A local hero celebrates his success
Terry Haugen has been one of Salem’s favorite sons for more than four decades
he·ro /ˈhirō/
Noun. A person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
There was a big celebration Saturday at South Salem’s Gilmore Field—home of the Saxon baseball team. The event—planned to help boost the Saxon Baseball Foundation—marked the 30th anniversary (a year late) of South’s first—and currently only—state baseball championship in 1991.
Taking a bow in the light rain with his now much-older title team was Terry Haugen—a man who has spent more than 40 years instructing, encouraging, and propelling teens to new heights In their various athletic endeavors as a coach. Haugen described the memorable baseball championship season as a “dogfight” in Valley League play—where the league title belonged to South based on two tough wins over rival McNary. With eight returning players, and the pinpoint pitching of Neil Johnson and Todd Ouska, the top-ranked Saxons powered their way through the regular season, the playoffs, and then the title game, where they held off a late North Bend rally to win their first ever baseball championship with a 7-4 victory at Portland’s Civic Stadium. South finished with an impressive 25-4 record and Haugen was Oregon coach of the year. It was fittingly, the pinnacle of Terry’s storied career.
But before he became one of the most notable coaching celebrities with the Saxons, Terry Haugen was one of the most outstanding athletes of his generation locally. Haugen was a speedy halfback for South Salem’s 1972 state championship football team, and a starter for the Saxon baseball squad that year. In 1973, Haugen moved to newly established Sprague High School, where he rushed for 833 yards and a league best 15 touchdowns, earning first team all-league, third team all-state honors, while being named to the Shrine All-Star game. Not bad for a guy whose team finished under .500. To add to his impressive resume’, Terry also lettered and impressed as both a basketballer and baseball player.
But more importantly—and this is where this story takes a big right turn for the writer—Haugen represented something even more significant for a certain 12-13 year old kid who watched him from afar and who vowed to wear 22 as a future high school player. Terry Haugen was my hero.
Before it gets awkwardly uncomfortable here, understand that Terry Haugen was a bigger-than-life character to me. He—at times—acted far more mature than many high school juniors and seniors around him. As a ball boy for the South Salem football title team, I got to see him up close. Terry had fun while not getting too goofy. He also took a moment or two to pay attention to a gawky junior higher. Combine that with his athletic exploits and—voila—hero! And over the years, he has done nothing to change that perspective.
After four years of college football at Mount Hood Community College (two years) and Willamette University, Terry naturally gravitated to the coaching world. After two seasons as a graduate assistant for Willamette University football, Terry moved to teaching and coaching at South Salem High, first in baseball, and then football. And his was highly successful in both sports.
In football, Haugen was a highly valued assistant coach as part of several coaching staffs, including the likes of Dave Johnson, Randy Wegner, and Scott Dufault. His extensive knowledge and superior teaching skills prepared hundreds of running backs and defensive backs over the years. He got to school those players with his son Aaron for several, memorable seasons.
For baseball, Terry started as an assistant coach and eventually became the Saxon varsity coach. He directed the South varsity team for 15 seasons, taking them to the post season 14 times. He was named Valley League Baseball Coach of the Year five times, and was Oregon Baseball Coach of the Year in 1991 for the previously mentioned state title. He also was a coach for the State-Metro baseball series four times. He might have kept on coaching the baseball team, but his daughter Kristen was an outstanding softball player. After missing her entire freshman season due to baseball conflicts, he quit and—with his daughter’s permission—became a softball assistant coach with the distinguished Scott McCormick. He stayed with the softball team for eleven seasons, appearing in two state championship games, and winning one title. But that’s not all. Terry—who played for Willamette’s national qualifying golf team his two years there—co-coached the boys golf team for a season.
With all of his experience, Terry Haugen might have even been the supervisor of the Saxons’ ancient popcorn making machine. His skill sets are that extensive.
These days, Terry is taking it easy. He has two new knees—courtesy of all of his strenuous athletic feats. Instead of sprinting down the field with players, he gets on the floor to wrestle with his grandkids and takes leisurely trips down the golf course. But he says despite the limitations that come with age, he has no regrets about all he did as a player and a coach, giving credit to his wife, Amy, for maintaining the balance in their family. Their marriage of four decades-plus has been a source of stability, and she is the “glue of the family.”
With his coaching career essentially over, Terry Haugen has a legacy to be remembered by. So how does he want to be remembered?
“That’s a difficult question,” he replies honestly.
“I want to be known as a… good person, who worked hard.”
“And… when he coached, wanted to put his players in the best position possible to be successful.”
“And as a family man…”
Haugen visibly pauses and tears momentarily form in his eyes.
“I want to be known as a husband and a father and a grandpa who did exactly the same thing… put them in a position to be successful.”
There’s my hero.