Ken Van Den Boom
Caledonia High School
Impact Statement
Van Den Boom led Caledonia to 7 state team titles over his 35 year career.
Biography
When Van Den Boom began teaching at Caledonia in 1968 there was no interscholastic competition for girls. When he became a junior high boys’ golf coach four years later he encouraged some girls to try the sport as well. Five years later, Minnesota held its first girls’ golf state tournament – and the Caledonia/Spring Grove High co-op team has been an integral part of the sport ever since.
Through the 2005 season his career record stood at 941-66. That season Van Den Boom coached Caledonia/Spring Grove to its sixth state title, the second most in the history of Minnesota girls’ golf. He also has coached five runner-up teams and five third place teams and his teams have competed in the state tournament 22 times. Caledonia also has won 29 conference titles.
This year’s team owns an 8-0 record, with the wins coming by an average of 37 strokes. Van Den Boom has been named Section 1A Coach of the Year 16 times, and the Minnesota Golf Coaches Association (MGCA) named him the state’s Coach of the Year in 1995. He was inducted into the MGCA Hall of Fame in 2005.
Van Den Boom retired after the 2009 season after 35 years. His teams has reached the state tournament 23 times over the duration of his career with 7 winning the state tournament. He had another five second place finishes and five third place finishes.
Photos
Community Service
In 2017, Ken Van Den Boom restored portions of old tennis courts in Caledonia to bring a new sport called pickle ball.
