9-11 memories: Why we played football amid tragedy

On Tuesday morning, Sept. 11, 2001, I had been a school superintendent for 72 days. All of our lives were affected that day, some more than others. I watched the World Trade Center towers come down while with other metro superintendents, and we quickly canceled our meeting so we could go back to our school districts. That day, I witnessed numerous examples of staff and families caring for our students that would make anyone proud.

At the same time I was watching the news coverage of the attack that morning, so was my father-in-law, Robert Kurtz Sr. of the well-known Kurtz Hardware Co. in Des Moines. As he left to go vote in the local school board election, he said to his wife of many years, “It’s going to be a whole new world for the grandkids.” Later that afternoon, Bob suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, and he died that night.

Over the course of the next few days, the school district as well as our extended family learned to be flexible. Schedules and routines that we had found commonplace all changed. I was doing my best to manage the mounting cancellations of activities (including the Iowa State-Iowa football game) when I was summoned to the high school.

In the principal’s office, I found two students, both respected in student government, activities or athletics. They appealed to me to not cancel the upcoming home football game against Newton on Friday night. I explained to them that I would no doubt be excoriated if I let the game go forward. Yet they talked of the need to come together as a school and community.

I had always believed that if I ever became a school administrator, I would listen to students first. I called the Newton superintendent, who was in his final year of service. He also reminded me of what would happen to me if Urbandale High School went ahead with the Friday night game. But when I explained to him what the students had said, he understood and agreed to allow the Newton team to play. 

After further conversations with my school board, numerous phone calls with Brian Coppess, (current Urbandale High School principal who was then activities director), the faculty, the students and the football team, we made the decision public. The next few days were a challenge as sports radio, some parents and others chose to criticize my decision both publicly and personally (even calling me “un-American”).

At the same time, I was attempting to also be supportive of my wife. To allow travel time for family and friends (since the airlines were not flying), the decision was made to have her father’s wake on Friday evening, with the funeral Saturday morning.

Finally, after some long hours at work and with family members on the phone, Friday night arrived. I was able to go to the beginning of my father-in-law’s wake at St. Augustin’s Catholic Church before excusing myself to return to Urbandale for the football game, which my wife thought was important for me to attend.

As I drove back into Urbandale on 70th Street and crossed Douglas Avenue, I thought it was strange that a number of cars were parked on the east side of 70th Street. I remember thinking how weird it was that someone would be having a large party on that particular night, given the events of the week.

Yet, as I kept driving north, I saw there was no break in the line of parked cars. Finally, I realized these cars belonged to people who were there for the football game!

When I came to the corner of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue, I could see that the stadium was filled with a standing-room only crowd — and the game had not even started! Handheld U.S. flags were everywhere. Newton and Urbandale football players came onto the field and lined up so that opposing players were next to each other for the National Anthem. During “The Star-Spangled Banner,” played by one of the greatest bands ever, you could have heard a pin drop — except for those people who were singing along.

After the song was completed … the noise! It was so loud you could not even hear the fireworks being shot off in the end zone.

I have lived a long time and have been fortunate to be a part of many memorable experiences — especially my marriage and the birth of my children — but this event ranks right up there. Like others, I had tears that night. But part of the emotion came from the conviction I had to listen to the students — and then seeing how our community responded.

The next day we said goodbye to Bob, a great man — my father-in-law — and then continued to mourn the national tragedy of 9-11 with the rest of the country. Subsequently, we were able to view similar celebrations at professional and college sporting events like those that Friday night in Urbandale. But I take some pride in the fact that we were first to show others not just the value of upholding normalcy, but also the emotional power that can come from gathering together as a community during a tragedy.

To this day — 15 years later — I am not sure that many would agree with my decision to play football the week of those horrific terrorist attacks. Still, even though our team lost the game that night, they won in so many other ways.

 Greg Robinson retired from Urbandale Community Schools as superintendent. He wrote this essay for the Urbandale Centennial Website.