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“I was looking for a director position,” he said. “My goal has been that for quite a while.”
Prairie du Chien had the advantage of being on this side of the state, he added. He’s slated to start June 2.
Ulrich was a finalist last year to replace Bob Berg as La Crosse’s director of parks and recreation but lost out to Steve Carlyon, a 24-year veteran of parks and rec with the federal government.
Ulrich has worked for the city’s parks department for more than 25 years, the past 19 as recreation superintendent.
“I consider Prairie similar to what I came into in La Crosse. It didn’t have a whole lot of recreation programs,” he said. “I’m hoping not to make wholesale changes but to enhance what they already have.”
The community’s rec center has a lot of potential, Ulrich said. “That’s one thing I thought would be interesting coming in,” he added.
Carlyon credited Ulrich for building the city’s rich youth recreation network.
“Mike was really instrumental in taking the La Crosse parks and recreation and growing it beyond a system of parks,” he said.
Ulrich founded the Youth Enrichment Association to promote recreational programs for kids. And his passion for fishing evolved into a federally funded program called “Take me fishing,” said Carlyon.
“One of the things I found when I first got here was Mike’s philosophy on giving kids the opportunity to play,” Carlyon said. “Mike really developed the neighborhood play system, so kids of all skills and abilities can play and have fun.”
Samantha Marcus can be reached at (608) 791-8220 or smarcus@lacrossetribune.com.
