A tribute to longtime coach and educator Ira Dunsworth is pictured here, with Davenport School Museum volunteer Jeanne Withycombe.

For 36 years, Davenport Schools teacher and coach Ira Dunsworth has provided support and guidance to students and athletes in the Quad Cities area. To honor him for his achievements and community spirit, the board of the Davenport Community School District has agreed to name the track at Brady Street Stadium after him. The decision was made at a regular school board meeting on March 22.

Dunsworth served as the head track and cross-country coach at Central High School from 1965 to 1995. His accomplishments include 15 State Championships and receiving the title of Iowa State Coach of the Year four times. He was added to the Iowa Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1981, the Iowa Track Officials Hall of Fame in 2003, the Drake Relays Officials Wall of Honor in 2005, and the Brady Stadium Ring of Honor in 2009.

Dunsworth was also honored when a local sports event was named after him. Each spring, the Ira Dunsworth Invitational Meet is held at Brady Street Stadium.

In recognizing the Brady Street Stadium track being named in honor of award-winning, long-time Track Coach Ira Dunsworth, the Davenport School Museum has created a new hallway display. Visitors to the JB Young Opportunity Center will find the new display on the main entrance floor hallway, nearest the elevator, whenever the building is open. Researched and designed by museum Volunteer Jeanne Withycombe, the display contains photographs and artifacts related to the Davenport Relays and Jesse Day Relays dating back to the early 20th Century. The naming award ceremony takes place on the afternoon of April 8th, 2021 at Brady Street Stadium. The display will remain through the rest of the school year.

To find out more about Athletics and Extracurricular Activities at Davenport Community Schools, visit http://www.davenportschools.org/our-departments/athletics-extracurricular-activities/.

To learn more about the Davenport Community School District, please visit http://www.davenportschools.org/.

Please leave this field empty

Free Breaking News
Alerts & Daily Digest
In Your Inbox!

Check your inbox to confirm your subscription.

Sean Leary Director of Digital Media

Sean Leary is an author, director, artist, musician, producer and entrepreneur who has been writing professionally since debuting at age 11 in the pages of the Comics Buyers Guide. An honors graduate of the University of Southern California masters program, he has written over 50 books including the best-sellers The Arimathean, Every Number is Lucky to Someone and We Are All Characters.