Art Haege's House of Football
" In memory of a football coach named Art Haege "
Art Haege getting out of the pool after his 1968 Two River's Wisconsin High School football team celebrated winning the conference championship with a perfect 8 and 0 record and ranked #4 in the State, big school division. They didn't have State playoffs back then.
Art Haege when he was the Head Football Coach at Manistee High School in Manistee Michigan in 1965.  
Coach Haege had the reputation of making losing football programs into winning football programs every place that he coached. This includes winning conference championships at high school's and colleges in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, Art Haege was the head football coach at seven different high schools in three different States. In his first nine years as a head high school coach at five different high schools in three different States Art Haege had a record of 58 wins,17 losses and 2 ties. Coach Haege was always very well liked by the students and players for his very disciplined style of coaching, while at the same time having a great sense of humor. Coach Haege believed that football was ultimately a simple game, and you win football games by teaching good fundamentals such as blocking and tackling. His football teams were known for their hard hitting, and disciplined style of football. 

Coach Haege had a Pro mentality and he always coached like a Pro. When the other team was doing their "rah rah" chant before the game, Coach Haege would tell his teams to "listen to that" as his teams calmly walked onto the field. Coach Haege was a great motivator and he was at his best coaching when his team's were the underdog. Coach Haege's High School teams were not blessed with great talent. But Coach Haege could make almost any team into a winning team. Coach Haege believed in treating each player as a unique individual, and then the individuals form one team. You can't have a team by treating every player the same because they are not all the same. 
Coach Haege always wanted to be remembered as "The coach who wouldn't be coached." If you hired Coach Haege to be your football coach, it was his team. He once kicked a school board member out of his practice and said "this is my team." When Coach Haege was a head high school and community college coach, he only had one or two assistants. Coach Haege was the Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator, and Special Teams Coordinator. Coach Haege was his team's strength coach. It was Coach Haege's team.  
Art Haege was born September 29th,1937 in Canton Illinois. He passed away on March 5th, 2007 from a rupture within the wall of his aortic artery at the age of 69. This site is dedicated to all of the hard work and sacrifice Coach Haege gave to the game of football. There was only one Art Haege. He was unique, and a "one of a kind" of Coach that only comes around once in a lifetime for his colorful and sometimes controversial ways, and his ability to make losing teams into winning teams. He could have stayed at one high school his entire career and won several State Championships. But that was not Coach Haege's style. He enjoyed the challenge of making losing football teams into winning teams. As a newspaper article I have from the 1970's says "Art Haege; Builder of Winning Football Teams." 
Art Haege being interviewed when he was the Defensive Coordinator for the Arkansas Twisters of the Arena Football League in 2006. I am sure he is telling one of his many football stories from back in the day!

By Dan Haege 
  
By Dan Haege 
You can email me at
DanHaege@coachfootballnow.com
Here is Coach Art Haege's 1976 Virginia Minnesota team in the dark blue jerseys. Coach Haege is in the far right corner at the very start of the video wearing a dark blue sweatshirt with no hood. Later in the video you can see me standing next to him on the sidelines when I was a kid. I am wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt under my blue coat and shaking my hand in victory. This was not Coach Haege's best team with a record of 5 and 4. But as you can see, Coach Haege's teams always gave 110% effort every play. In this video watch Coach Haege's running back run over and knock out the other team's player on the goal line in one of the most brutal goal line knock outs I have ever seen! It's safe to say that Coach Haege had a good halftime talk with his team, when they were only leading 14 to 6. This video is the second half of their game. I chose the song for the video only because I like the song and it was free on YouTube. When I was a kid Coach Haege told me and my brother Frank on monthly basis, that if you kid's ever try a drug you are getting the hell out of the house! It worked, because my brother Frank and I have never even tried a drug. Drugs ruin lives,so don't take drugs!
Carol Haege (Ahlich), daughter of the late Dell and Phyllis Ahlich of Saint Ignace, passed away on June 7th, 2020, in Petoskey Michigan from a stroke and congestive heart failure at the age of 74. Despite enduring 13 surgeries throughout her lifetime, and rheumatoid arthritis, Carol always strived to do her best. Carol was born July 10th, 1945 in Petoskey. Carol grew up in Saint Ignace, and she married former St. Ignace Head Football Coach Art Haege on June 12th, 1965, whom she was married to for 13 years. Art always said he married the prettiest girl in town. Carol was known for her genuine kindness and honesty, and she was always concerned with the well being of others before her own. When Carol was a kid she spent many fun days in Saint Ignace visiting her grandmother Lucille Ahlich, and grandfather Frank Ahlich, enjoying Lake Michigan, and exploring her favorite spots by the cedar trees. Carol went to the Convent Catholic Grade School in Saint Ignace, and Saint Ignace High School where she graduated in 1964. Carol's best friend growing up was Norma Lalonde of Saint Ignace. Carol worked from the ages of 13 to 18 full time in the summer, and during the school year at the Flame Restaurant in Saint Ignace, among other places. Carol earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Superior when she was 46 years old, and in her younger years she lived in the States of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota while being a football coaches' wife, and a devoted wife and Mom. Carol was a "one of a kind" of person, who only comes around once in a lifetime, for her genuine personality, quick wit, and great sense of humor. Carol was a great cook, and she always made her son Dan's favorite dishes. To best explain Carol's personality, she liked a bouquet of daisies better than a bouquet of roses, pearls better than diamonds, but she had a heart made of gold. She was a good Mom, and a good person. She will be greatly missed, but never forgotten. Carol is survived by her two sons, Dan Haege (52) and Frank Haege (51), three grandsons, Frank "Junior" Haege (16) and twins AJ (Art) and MJ, age 10, and sister in law Michele Haege. Her Brothers are Frank Ahlich of Saint Ignace, Jim Ahlich of Saint Ignace, Bill Ahlich of Trout Lake, the late Mark Ahlich, and sisters Nancy English (Ahlich) and Barbara Ahlich. Carol also had five nieces, two nephews, six great nieces, and two great nephews. A family get together is planned for later this summer in Saint Ignace, where Carol's ashes and gravestone will be laid to rest. 
     In the memory of my Dad, Art Haege, and my Mom Carol Haege 
Obituary 
I wrote my Mom's obituary myself, that was also published in her hometown newspaper in Saint Ignace Michigan. I Love you, Mom, and I will miss you so much. Your son, Danny.
Carol Haege
My Mom on the left, my Aunt Nancy, and my Uncle Mark. 
My Mom's favorite grade school picture of me.