If you were a Woodbine student and Phil Hummel took an interest in you, there's a good chance you heard this phrase:

"Walk with me.''

At that point, former student Matt Mullenix said, you'd take a stroll with the Woodbine coach and teacher, and the conversation usually didn't involve sports.

"It was, 'How the family doing? How's Mom and Dad getting along? What's your brother doing?''' Mullenix said. "It was catching up with you.''

Hummel, 78, died Thursday at Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha. His funeral was Monday in Woodbine, and burial took place Tuesday in Mound City, Mo.

Hummel was one of Iowa's most decorated track and cross country coaches. His teams won more than 100 cross country meets and 200 track meets, including girls and boys state cross country team titles and two boys state track team titles. He was regional coach of the year 18 times and state coach of the year four times and he was a longtime Drake Relays official.

He was The World-Herald's Western Iowa Coach of the Year for the 1991-92 school year, an award that encompasses all sports.

Mullenix, a 1992 Woodbine graduate who won four state event titles in track and went on to become a five-time Missouri Valley Conference champion at Northern Iowa, said Hummel always had credibility with his athletes. He successfully walked the fine line between demanding and caring.

His way wasn't always easy, but it worked.

"You had a lot of respect for what he was putting you through, workout-wise, but you also knew what the end result was going to be, because you saw that the system created success,'' Mullenix said. "Once you saw that there was success at the end of it, you just knew that you had to go through the work to get there.''

Hummel also was known for finding those overlooked students who might not have participated in other sports but had something to offer as a runner.

"He just kind of found them, and for whatever reason, got the best out of them,'' Mullenix said. "He was just rare.''

Hummel was born in Riverton, Iowa, to Samuel and Daisy (Lewis) Hummel. He graduated from Sidney High School, and from Tarkio (Mo.) College, where he lettered in football and track.

Phil started his teaching and coaching career in Woodbine in 1957, where he taught U.S. government and American history. He was a classroom teacher for more than 38 years and coached track for more than 41 years.

Hummel was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Tom Hummel. Survivors include his wife, JoAnn Hummel of Woodbine; son, Alan Hummel of Omaha; daughter, Gail Zahn of Sioux Falls, S.D.; granddaughter, Jessica Zahn of South Dakota; brother, Ted Hummel of Sidney, Iowa; and sister, Sue Hummel Ross of Omaha.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1055, kevin.white@owh.com

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