MUKILTEO – Doug Baer of Snohomish lost some hearing while serving in the war in Iraq, but he still could hear the cheers at his welcome-home event Tuesday.
Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
Baer, a teacher and assistant wrestling coach at Olympic View Middle School in Mukilteo, was called to Iraq in November 2003 as a member of the Army Reserves. He returned last week and was honored Tuesday in a surprise ceremony before the wrestling team’s last match of the year.
Baer was greeted by seven of his former wrestlers and students, who gave him a signed card with photographs of past and present team members. He went down the line of boys, shaking their hands and giving them hugs.
“It was very heartwarming and felt real good,” said Baer, 34.
The crowd of about 100 in the school gym gave Baer a standing ovation when he was introduced by head wrestling coach Eric Bergen.
The past two seasons, the team has worn shirts with Baer’s name on the sleeves, Bergen said. “He’s always been with us even though he was halfway around the world,” he said.
The team has been wrestling in Baer’s honor, said Robert Huss, who filled in for Baer as assistant coach.
“The kids are wrestling their hearts out for him,” Huss said, adding that their record of 7-1 going into Tuesday’s match was the best in school history.
Huss said the kids were fired up for Tuesday’s match with the Voyager Wolverines, who had a 6-2 record. Olympic View rallied from behind to win, 59-55.
“We said, ‘Let’s show coach Baer what we’ve been working on and what we’re made of,’” Huss said.
Baer, who has been in the military since 1992 and in the reserves since 1996, had been at the school only two years when he got the call. A big going-away event was held, said Leslie Ivelia, the school’s athletic director.
“It was pretty emotional,” she said. “He’s a great guy.”
Baer, a captain in Washington state’s 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, was in charge of a medical aid station in Baghdad. In May, he and three others left camp in a Humvee.
“We drove out to inspect some local clinics and hospitals, to see what we could do to assist,” Baer said. As the Humvee prepared to enter the highway, a roadside bomb exploded.
One of the soldiers, Sgt. Jeff Shaver of Maple Valley, 26, was killed. Two others were injured, and Baer’s hearing was affected.
The incident has been difficult to deal with, he said.
In addition to being away from his wife and two small children, Baer thought a lot about the wrestling team – “all the time during the season,” he said. They sent him team shirts, photos and videos.
Many of the boys on his team two years ago are now students at Kamiak High School.
“It’s great to see him again,” said sophomore J.J. Stewart, 16, who plays football at Kamiak. “He’s one of my favorite coaches and teachers. He’s a great mentor.”
Baer taught eighth-grade language arts and social studies in addition to coaching. Now that he’s finished with his reserve duty, he plans to do some substitute teaching this year and return to coaching next season.
“I really missed him,” said Lucas Lusier, 16, a junior at Kamiak. “He’s probably my favorite coach.”
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.
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