Dean Mann - Inducted 2007

The 1950 Washington High and 1957 Augustana grad has been involved in track and field in South Dakota for more than 60 years. This year (2007) marks his 50th year as a track official - as a starter and referee at the college and high school level. As an athlete, he was a four-year letterwinner as a sprinter and quarter-miler at Washington and Augustana. He was a member of two state champion track teams at WHS. He has been the referee for the state track meet for 23 years and starter for the NCAA Division II indoor meet for five years and the North Central Conference indoor and outdoor meets for 29 years. He is a USA Track and Field certified national official. He has been a South Dakota High School Activities Association track rules interpreter and a presenter of rules meetings and clinics for nine years. Mann was an assistant track and cross country coach at Washington for 13 years (1957-69) and head coach for nine (1969-79). He guided the Warriors to the state cross country title in 1977 and a runner-up finish in 1978, and a state track runner-up finish in 1979. He was meet director of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays for eight years, assistant director for 33 years and has been involved in the meet as an athlete, coach or worker for more than 60 years. He was the assistant meet director for the NAIA national meet for nine years. Besides officiating in track, Mann was a basketball and football official as well. He was a basketball referee for 10 years (starting in 1954) and a football official for 19 (starting in 1958). He was the Supervisor of Athletics for the Sioux Falls School District for eight years (1985-93). In all, he was a teacher/coach/administrator at Washington High and the Sioux Falls School District for 36 years (1957-93). Mann has been honored as a state and region coach of the year (cross country, 1978), official of the year (track, 1992-93) and athletic director of the year (1993-94). He is a member of the Washington High and South Dakota High School Coaches Association halls of fame. He received Augustana's L.A. "Lefty" Olson Award for "outstanding lifetime service or achievement in athletics" and also the Dan Lennon Award from the University of South Dakota for "a positive and lasting impact on track and field in the Midwest." He became a Certified Athletic Administrator in 1989 - the first class in the nation.