Tom Mittman steps down after ‘fairy-tale’ run at Iowa City High

IOWA CITY — There's the string of state-qualifying teams. There's the five state championships.

But what has marked the Iowa City High girls' cross country team during Tom Mittman's 20-year run as head coach is the vast participation.

'The fact that we have embraced each kid as an athlete, the success of our junior-varsity and fresh-soph teams as much as our varsity, that's something we've been very proud of,' Mittman said Thursday morning.

Mittman, 64, announced his resignation Wednesday.

'It has almost been like a fairy tale,' he said. 'I have been extremely lucky.

'All the kids have kept me younger than I would have been otherwise ... I'll miss the youthful exuberance of 70 high-school girls every fall.'

Mittman plans to stay close to the program, perhaps as a volunteer assistant. He said 'several factors' led to his decision.

'My mom is 94 and lives in Oregon, and I might need to be away for an extended period to be with her,' he said. 'And I could have changes in my own health situation.'

Mittman overcame cancer a couple years ago. He used to run with his team, now opting for a bicycle at practice.

'I just feel it's time for someone younger,' he said. 'The kids won't notice much of a difference; it will just be someone else talking to them at the beginning of practice.'

City High has qualified for state 29 consecutive years, the last 20 under Mittman. He coached the Little Hawks to state titles in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

When he joined the program, there were 34 girls on the roster. It's usually more than double that now.

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