Ron Hunerdosse rings the Victory Bell at Trojan Stadium 50 times to signify his 50 years of coaching track at the conclusion of the Fairfield Middle School girls' track meet Monday, April 28. (Andy Hallman/The Union)

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FAIRFIELD – Ron Hunerdosse joined the Fairfield Middle School girls’ track team as it ran a lap on the track at Trojan Stadium following its meet Monday, April 28.

Hunerdosse has run this lap at the end of every track meet this season to commemorate his 50 years of coaching track. And on this night, he had the special honor of ringing the Victory Bell, which he did 50 times as the track team cheered him on after every pull of the rope.

Hunerdosse’s daughter Kari Albaugh and her children, Collins and Miles, traveled from Indianola to support their dad and grandpa at Monday’s meet. Kari said her dad never pressured her to become a runner, though he did expose her to it so she had the opportunity to try it, and it turned out she liked it. She would go on to run on the cross country team, and run the 400 and 800 meters on the track team, both times being coached by her dad.

“I think it’s really hard to be a dad and a coach, but he did it really well,” she said. “I was also really lucky because he was beloved by everyone, so it was never hard for me to have him as a coach or teacher, which could have been weird in middle school. He was liked by all my peers.”

Hunerdosse coached high school girls track for 41 years and thought he was done, until one day when Activities Director Jeff Courtright approached him to ask if he’d be willing to come out of coaching retirement to lead the middle school girls’ track team. Hunerdosse couldn’t say no and agreed to coach. Nine years later, he’s still at it.

“It shows how much he loves Fairfield,” Kari said about her dad hitting the 50-year milestone. “The guy bleeds orange and black, and he wants all these kids to have a positive experience in athletics.”

Angie Lamb also coaches middle school girls track, and had Hunerdosse as a coach when she was in school. She ran middle distances, which is Hunerdosse’s specialty.

“He was a coach who knew how to get the most out of his runners,” Lamb said about her time running under Hunerdosse’s tutelage. “He knows how to have fun and laugh with the athletes, but when it’s time to go to work, it’s time to go to work. He sets up expectations early on, and to me that is a perfect recipe for a coach to be successful.”

Lamb said Hunerdosse celebrates a runner’s success with them, whether they’re coming in first place or eighth place.

“He takes pride in everybody’s accomplishment,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how fast you are, what matters is whether you’re getting better, and that makes everybody feel important.”

Hunerdosse said that when he accepted the role as middle school track coach, it was supposedly on an interim basis. In fact, he always told the track team members that he might not be back the following year. But one time, four years ago, he made this announcement only to discover that a girl was quietly weeping.

“I just immediately changed the subject,” Hunerdosse said.

Hunerdosse couldn’t bear to let the girl down, and agreed to come back. He also said that was the moment he decided to shoot for the 50-year milestone.

One of Hunerdosse’s best friends in Fairfield is Rich Stokes, and he had just celebrated his own 50-year milestone the week before. Stokes was honored with a plaque from Jefferson County Little League for volunteering with the Little League and then the Challenger League for a combined 50 years. Hunerdosse was there not only to congratulate his good friend but also to help out on the mound.

“I was giving him grief that I’m going to be done with 50 before he’s done with 50,” Hunerdosse said. “He’s got to go all the way through May.”