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Kim Nelson Achieves 300 Career Wins

Kim Nelson Wins 300th Game
Kim Nelson winning game No. 290 in 2019

Last season, Sioux Falls Roosevelt head football coach Kim Nelson claimed the career wins record by a South Dakota high school football coaching, claiming his 290th victory. Fast-forward to the 2020 campaign and Nelson has achieved another milestone – his 300th career win.

While 300 wins is more of a personal milestone, it’s still something that’s never been done before at the high school level in South Dakota – for football that is. The next closest win total is Steve Kueter, who won 289 games over a 33-year career with O’Gorman high school.

Kim Nelson is now in his 42nd year of coaching, 38th season in South Dakota. Throughout his career, Nelson has coached at Milbank (1979-86), Rapid City Central (1987-92), Sioux Falls Washington (1993-2004), Edina, Minnesota (2005-2008), and Sioux Falls Roosevelt (2009-present day).

There has been some dispute about Nelson’s win total, since he spent four seasons coaching high school football in Minnesota. Last fall, South Dakota High School Activities Association assistant executive director Dr. John Krogstrand explained why those Minnesota wins count towards his South Dakota total.

“The South Dakota High School Coaches Association, and its umbrella organizations, maintain all of those records,” said Krogstrand. “The South Dakota Football Coaches Association years ago decided to include those wins.”

Nelson’s Rough Riders are sitting at 5-0 so far for this season, which is first place in both the SDHSAA 11AAA standings and South Dakota media preps football poll.

In an interview with the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, Roosevelt senior Tucker Large mentioned how special of a person Kim Nelson is.

“[Coach Nelson] means a lot to us. He’s always there for us and is close with all of his players,” said Large. “It doesn’t matter if you start or never see the field, he just has that personal connection with everyone.”

Nelson won a state championship in 2011 with Roosevelt, his only state championship to his head coaching resume. He’s been to the state title game five times – four with Roosevelt and one with Washington (2002).

Nate Wek is currently the sports content producer and sports and rec beat reporter for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism Broadcasting and a minor in Leadership. From 2010-2013 Nate was the Director of Gameday Media for the Sioux Falls Storm (Indoor Football League) football team. He also spent 2012 and 2013 as the News and Sports Director of KSDJ Radio in Brookings, SD. Nate, his wife Sarah, and three sons, Braxan, Jordy, and Anders live in Canton, SD.