Berland honored on retirement

By Becky Walz,

For the past 47 years, Coach Berland has been the face and fixture of the Decorah girls tennis program while leading teams and our young people to unprecedented success.
Berland began his duties with the girls tennis program, with little tennis experience after being encouraged to do so by Superintendent Wayne Burns in 1976 after it had five seasons with multiple coaches.  With a compassion to support women’s athletics and to compete, Berland built the program to be one of the best in the state of Iowa highlighted by five state championships, fifteen regional championships and an overall dual match record of 503-122.

   For the past 47 years, Coach Berland has been the face and fixture of the Decorah girls tennis program while leading teams and our young people to unprecedented success.
   Berland began his duties with the girls tennis program, with little tennis experience after being encouraged to do so by Superintendent Wayne Burns in 1976 after it had five seasons with multiple coaches.  With a compassion to support women’s athletics and to compete, Berland built the program to be one of the best in the state of Iowa highlighted by five state championships, fifteen regional championships and an overall dual match record of 503-122.
   Eight different athletes won five different state championships in doubles competition and numerous athletes became state place winners in singles and doubles under Berland’s guidance. Additionally, Coach Berland was instrumental in the creation of the Decorah boys tennis program, Iowa High School Tennis Coaches Association, the North Central Tennis Conference and Decorah hosting the IGHSAU Girls State Tennis Tournament in 2008. In recognition of his efforts to support the sport of tennis in the State of Iowa and the Iowa Girl, Coach Berland was recognized with the Golden Plaque of Distinction by the IGHSAU in 2014. 

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