Collection of area and national sports items involving people with Watertown ties
Watertown administrator DeBoer hired as activities director/arena manager at Huron
HURON — Scott DeBoer, an assistant principal at Watertown High School, has been hired as the new athletic director/Arena Manager for the Huron School District.
DeBoer, a 2006 Huron High School and 2010 South Dakota State University grad, replaces Terry Rotert. Rotert is retiring at the end of the 2023-24 school year. He has served on coaching staff at Brookings, Pierre, Northern State University in Aberdeen and Watertown.
"DeBoer brings an understanding of how to develop a successful and sustainable program, as well as an awareness of the challenges and opportunities of the Huron School District," Huron Supertindent Kraig Steinhoff told the Huron Plainsman.
DeBoer attained his Master’s Degree in Administration and Leadership from Northern State University in 2013 and a Certificate of Sport Psychology from California Southern University in 2019. He is working on a Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology emphasizing in Performance Psychology from Grand Canyon University.
DeBoer in his third year as an assistant principal at WHS. His wife Heather is the principal at Mellette Elementary, They have three children — Colton, JayLee and Trajan. Scott's parents Bob and Kathy were long-time educators in the Huron School District.
Former WHS athletic director, Boys and Girls Club founder Welfl dies
De SMET — Former Watertown High School athletic director and Watertown Boys and Girls Club founder Gerald (Jerry) Welfl died Monday at the Good Samaritan Center.
Welfl, 89, was born in Philip in 1934 and graduated from Springfield High School before enlisting in the U.S. Army for three years. He taught and coached in Gregory and Huron before moving to Watertown where he spent 19 years as the athletic director before being replaced by Harvey Hammrich in 1977. During this time, he founded the Watertown Boys and Girls Club, where he was having the youth children work with horses.
Welfl also coached football at Black Hills State University. After Watertown, Welfl moved to Worland (Wyo.) where he served as athletic director and principal at Worland High School. He left the education system in 1979 and moved to De Smet in 2006.
Watertown High School grad Waege re-signs with 49ers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Defensive lineman Spencer Waege, a South Shore native and 2017 Watertown High School graduate, was one of nine free agents who signed with the San Francisco 49ers earlier this week.
All nine players ended the 2023 season on the 49ers' practice squad.
The former North Dakota State University standout originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the 49ers after the 2023 NFL Draft. He spent the entire 2023 preseason with the 49ers and appeared in each of the team's preseason games before being released.
Waege was later signed to the 49ers' practice squad in November. The 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 25-22 in overtime in the Super Bowl last Sunday.
Watertown's Heesch earns GPAC women's track honor
FREMONT, Neb. — Midland University junior Maggie Heesch of Watertown has been selected as the Great Plains Athletic Conference Women's Track and Field Athlete of the Week.
The Watertown High School graduate won the women's weight throw (55 feet, 10.5 inches) and took second in the shot put (44-8.25) in the Mounty Marty Last Chance Meet in Yankton.
Both marks were NAIA "A" standards.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Sports briefs about four current or former Watertown athletes and coaches
