Realty MD

While Coach Don Klostriech impacted many young men, to me he was more than a coach—he was a role model and a father figure.
His words were simple, but they stuck with me for life: “Suck it up. Don’t be a wuss. Don’t give up.”
One day at the gym at Sunnyside High School, he asked me, “You know what women are good for?” - - -Reverse Psychology—!
I answered, “A woman can do anything a man can.”
He challenged me: “Really? Can you run to San Xavier Mission and back?”
At the time, I could barely run a mile. But I told him, “Give me a few weeks to prepare.”
I trained relentlessly, pushing myself until I could reach four miles. When I felt ready, I went back to him. He simply said, “Perfect. Meet me at Teton at 4:30 a.m. Don’t wuss out.”
“I won’t,” I told him.
That morning, I showed up. He handed me two water bottles—heavy frozen solid. No excuses, no shortcuts.
We ran from Teton to San Xavier. His stride was longer, his pace relentless. All I could hear in my head were his words: “Suck it up. Don’t be a wuss. Stay with me.”
We reached the mission, ran up the hill to pray, and then ran back. We did it again and again. Then came Sunnyside bleachers. It was one of the hardest things I had ever done—but it changed me. What once felt impossible became routine.
Through those runs, he didn’t just build my endurance—he strengthened my faith and my spirit.
Then one day he asked, “Do you want to learn how to weight lift?”
“Of course,” I said.
He replied, “Rain, sleet, or snow—you better be ready when Brian and I show up.”
And he meant it. Every morning, no matter the weather, they were there. I’d hear his truck, get up, and go.
Coach Klostriech taught me discipline, dedication, and consistency. Because of him, I still wake up every morning to train—carrying forward the habits he built in me.
But more than running or lifting, he taught me how to live:
To be resilient.
To be strong.
To be persistent.
To never give up on becoming the best version of myself.
He taught me to believe that nothing is impossible.
I am not a wuss.
I suck it up.
And every time life knocks me down, I get back up.
“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
Coach Klostriech, you hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for the lessons, the discipline, and the unforgettable memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.
May your soul be at peace, and may your memory live on in all of us you shaped forever.❤️🙏🙌