Tom Kurth

Tom Kurth, Elkhart & Elkhart Central High Schools (Coach)

Though Coach Kurth was an outstanding athlete in high school (Hobart) and college (Wittenberg), he is being honored for his 36 years as a football coach at Elkhart HS and Elkhart Central HS where his football teams went 236-120 and where he also coached track for 19 years as head coach. In football, his teams were undefeated state champions in 1968 and 1970. Eleven of his teams ranked top- l0 at season’s end. 89 players were chosen All-State, and 97 received full college scholarships. Coach Kurth was the Indiana Football Coach of the Year in 1970 and 1982, North All-Star Head Football Coach, 1993. He was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1994. Five of his playershave also been inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame. In track, the 1993 team was State Champion and the 1996 team was State Runner-up. There were a total of 9 sectional, 9 conference, and 4 regional championships. In dual and triangular meets, the teams were 121-20. He was inducted into the Indiana Track Hall of Fame in 2001. Coach Kurth describes the bond he developed with his athletes and others as being “about love and respect.”