With two dual wins last night, Coach Doug Vander Linden reached his 400th career dual win. He is the 2nd coach in Kansas High School to complete this milestone and has done it all at Burlington High.

It was 28 years ago Coach V saved the program that was being threatened to be cut. Who knew he'd be the guy for the job, considering he was a college basketball player retired after knee surgery.

Anyways, congratulations Coach on an amazing accomplishment and career. We are proud of you!

Proud Son/Assistant Coach
Michael Vander Linden

Congrats Doug! Even more impressive is the number of young lives you have impacted over those 28 years. What a blessing and legacy! Awesome accomplishment to you, your staff and wrestlers!

Congrats Brother V!!

You didn't have to bring up the part about that other sport......instead of burning him at the stake, we'll call him a redeemed man, and has seen the light!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX5tfRdkoY0

Congrats Coach Vander Linden!

Impressive milestone at one school and Burlington is lucky to have you in the community.

STUD

Congratulations, Doug!

Congrats Coach V, lot of hard work and dedication to the sport and your athletes for many years....very admirable!

Especially cool to have your son post this. FOE

Keep up the great work for the kids of Burlington and the state of KS.

Awesome stuff! Congrats on a great career so far. You are a difference maker and should be very proud! Keep up the great work.

Thank you all for your posts, emails and texts with positive comments.

I've been so blessed to do something that I can honestly say I have loved the past 28 years of my life. My wife (Michelle) and our 4 kids have supported me the entire way and made wrestling a part of our family beyond just their time in school. 400 wins reflects a lot of great student-athletes that have put on the Burlington singlet the past 28 years, sat in the corner as a manager or put on the cheer uniform to support the team. It reflects on lots of great parents who have believed and supported what we've believed in and pushed our athletes to do. It reflects on great support from principals, athletic directors, superintendents, school board members and the community as a whole.

Finally, it reflects on a lot of great men that have served as coaches in the corner right along with me. From Bill, Bart, Mark, Troy, Mike, Ronnie and Jason you guys were all big parts of our early years. Rusty for 20 years was a rock and helped pushed us to another level by creating multi-sport athletes who learned to compete. Tim then joined us 16 years ago and brought fresh ideas and new perspectives, and we felt the collective momentum of 3 guys all running and pushing to another level. Finally, Michael joined the staff 3 years ago, and it has been cool for me to share the corner with my son and bring his energy, youth, talent and knowledge of the sport back into our program! 400 has very little to do with me....it is very much about our Burlington Wrestling FAM1LY!

The Better Doug -

I remember that day when I say the light, and we began telling everyone, "We're on a mission from God!!" Then we had to get the money to the State Treasurer's office by 8 am to save the orphanage!!

Good times!!
The Other Doug