LAKE MILLS, Iowa — Jim Boehmer has a lot to be sorry for.

Lake Mills’ volleyball coach has dedicated himself to his program, and, like any successful coach, he has made sacrifices along the way.

Most notably is time lost with his family. The 20-year head coach, who’s also the school’s athletic director, said during his busiest 3 1/2 months of the year he sees his children for five minutes in the morning and five minutes at night.

But Boehmer said he has no regrets and the coach begins tonight the search for a second consecutive state tournament berth.

“My kids don’t know any different,” Boehmer said of his coaching schedule. “One day I’ll have to ask for their forgiveness, there’s no doubt.”

In 20 seasons, Boehmer has a 552-154-29 record and has won 84 percent of North Iowa Conference matches.

But Boehmer doesn’t consider himself the team’s head coach; rather, he is the program’s director because of all the talented assistants he’s surrounded by.

The Bulldogs’ assistant head coach is Donna Ellingson, who was the program’s first head coach from 1973 to 78. Ellingson joined Boehmer’s staff 15 years ago and specializes in coaching the team’s setters, a position the Bulldogs are consistently good at.

Lake Mills’ freshman team’s coach is Ree Pederson, who joined the team shortly after Ellingson and plays the critical role of transitioning players from middle school to high school, according to Boehmer.

The Bulldogs have three volunteer coaches, too, including Jamie Gasteiger, Emily Nuewohner and Jessica Aahrey, a student-teacher from Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa.

Boehmer said the strength of the team’s coaching staff is the support they give each other.

“We work well together,” Boehmer said. “We don’t agree with what each person is doing all the time, but they’re comfortable sharing what they think of me.

“If things aren’t going well I can vent. It’s just a great family relationship to be honest.”

Part of the Bulldogs volleyball program’s identity is its professional image. The team’s coaching staff, which emulates a big-city program in a small town, isn’t afraid to go beyond their required duties. According to Boehmer, the coaches at times use their compensation to buy goods for the program or cook breakfast for the girls, among other things, and at the end of each season they create a 100-plus page book that looks at the season in review.

“They’ve taken the program to the next level of professionalism,” Boehmer said. “If you put a Lake Mills volleyball uniform on it means something special and unique. I credit them for creating a climate around our program.”

While the Bulldogs haven’t posted a losing season since 1999, the program really took off during the 2004 season. In the past eight years, Lake Mills has a 292-30 record, including a 85-2 mark over the past two seasons.

Boehmer credits the program’s continued success to the consistency of the coaching staff. The same three faces have graced the team’s sideline for nearly 15 years.

Anybody who watches a Bulldogs volleyball match will notice the coaching staff is just as emotional as the team’s players. Boehmer isn’t shy about celebrating with a fist pump or leg kick after a big point and said that’s because of the time and energy the staff puts into the program.

“We are emotionally committed to what we’re doing,” Boehmer said. “If you ask your kids to be emotionally committed and they see our emotion they know how much we care, too.

“Sometimes that emotion is anger, and they’re not going to mistake it with care.”

When asked how other volleyball teams should start the path to becoming a powerhouse program, Boehmer said the first rule is simple.

“Every season you’ve got to improve,” he said. “Find something that other teams are doing that works.”

He also said professional development is key and said coaches also need to improve each season.

“I’m glad I’m not the coach I was five years ago, really glad I’m the not the coach I was 10 years ago and extremely pleased I’m not the coach I was 15 years ago,” Boehmer said. “You have to find those things that fit you as a coach, things that fit the kids and fuse them together.”

Boehmer said an organized practice is also important, and he has a minute-by-minute plan for each day. Setting high expectations are important, too.

“High expectations will lead to higher results,” Boehmer said. “You can’t always expect apples, but if it’s not an apple tree you’re never going to get them. We place a lot of value on hard work and high rewards from hard work.”

While the Bulldogs are serious about winning, Boehmer said his coaching staff is working for more than that.

“This is not about volleyball,” Boehmer said. “Volleyball is a tool we use because it’s fun, but a tool that teaches life lessons.”

The student-athletes “make me old with my gray hair but keep me young with my attitude. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

The Bulldogs coaches and players begin the Class 2A Region 6 Tournament at 7 p.m. tonight against Osage in Lake Mills.

Jim Boehmer

Age: 43
Address: Fourth Avenue, Lake Mills, Iowa
Family: wife, Angie, 39; children Lincoln, 15, Grant, 13, and Cael, 10
Livelihood: Lake Mills athletic director and head volleyball coach
Interesting fact: His wife and sister played college volleyball, his wife at William Penn and Waldorf and his sister at Waldorf and Northern Iowa. He coached softball for 17 years and has also coached middle school wrestling, assistant varsity wrestling, middle school girls track and middle school volleyball.