State track meet will be Roloff's last

CEDAR RAPIDS -- After 45 years of memories, Dennis Roloff is bidding farewell to his "first love."

Roloff told SourceMedia News on Monday that he will not return as boys' track coach at Cedar Rapids Kennedy next season. He planned to tell his team at its banquet late Tuesday afternoon.

"I've been involved with track since seventh grade (in 1966)," he said. "Track was my first love. It's something I was pretty good at."

Roloff was a standout middle-distance runner at Cedar Rapids Jefferson and the University of Northern Iowa. He coached at HLV, then was an assistant at Kennedy before taking the head position in 1997.

His final state meet begins Thursday, which coincides with his 58th birthday.

"It has been a tough decision," he said. "Coaching 80 boys, it's organized mass chaos, and it's time to let somebody else do it. Somebody that's still in the school needs to run the program."

Roloff will retire as a teacher at Kennedy. He will continue as the head girls' basketball coach.

He said that more than one of his assistants is capable of taking over the program. When asked if he would consider continuing as an assistant, he paused.

"I don't know if I would do that," he said. "I think it would be best if I just concentrated on basketball. I'll be happy to stay involved at meets by being a timer or waving a flag."

Kennedy Athletics Director Aaron Stecker said he would like a successor in place by early June.