In “The Dash Poem” by Linda Eillis she states: “He referred to the dates on the tombstone / . . . / But he said what mattered most of all / Was the dash between those years.” (3,7,8). This statement is especially true for Roland Aumueller or better known as Coach Aums. On September 8th Milwaukie’s football team won against Parkrose but sadly on the bus ride home after the game Aumueller passed away from what they believe to be cardiac arrest.
During his time as a coach for Milwaukie High School, he proved time and time again just how great of a man he was. Aumueller was a man who admired hard work and selflessness. Roland was a coach for Milwaukie for both football and track for 33 years, since 1990. Aumueller played football throughout college from 1983 to 1986 at Portland State University. During these years he won 1st team all-conference from 1984-1986.
Javen Smith, one of the football players on Milwaukie’s Varsity team described Roland as a funny and loving man. However on the way home after the game against Parkrose, he got a call with unfortunate news of his coach’s passing, with panic happening on the other side of the call since it took place during the event of the passing.
Roland’s done many honorable things such as volunteering to coach without pay towards the end of his coaching career. Just this year Roland was inducted into the Milwaukie Hall of Fame, which was established in 1981. After his passing his name was put onto Milwaukie’s football field to honor the 33 years of hard work he put into bettering Milwaukie. Milwaukie also held a candlelight vigil on September 10th in remembrance of Aums. People within the community have started to raise money across platforms such as Venmo and Cash app to start a scholarship for Milwaukie athletes who “live like Aum” by showing hard work and selflessness.
During Milwaukie’s welcome back assembly, there was a moment of silence held followed by the Mustang chant where Haugen, a staff member at Milwaukie High School added a fourth chant in honor of Aumueller. Two of the players on Milwaukie’s Varsity football team made an appearance in the assembly to also honor Aumueller. One of them is Kayan Paxton, a senior on the team stating, “If everyone tried a bit more to be like Aum our community would be that much better.”