Greenfield Coach Dale Schrank Remembered For Service, Advocacy

GREENFIELD, WI — With the passing of Coach Dale Schrank Sunday, the Greenfield learning community lost a coach, colleague and long-time community advocate, the School District of Greenfield said in a statement Monday.

"Coach Dale Schrank passed away surrounded by his family and loved ones," the District statement read. "Dale, a former Greenfield High School swimmer himself (Class of 1971), began coaching in the fall of 1970."

Schrank coached over 50 seasons of swimming across numerous high schools, the District said. Many individual state champions and National Top 16 qualifiers have called Schrank coach. In the 1970s, he was a volunteer assistant to Greenfield's Erv Straub for three high school seasons, according to the District.

"Dale was happiest poolside, working with the young men and women to develop them as student-athletes, swimmers, and young people of character. Whether leading our GHS co-op swim programs to multiple conference championships and state tournament appearances, directing many swim clubs, or giving swim lessons to beginners, it was always about encouraging and challenging children to learn, grow, and succeed," the district statement said.

When Schrank was named Greenfield High School's girl's varsity swim coach in 2013, he had already had success under his belt coaching the Greenfield-Greendale boy's co-op swim team. As Patch reported then, Schrank had led the boy's co-op team to numerous sectional and state championships.

At the time, he told Patch "I am very excited to return to my alma mater, and I hope to put Hawk swimming back on the map for the Greenfield High School girls swim team."

2021 was no exception for Schrank. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel covered his coaching throughout this year. Schrank told the Journal Sentinel in February his team then was one of the hardest working teams he's ever coached.

"Coach Schrank was a true Hustlin’ Hawk," the district said in its statement. "Coach Schrank will be deeply missed and the Greenfield Learning Community appreciates the key role he played in the lives of our students, families, alumni, and the Greater Greenfield Community."