Don Knauss ranked high as a high school coach and teacher.

“People know about him as a coach, but I don’t know how many knew how unbelievable he was in the classroom teaching psychology,’’ said Terry Shelsta, who followed Knauss as Omaha Benson’s boys basketball coach. “He showed me by example that we’re not just coaches, that we’re called to be teachers first and foremost.’’

Knauss, 77, died this week from complications related to bladder cancer. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at All Saints Episcopal Church, 93rd and Blondo Streets.

Knauss was a varsity basketball coach for 30 seasons — nine at Gering and 16 at Benson in boys basketball and five at Omaha Central in girls basketball. His combined record was 374-197.

Among his players were Randy Reeves, the 1966 World-Herald high school athlete of the year; Dan Clausen, who played for Creighton and North Dakota before going to Australia for pro ball; and Dave Hoppen, the all-time leading scorer at Nebraska who was a junior in the final season at Benson for Knauss.

That season, Benson went 21-4 and lost the Class A final 54-53 to Omaha Creighton Prep. Shelsta remembers how the Bunnies got there, beating Lincoln High in double overtime after trailing by four points with nine seconds left in regulation and then holding on against Ron Kellogg and Omaha Northwest in the semifinals after leading by 15.

“Don’s last go-round was a tremendous run for Benson High School,’’ said Shelsta, who now teaches and assists with the girls basketball team at Bellevue West.

“I looked at him as almost my basketball father,’’ Shelsta said. “All the basketball I learned from a coaching standpoint came from Don. He was a father figure, a role model. He epitomized what a head coach should be, tough and strong with your players, but with great empathy.’’

G.E. Moller, then-principal at Central, convinced Knauss to end his coaching retirement by taking over the Lady Eagles’ successful girls basketball team in 1985-86. After stepping down following the 1989-90 season, Knauss stayed at Central as a teacher until retirement.

He was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame and the academic and athletic halls of fame at Benson.

A 1951 graduate of Bridgeport High School, Knauss earned nine letters in football, basketball and track in high school and seven letters in football and track at Chadron State.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Luan, son Michael, daughters Kathy Brisbois and Terri Douglas and a sister, Barbara Nichols.

Contact the writer:

444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com

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