Iowa High School Coaching Legend Larry Niemeyer Passes Away

Legendary Iowa high school coach Larry Niemeyer has passed away.

Niemeyer passed away this week after a lengthy illness; he was 84 years old.

A high school coach for more than five decades, Niemeyer began his career as a teacher and coach in the 1960s. That career stretched into the early 2010s and included nearly 3,000 victories on the softball diamond and basketball court.

The victor in 2,089 softball games, Niemeyer also won three Iowa state championships as a coach, in 1983 and in consecutive years in 1997 and ’98. Boasting an overall record of 2,089-429, Niemeyer’s career winning percentage was .830 in more than 2,500 games coached.

His career also included 871 wins as girls’ basketball coach, as well as a basketball state championship in 1993.

Jefferson High School, where Niemeyer won his three state titles and coached for decades, renamed their facility Larry Niemeyer Field in 2013.

🥎 LIGHTS ON FOR LARRY 🥎
Our field lights will remain on through out the night to morn the loss today of our Hall of Fame coach, Larry Niemeyer. Larry Niemeyer Field will glow tonight signifying and honoring his vision & the “house” he built at Jefferson! #IGHSAU pic.twitter.com/xK4lu4noU1

— J-HAWK SOFTBALL (@jhawksoftball) July 23, 2022