Milan Mader
MILAN MADER Milan, known as Coach Mader, was born and raised in the Czech Republic. Milan was a distance runner and he competed as a member of the Czech National Team from 1964 to 1969, winning the National Cross Country championship in 1964. He graduated from the pedagogy Institute – Charles University in 1966.

His coaching career started in 1966 and he hasn’t slowed down since. He has coached Track and Field, Volleyball, Gymnastics and Soccer during a career that has spanned 41 years. Since coming to Lakeville in 1977, Milan has led his Volleyball team to 13 state tournament appearances and has surpassed that with 15 appearances in the state gymnastics meet. Volleyball has finished second in state three times and third six times. He has coached the Panthers to state Class AA gymnastics team championships in 1986, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Milan is recognized by his peers as one of the best. He has been inducted into The State Coaches Hall of Fame in gymnastics (1993) and volleyball (1996).

In 2004, he was inducted into the U of M Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Many of the Panther athletes he has coached have achieved recognition beyond high school at a national level. When asked who has influenced their success and their personal growth, Coach Mader has been prominent on their lists.

Tracy (Harvey) Opfer
Tracy is a 1981 graduate of Lakeville who excelled as a gymnast and track athlete for the Panthers. She went to Winona State University, where she competed in gymnastics, graduating in 1985. Tracy and her husband, Scott, currently reside in Springfield, Missouri, with their four children. She currently works as a certified fitness instructor.

Tracy lettered eight times in gymnastics and track and field during her high school career. She was one of the pioneers in the then fledgling Panther gymnastics program. Her accomplishments included scoring the first 9.0 in Panther history. She advanced to the state meet on the bars in 1978 and the vault and beam in 1981. Along the way, Tracy set school records for the vault and all-around events.

Her track career was highlighted by conference championships in long jump and 400-meter relay. The 1979 relay team advanced to state and set a school record. Tracy held the school record in the long jump - 17’10”- for many years.

Tracy's collegiate gymnastics career continued at Winona State 1982 and 1985 where she earned Division II NAIA all-American honors five times and was on the Division II national NAIA championship team in 1985.

Her most recent athletic honor was her induction into the Winona State Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jay Johnson
Jay is a 1988 graduate of Lakeville high school who participated in Panther football, basketball and baseball. He was a 10-time letter winner who excelled in sports, especially football.

Jay was like an extra coach on the field during his high school playing days, showing excellent skills and knowledge of the game beyond his years. These attributes and his work ethic marked a high school career which earned him all-conference honors in 1986 and 1987, all-state second team in 1987, team MVP in 1987 and Prep Parade Team of the Year in 1987. He also helped lead the team to a Section 1A champions 1987.

His athletic versatility was honored in that same year when he was awarded the Senior Athletic Award in football, basketball, and baseball. He topped this all off his senior year as a recipient of the 1987 Academic All-State Achievement Award and was named a member of the Minnesota all-state academic football team. Jay graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1992 and earned his master’s from the University of Missouri in 1994. His football career at UNI saw him captain the team in 1991 and 1992, he was named all-conference twice and finished as a four-year letter winner.

He quarterbacked at UNI while they attained three conference championships and played in three national play-offs from 1989 to 1992. Jay’s back-up for part of his career at UNI was NFL Super Bowl quarterback Curt Warner. He did this while maintaining a GPA in academics which won him the Directors Award in 1991 and 1992. Coach Johnson has continued his career in football as a quarterback coach and offensive coordinator in the collegiate ranks. His coaching has taken him on a journey from Hickman H.S. in Missouri, to the University of Missouri, Augsburg College, Truman State University, University of Kansas, and the University of Southern Mississippi.

His coaching travels have included participation in five-postseason bowl games.

Don McGuire
The name Don McGuire has been synonymous with Lakeville schools since he became the high school principal for the district in 1958.

Don moved quickly to superintendent in 1960 and immediately became a guiding force of a rapidly growing school district. Throughout his 22 year tenure as superintendent of the Lakeville schools, he made sure all facets of education were treated equally. Don was first an administrator, but he was also a parent and a Panther sports fan. He promoted the development of athletics, recognizing that competition, school spirit, and the life lessons learned on the field and courts were educational.

Coaches and players could always expect him to be at the games and award ceremonies of each sport. They also knew he would make sure the facilities and equipment needed to compete were provided. He never missed an opportunity to congratulate or encourage players and coaches for their efforts as representatives of the school and community.

The milestones of Don’s career fill several pages. They are all related to community service and dedication to the advancement of Minnesota Education. His tenure as administrator at Lakeville witnessed the construction of JFK elementary in 1965, Lakeville High School in 1975, and Christina Huddleston elementary in 1982. The current McGuire Middle School was renamed and dedicated in his honor in 1982.

His leadership in athletics provided the opportunity to establish new programs in gymnastics, cross country (running and skiing), swimming, and hockey at Lakeville.

He was one of three area administrators who met to initiate the establishment of a new athletic conference in the early 1960s. The Missota Conference, named for the MISSippi and MinneSOTA rivers, resulted from their efforts.

The emergence of women’s athletics as it is today was the result of forward thinking by members of the Minnesota State High School League. Don served as a district officer of the MSHSL for six years and delegate on the representative assembly of the MSHSL for three years.

His career as a school administrator is highlighted by 29 years as a member of the American Association of School Administrators and Minnesota Association of School Administrators. He served as a member of the Professional Development, Constitution, Finance, and Legislative Committees. He was honored by his peers as Administrator of Excellence from Region IX MASA in 1988-89. Don also found time to share with the community of Lakeville. His membership in Lions International (32 yrs) and Lakeville Chamber of Commerce saw him hold virtually every local office in both organizations, serving as Lions District Governor in 1972-73. Membership and participation in his church, V.F.W. and American Legion have shown his dedication to community service. The community honored his efforts by naming him Grand Marshall of the Pan-O-Prog Parade in 1984.

Citizen Don McGuire exemplifies the words dedication, service, professionalism, and FAN. All the roles he has played in the community have been anchored in those principles.