Dan Kellams ’58

Dan Kellams ’58, a New York-based freelance writer and editorial consultant, has published a new book titled “A Coach’s Life: Les Hipple and the Marion Indians.” It tells the story of a legendary Iowa high school coach who was known for his winning teams and strict rules. He eventually lost his job when times changed and he didn’t. “Les Hipple coached at Marion for 20 years and had a tremendous impact on hundreds of boys,” said Kellams, who graduated from Marion High School in 1954 and played four sports under Hipple. “He was hired in 1945 to bring discipline to the program and was fired in 1965 for being too strict.” Kellams worked on “A Coach’s Life” over a 10-year period, advancing the project during breaks in his corporate assignments. In 2009, he began devoting full time to the project. “I was running out of years and readers,” said Kellams.