For Coach Wolfrum, the team has always come first — and always will
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
“The leaders who work most effectively never say I. They don’t think I.
They think we; they think team.” – Thomas J. Peters, author.
By Mike Mitchell Jr. — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
When asked to write about what it was like to play football for Bob Wolfrum my first thought was this: “Boy, he won’t like this attention.”
Coach never makes anything about himself. He never lets his players make it about themselves. With Coach, it is always about the team.
Individual statistics do not matter. You will never see one of his players score five or six touchdowns in a game or put up eye-grabbing stats. You’ll rarely see a Wyomissing player lead the league in rushing yards or touchdowns, though many have been capable.
They have been taught the importance of sacrificing personal accomplishments for the team.
When you see a Wyomissing football player quoted in a story you won’t see the word “I.” You will see a player giving credit to his teammates and his coaches. They’ll stress team performance and winning over individual play.
Putting the team first has always been a staple of Coach Wolfrum; it was when I played more than 30 years ago and it remains that way today.
I have been asked many times how Coach Wolfrum motivates his players. He’s so calm and even-keeled. He’s not a screamer; he rarely raises his voice. He doesn’t play the “us against the world” card. Still, he’s a terrific motivator.
He knows each of his players and what makes them tick. He understands how to push their buttons to get them to reach their potential. He knows how to needle them to keep their egos in check.
He’ll push a top player by giving a backup more reps with the first team in practice. He did that to me my senior year.
I did not play well the first four games of the season and threw a horrific interception against Holy Name that led to us losing our 21-game regular season winning streak.
The next week at practice I got fewer reps than usual. I remember thinking I had to play better or the starting quarterback job wouldn’t be mine much longer.
It spurred me to play the best football of my career, all the while worrying about losing my job. I was extra-focused because of his subtle reminders that in order to play I needed to perform at the expected level.
I’ve also seen him motivate players by encouraging them after a mistake, especially during the big games when everyone is tighter than usual.
When we played Muhlenberg in 1989 each team was 6-0. There was a huge crowd in Laureldale. We had the first possession and drove right down the field: All running plays, a classic Wing-T/Coach Wolfrum type of drive. We were at the 3-yard line and ran a pass play. I made a bad read and was intercepted.
All of our momentum was gone. I ran back to the sideline fully expecting to get an earful from Coach. Instead he was clapping his hands and smiling. He said: “That’s OK, we are fine. They cannot stop us.”
I was uplifted. At that moment I needed that kind of reassurance. Getting yelled at would not have made me perform any better; I was wound tight enough already. He was right on the money with his handling of me, as usual. We went on to win 28-0.
Wolfrum Field dedication set for Saturday
Discipline has always been a staple of Coach’s program. Things will be done the right way all of the time. Winning and losing will be handled with class and humility. Officials, opponents, coaches, and teammates will be respected.
He sets the tone and his players follow in kind. Everyone understands the team rules and the consequences if they are not followed. He takes care of “little things” immediately so that they don’t become big things.
Coach Wolfrum doesn’t inspire only high performance but loyalty, as well. Some of his assistant coaches have been with him for all or most of his 37 seasons as head coach. Many of them played for him.
Playing the game right way — with class, respect, and dignity — are more important to him than the final score. Always have been.
He never talks of his win total or past championships, only of how well his team executed a particular play or came through in a tight spot.
If you ask him what he’s most proud of in his coaching career he would not say the 2012 state championship or any of the district or league titles. He would say it was that his teams played with class, respect, sportsmanship and consistently competed at a high level.
Former players constantly come back to games and drop by practice to visit Coach and his assistants. That longstanding bond among players and coaches led to the creation of the Wyomissing Football Association. The alumni organization raises money to support the program; it started a Hall of Fame and provides opportunities for former players to maintain their bonds.
You’re part of the Wyomissing Football Family for life, and that starts with Coach.
- Mike Mitchell Jr. played quarterback at Wyomissing for Bob Wolfrum in 1989 and 1990 and coached on his staff for more than a decade. He has been a correspondent for MikeDragoSports.com since 2021.
