“ Name: Dean Wiese
What High School Years did you play football at Ogden High School? 1961,1962 & 1963
Why did you play football? Out of all the sports I participated in, football was always my favorite! I grew up near Monroe Park and almost any weekend you could join a group of guys playing tackle football with no pads. No one cared how old you were or what grade you were in. All they cared about was "could you take a hit". Many days I would go home with a bloody nose or a cut lip, but with many good stories of the tackles or blocks I made.
What position(s) did you play and what do you remember most about those years? wingback and defensive back.
Sophomore: 1961 sophomore and JV
Junior: 1962 JV and Varsity (played in State championship game against Highland)
Senior: 1963 Varsity
On the positive side, Why did you like Coach Johansen, Christensen, Bott or any other football coaches you had? I thought coach Norrie's calm demeanor, yet strict enforcement of discipline was why Ogden High football was such a success.
When you started playing football at Ogden, was there any person you looked up to and why? There were a number of guys from my neighborhood who played football. I guess Curt Stettler was the one who impressed me the most to play football.
Who were your best friends on the football team and why? Lloyd Barnes, Craig Anderson, Curt Stettler, Kent Russell and many more. Football was one place where friendships were built.
Why do you think Ogden Football was successful? The coaches emphasized fundamentals and team play. Everyone had an assignment and when they fulfilled them "touch down Ogden"!
What is your favorite memory about playing football at Ogden? Favorite Play or Game? My favorite memory was a catch I made in the Quarter Final game against Orem, which lead to our only score. I wish I could post a picture from the newspaper of the catch.
What did you learn from playing football at Ogden? Leadership is everything, not only being a good leader, but listening and respecting leadership.
Once You Left Ogden High School:
Did you continue to play football in college? Made the Freshman team at Weber State and was getting dressed for the first game and coach Lynn Coorbridge came in the dressing room and asked me if I had taken the ACT test. I said I hadn't because I had attended College before my mission and I didn't need it for admittance into Weber. Wrong! To participate in college athletics you must take the ACT test!
Where?
Position?
What did you learn from Ogden Football that applied to your college football career?
Did you serve a mission, military or any other volunteer position? I served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to West Mexico and was drafted into the Army after being dropped from the football team at Weber.
What did you learn from playing football at Ogden High School that helped you in your business career or just in life in general? Throughout my life sports have played an important part of learning and growing. Knowing you can do hard things, things that are not necessarily pleasant and still survive and grow from your mistakes has been a life lesson to me.
Is there anything specific that you would like to share? After being drafted I guess I could have just bided my time in the Army and after two years come home. Football and any sport instills a sense of competition that stays with you through life, wanting to be able to do your best. In Basic Training at Fort Lewis Washington I was trainee of the cycle, the best out of four companies of trainees. Advanced to PFC and was selected for NCO training. I completed NCO training at Fort Benning, Ga. and continued on to Jump School as SGT E5. I went to Vietnam with the First Infantry Division as a platoon Sargent. Received two Purple Hearts and Bronze Star, because of knowing how to lead, and in many cases knowing how to follow and survive. ”