STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Marcy Thurwachter, an assistant director on the WIAA executive staff, announced her retirement Friday, effective June 30, after serving the membership in her position for 13 years.
Thurwachter joined the executive staff on July 8, 2002. Her position included the administration and coordination responsibilities for the sports of cross country, gymnastics, track and field, volleyball and softball, as well as monitoring coaches' conduct and assisting in tournament planning.
“Marcy has been a great friend and colleague to everyone in the WIAA family,” said WIAA Executive Director Dave Anderson. “Her expertise–and the respect it garners–will be difficult to replace. We will miss her poise, grace, dedication and daily interaction in the office.”
During her tenure on the WIAA Staff, she managed the transformation of volleyball to rally scoring and the use of the libero, as well as the transitioning of the girls volleyball State Tournament to the Resch Center from Neenah High School in 2002. She also was instrumental in the move of the boys volleyball State Tournament from Waukesha West High School to Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2008.
In cross country, Thurwachter planned and enacted the 100th anniversary celebration of the State Cross Country Meet in 2012 and fostered the move to chip timing in Tournament Series races. She is also credited in the creation of the Friday sessions format for the State Track Meet and the requirement of fully automated timing for sectional results. She was also responsible for the advocacy and implementation of the wheelchair competition in the Tournament Series.
As the administrator of the gymnastics Tournament Series, she guided the schedule change to move the team competition at the State Meet to Friday evening and the individual competition to Saturday. In softball, she coordinated the production of coach and umpire education videos for pitching rules and officiating mechanics.
Among her many other contributions while a member of the executive staff, she has presented at countless coaches’ associations meetings and conventions, as well as presenting at the 2008 Sportsmanship Summit.
Her experience went well beyond the state level. She was active on a national level by serving on a number of National Federation of State High School Association committees, including a position on the Track & Field Rules Committee from 2007-15 and serving as the chair from 2011-15. She also was a member of the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee from 2008-12.
Her contributions to the sports she administered have been recognized by various sports organizations. She received the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association Merit Award in 2007 and was inducted into the Wisconsin High School Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2013, Thurwachter was inducted into the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Thurwachter came to the WIAA from North Central College where she was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. She held the titles of head women's track and field coach, associate athletic director and associate professor in physical education. She had been the women’s track coach since 1986. During that time, she guided nine teams to top-10 finishes at the NCAA III Championships.
Other coaching responsibilities at North Central included a 13-year stint as head volleyball coach from 1985-97. She also served as assistant cross country coach from 1998-2001.
Thurwachter was promoted to assistant athletic director in 1991, and then to associate director in 1994. Her responsibilities included facility scheduling, transportation scheduling, supervision and advocate for women's athletics. In addition, she was the co-director of the NCAA III Track and Field Championships when North Central hosted the meet in 1987, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1996 and 2000. She taught physical education at North Central from 1985-2002.
Prior to her collegiate experiences, she taught physical education and health, and coached girls volleyball and boys and girls track at Sheboygan Falls High School from 1979-85. She led the Falcons to the State Class B volleyball championship in 1983, a third-place finish in 1982 and three conference titles.
Thurwachter received a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and health education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1978 and a Master of Arts degree in physical education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1984.
The membership of the WIAA oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 505 senior high schools and 46 junior high/middle level schools in its membership. It will sponsor 24 championship tournament series in 2014-15. For more information, please contact the WIAA office at (715) 344-8580.
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Written by WIAA Communications