Long-time Grinnell teacher and coach now among school hall of famers

      Mike Baker, right, was named to the Grinnell High School Hall of Fame during a presentation by his former teaching and coaching colleagues on Oct. 9. Baker taught math classes for 33 years and is in his 37th years of coaching. Presenting the honor to Baker is from left, Paul Wagner, Scott Sharp, Trent Edsen and Jim Dunne.

​By J.O. Parker
 
        A long-time beloved Grinnell High School teacher and coach was recently recognized with a special honor.
         Mike Baker, who retired from full-time teaching in 2020, but remains in coaching at the school, was named to the Grinnell High School Hall of Fame.
         Jim Dunne, Trent Edsen, Paul Wagner and Scott Sharp recognized Baker for all he has done for the school and students at the Grinnell Homecoming Pep Rally in Central Park on Thursday, Oct. 9.
             Baker said he was surprised to be recognized and honored by his teaching and coaching colleagues.
           “People you worked with become your best friends throughout the years,” said Baker, of the four men and others he’s worked alongside through the years. “All those guys are super high quality ‘do the right thing’ people.”
        Baker grew up in Cedar Rapids where he attended elementary school before his family moved to Stillwater, Minn., a suburb of St. Paul. He attended and graduated from high school in 1979.
            “It was a suburban school that grew fast,” said Baker.
          He attended the University of Iowa, where he earned a degree in finance. It was there that Baker met his wife, Barb.
          Baker completed his student teaching at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School and stayed with the district for about a year and one-half coaching a girls’ sophomore basketball team and working as an assistant football coach.
            “I did some subbing and coaching after I finished my student teaching requirements,” noted Baker.
          The couple moved to Grinnell in 1988 to teach and coach. Baker said Grinnell was looking for a girls’ basketball coach and he applied and was hired.
           “When we moved to Grinnell it was the smallest town we had lived in and I thought we would be here for a couple years and move on,” said Baker. “You get here and have a couple kids and five years becomes 10 years and so on.”
        Baker spent 33 years in the classroom teaching all levels of high school math before retiring. Since retiring, Baker returned to the school and taught an AP Calculus class for a semester.
        And Baker has been a fixture on the Tigers sideline and courtside for 37 years. He spent 20 years coaching the girls’ basketball team. In 2008, he switched to the boys’ side of the sport. And he continues to serve as an assistant football coach at Grinnell since arriving in town.
         Jim Dunne, who coached Tiger football with Baker for 23 years (1992 – 2015), said he brought a very level-headed perspective to the game.
         “He just was good at developing relationships with kids and developing a good rapport with kids,” said Dunne. “He was part of nine district titles and appeared in six semi-final games in the dome and coached in one state championship game. Mike has been a part of 18 playoff appearances.”
          When asked what inspires him to keep coaching and guiding young people, Baker said, “When you start out, it’s an experience. When you get connected with anyone involved in extra circular activities, you get more connected with your school. It just becomes part of what you do every day.”
         “I tell people that the last 10 years of teaching and 20 years coaching that I have kids on our football team that their dad’s played (and I coached) at Grinnell.
           “It is kind of hilarious when those kids ask questions about their dad,” he said.
         In addition to coaching Tiger football with Dunne, Baker has coached with Aaron Shipley, Brian Sauser and is currently coaching with Adam Hadenfeldt. 
      “It has been a tremendous blessing to work alongside Coach Baker in the football and basketball programs at GHS for nearly 40 years,” noted Scott Sharp, who works at Grinnell Mutual and coaches Grinnell Middle School football and middle school boys’ track and also serves as a varsity boys basketball assistant. “He has shared his wealth of experience in each sport with players and coaches alike. You can always count on Coach Baker to give you the numbers perspective about performance and ways to think outside the box when it comes to strategy and ways to gain an edge over the competition. He is a Grinnell High School icon in the teaching and coaching world. He has truly earned this honor and is so deserving.”
         Baker said he and Barb enjoy spending time with their two children and four grandchildren, all who live in the Des Moines area.
          As far as the future, Baker is not quite ready to give it all up.
          “I’m glad they let me hang around,” he said. “It’s good for me.”