Xavier High School will be celebrating "Dick Breitbach Day," on October 5th. The event will commemorate hall of fame coach, teacher, administrator, and supporter, Richard J. Breitbach, and the 60th anniversary of when he began his service to our Catholic community.
He will be honored following our Homecoming Mass on October 5th. A small brunch with family members will follow Mass. The Xavier community wishes to thank Peppercorn Food Company for donating the brunch for the Breitbach family.
MASS LIVESTREAM
Xavier's Homecoming Mass will be livestreamed on this page and XavierSaints.org/Live.
We will also recognize Coach Breitbach at our Homecoming football game on Friday, Oct. 8th. We encourage all who were impacted by Coach B to share a memory/favorite moment/message of thanks below!
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Richard J. Breitbach began his relationship with Catholic education as a kindergartner at Cathedral Grade School in Dubuque, Iowa. He spent his high school years at Loras Academy, the forerunner of Wahlert High School in Dubuque, graduating in 1955. From there he attended the University of Notre Dame for a semester before returning to Dubuque and attending Loras College to finish his degree. He later received his Master’s Degree from the University of Iowa.
He began his teaching career at Marian High School a small Catholic high school in Minnesota before coming to Cedar Rapids Regis High School in 1960. He served Regis in numerous capacities from 1960-1998. Before going into administration, he taught World History, US History and Current events. One of his most loved classes, however, was teaching a Marriage class in the theology department. He became the Associate Principal in 1964. Along with his duties as the Associate Principal, Dick was also the Athletic Director from 1991-1993. He held the position of Principal at Regis from 1993 until its closing in 1998. He coached golf, baseball, football and basketball.
He was an assistant football coach from 1960-1995 and helped Regis to three state championship games and many other playoff appearances. Dick was an assistant to Bob Jennings and sophomore coach in 1962 when Regis won the Boys State Basketball Championship. He was head basketball coach from 1977-1997, coaching all five of his boys. During that time, Regis basketball teams had 13 State qualifiers, 7 State Championship games, 4 State Titles and 3 State Runner-Up Titles.
Dick has since been inducted into the IBCA Hall of fame, IHSAA Administration Hall of Fame and Loras College Hall of Fame.
Breitbach served as associate principal at Xavier for the school's first year in existence (1998-1999) and retired as an administrator in 2000. Dick coached Xavier freshman football for five years and returned to the court to serve as Xavier's head boys basketball coach from 2001-2007, leading the Saints to the state tournament in 2005 and 2006.
Upon retirement, he wasn’t asked to return his keys and still makes weekly (and almost daily) visits to Xavier High School where he visits with current staff, teachers, and students.
He can remember many of his students by name and attendance years at Regis and Xavier. He enjoys attending the class reunions he is invited to.
Dick and his wife, Kitty are the parents of seven Regis graduates: Mary (R79) (deceased), John (R80), Kathy (R82),
Dick Jr. (R83), Tom (R84), Dan (R85) and Mike (R87).
13 of Dick’s grandchildren have graduated from Xavier High School.