Nine out of 10 Americans retire by the age of 75, but Dan Haertl doesn’t play by those rules. Instead, he teaches four tennis classes at the University of Minnesota.
“And as long as I feel healthy and it is not hard for me to get up, and be here, and get out and play with you guys, I wanna be here,” he said.
Dan has been teaching tennis at the U for 11 years, and his passion for the sport doesn’t end here. Off campus, Dan has taught tennis at Hamline University, and has coached high school varsity tennis teams for 15 years at Maple Grove and Centennial.
While he’s teaching, Dan makes sure to serve up compliments to his students, letting them know when they hit a good shot.
“Way to go to the ball,” he tells one of his students after they returned a serve that scored a point. “That’s gonna keep getting better for you.”
The students appreciate Dan’s positive energy so much, they can’t get enough of his class.
“Some students have taken the class three times, so then I feel really close to them,” he said. “I sincerely care about you, I want you to succeed – not just in tennis – but in life.”
So why is Dan always in such a good mood?
“This is my favorite job,” Dan explains. “I’m 76. I’ve had a lot of jobs. I love this job more than anything else.”
Dan previously worked as a youth director at a lutheran church in Minnesota, and has also taught tennis at Hamline University in St. Paul.
His passion for teaching and coaching younger generations goes unnoticed, as his students return the love too.
“He’s a very fun guy,” said U of M student Nick Miller. “He has a lot of stories. I enjoy that. When you come into class, you don’t know what he’s gonna talk about, and I think that’s the amazing thing.”
U of M student Wyatt Walford says, “Dan’s great at teaching beginners all the way up to skilled people, but I am definitely a beginner. It’s been a fun learning experience for sure, learning from the best.”
“He’s more than just a tennis teacher or instructor, he’s what I would say a friend,” says U of M student Amelia Brown.
Not all of the people in Dan’s class are your typical college students though. John Wehrman just turned 73 – making him three years younger than Dan.
“I gotta be the oldest senior at the University of Minnesota, or at least the oldest tennis player at the U,” Wehrman said with a laugh.
And age has helped build a strong bond between these two.
“He is such a good man,” Dan says about Wehrman. “And he is fun to visit with. And he is so appreciative of me. So it’s really fun to get connected with him.”
Dan doesn’t pick favorites. He’s just glad to have such great students.
“The students here are so respectful, and so appreciative of my presence,” he said. “So it’s rewarding for me. I can’t imagine if I stayed home that I would have anywhere the same satisfaction.”