There are few better examples of walking, breathing South Dakota football history than Jim Heinitz, a recent inductee into the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.

The southwest Minnesota native came to play for South Dakota State in 1968 and has spent nearly 60 years since making football programs better and communities stronger through his coaching, business ventures, and both community and political service that included time as mayor of Brandon.

Heinitz is most famous for turning perennial North Central Conference underdog Augustana into a scrappy contender in his two head coaching stints there from 1984-2003, during which he became the school's all-time wins leader until current coach Jerry Olszewski surpassed him last season. (He'll also remind you he's the all-time losses leader there, as well).

But the man whom Augie's field is named after was also an assistant football and basketball coach at the University of Sioux Falls, then for Washington and Lincoln high schools — which included Washington's only girls state track and field title in 1977 — and then head coach for a historic season at Rapid City Stevens. Twice, Heinitz "retired" from coaching to go into the furniture business only to return to football, but his third retirement was his last, as he became CEO for Furniture Mart until actual forever retirement in 2021.

In an hour-long conversation at one of his favorite Sioux Falls haunts, the Gateway Lounge, the gregarious and gracious Heinitz had plenty of stories about his decorated life, including some about his teammates (Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Langer) and players (like Bryan Schwartz) that eventually made it to the NFL.

Plus, a story about a player he recruited but wasn't so crazy about (at the time) and didn't land — some guy named Adam Viniatieri.