duke Glacke, another all-stater, is playing at St. John's university. All-state in 1974, Tom Moehrle, is at the University of Minnesota. Former Burnsville High School players, Mark Thompson and Scott Racke are playing at Gustavus College. A 1974 player, Rick Kott, is on the St. Thomas football team. All major sports at Burnsville High School are now in the Lake Conference, Blue Division.
WRESTLING
Roger Zueg coaches the wrestling team. For three years in a row, Bob Schandle took first place in the championship. In 1973, in the 132 pound class, he became Burnsville's first wrestler to take the crown. He repeated it in 1974 in the 138 pound class. These achievements won him "Outstanding State Wrestler" awards.
Bob graduated in 1974, but not before going to Europe with the Minnesota cultural exchange team, where he competed in many countries, wining most of his matches. He is now a student at the University of Minnesota and in 1976 placed third in the Big Ten in the 150 pound class competition.
Dana McElwain was the first Burnsville wrestler to place in the state tournament. After winning the 1967 and 1968 conference title, the district title and placing second in the regional, he went to take second place on the state tournament. After entering Normandale Junior College in 1970 he tied seventh in the National Junior College competition.
Not all Burnsville wrestlers who lived in the city attended Burnsville High School. Kevin Sutter attended Lakeville High School and won second place in the state tournament in 1969. After being awarded letters in football, track and baseball, as well as wrestling, he was named "Athlete of the Year".
HOCKEY
Having had many outstanding teams and players, Tom Osiecki has coached his teams to two championships in four years while in the Southern Minnesota Conference.
Perhaps the brightest light is Michael Wong, a 1973 Burnsville High School graduate, who is currently playing professionally with the Detroit Red Wings.
BASKETBALL
In the year 1957, Burnsville High School competed for the first time in basketball in the Valley Conference under Coach Howard Norness. He was succeeded by Bob Pates who came in 1959 and coached for the hex three years. During this time the high school left the Valley conference and joined the Missota Conference. From 1962 through 1966, Ken LaCroix coached the team.
From 1966 through 1975, Don Stang coached the Burnsville teams to four conference championships. In the fall of 1976, along with all competitive sports at the Burnsville High School, the basketball team will join the Lake Conference--Blue Division under Coach Bob Stenson, the current coach.
LARS KINDEM
Lars Kindem has been a Minnesota high school ski coach longer than any coach in the state, earning him the title "Dean of Coaches". Over the past 19 years his teams at North and Roosevelt High Schools in Minneapolis have won 17 Minneapolis city titles, 119 dual meets, 16 district titles and have ranked in the first three places in the state 7 times.
Mr. Kindem, a long-time member of the United States Ski Association, is on the Board of Directors for the Central Division, and on the National Board of Directors, where he has held many committee chairmanships. He recently chaired the committee which rewrote the ruled to bring them into compliance with regulations used internationally in the sport.
In 1975, Kindem was the Technical Delegate for the Olympic cross-country tryouts held at Telemark Lodge in Cable, Wisconsin, where the 1976 Olympic team was selected.
The "Ski for Light" program for blind cross-country skiers held at the Honeywell Country Club in February of 1976 was another of Mr Kindem's projects. He supervised all of the physical arrangements necessary for the best possible course for the competitors.
The continued participation by Mr. Kindem and others like him in organized skiing programs will undoubtedly give more local skiers the opportunity to compete nationally, making Minnesota the cross-country capital of the United States.