WATCH: Meet Titusville Mayor Dan Diesel, Candidate for Brevard County Commission District 1 Seat
By Space Coast Daily // June 25, 2024
Diesel is a longtime teacher and coach at Titusville High School, was elected mayor in 2020
ABOVE VIDEO: Meet Titusville Mayor Dan Diesel, Candidate for Brevard County Commission District 1 Seat, interviews with Space Coast Daily’s Giles Malone at the Space Coast Daily TV Studios in Cocoa. Political advertisement paid for and approved by Dan Diesel, Republican for County Commission District 1.
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Dan Diesel, Republican for County Commission District 1
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Current Titusville Mayor and Space Coast Sports Hall of Famer Dan Diesel sat down with Space Coast Daily for an interview to discuss his candidacy for the Brevard County Commission District 1 seat ahead of the August 20 Primary Election.
The District 1 seat is wide open as the incumbent commissioner Rita Pritchett has termed out and is running for Brevard County Tax Collector.
The race for commission seat 1 is loaded with candidates that include republicans Robert Jordan, Katie Delaney and Dwight Siegler; Bryan Bobbitt, who is running as a Democrat, and Nathan Slusher, who is running on the libertarian ticket.
Diesel, a longtime teacher and coach at Titusville High School, was elected to the Titusville City Council in 2016 and was elected mayor in 2020.
MEET DAN DISESEL
Dan Diesel has lived in Titusville nearly all his life. After graduating from Titusville High School, Dan dedicated his career to educating and coaching our children. His commitment to the community was recognized when he was elected Teacher of the Year in 1994 and Florida Athletic Director of the Year in 2007. In 2016, he was honored with induction into the prestigious Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.
Dan has always had a passion for serving his community and giving our next generation more opportunities. In 2016, Dan stepped up to serve on the Titusville City Council. He became Mayor of Titusville in 2020, leading by bringing business and community leaders together to solve issues.
Of Dan’s many accomplishments and titles, his most cherished is his role as husband to Barbara and father to Matt, Travis, and Scott, who have all followed in their father’s footsteps as educators and coaches.
Dan will be a strong voice on the County Commission.
He is committed to putting the taxpayer first, focusing on smart growth, protecting our waterways and beaches, and providing the next generation more opportunities.
The Brevard County Commission District 1 map covers the following areas: the towns of Cocoa , Scottsmoor, Mims, Titusville , Port St. John, Canaveral Groves and Sharpes.
Notable named places in District 1 are: St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Indian River Lagoon, Merritt Island, Kennedy Space Center.
Election day is November 5.
For more information on Dan Diesel, you can visit his campaign website HERE
DAN DIESEL – SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAMER
ABOVE VIDEO: During his 33-year career at Titusville, Dan Diesel has coached and advocated for a wide range of sports, from football and wrestling to golf and bowling. He coached seven different sports and no fewer than two sports a year for 25 years.
2016 COACHING INDUCTEE
• Coached Seven Different Sports
• Athletic Director of the Year
• District Football Coach of the Year
TITUSVILLE GRAD, TEACHER, COACH
On a wall at assistant principal Dan Diesel’s office at Titusville High School are proudly displayed picture upon picture of former students. Despite a stellar personal career in sports and coaching, Diesel considers his students his greatest achievement.
“It’s not about winning or losing,” said Diesel. “It’s about making a difference in these kids’ lives.”
Diesel has certainly made a difference in the lives of his students. After 33 years as teacher, coach and administrator at Titusville High School, he has had a positive impact on generations of students.
“I’m now getting the grandchildren of some of my former students,” said Diesel.
Although he is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, he arrived in Titusville as a young space brat whose father followed the space program. Others left. Diesel stayed.
“I graduated from Titusville, met my wife at Titusville and my sons went to Titusville, and I work at Titusville,” said Diesel.
While a student at the high school, he earned nine letters in three years before taking advantage of a football scholarship at Tennessee Tech University, where he lettered in both football and wrestling.
During his 33-year career at Titusville, Dan Diesel has coached and advocated for a wide range of sports, from football and wrestling to golf and bowling. He coached seven different sports and no fewer than two sports a year for 25 years.
“I coached three sports a year for my first 13 years at Titusville,” said Diesel. “I remember many times leaving wrestling and going to baseball practice.”
With the Terriers’ football team, Diesel served as an assistant coach on championship, semi-final and quarterfinal teams, and head coach for four post-season play teams.
When encouraged by wife Barbara’s family to try bowling, Diesel realized that the many young people who enjoyed bowling had no competitive outlet for their sport, so Diesel for years advocated adding bowling to the Cape Coast Conference.
His efforts on behalf of bowling were acknowledged by the United States Bowling Congress and the Cape Coast Conference.
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, COACHING HONORS
This consummate teacher and coach has been widely honored. Titusville named him Teacher of the Year in 1994, while Florida recognized him as Athletic Director of the Year in 2007.
In 2009, Diesel received the Eddie Marrin Spirit of Golf National Mentor of the Year Award. Cape Coast Conference singled him out twice as Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year and he was thrice selected as Space Coast Boys’ Golf Coach of the Year. In 1995, Diesel was named the FACA Class 5A District Football Coach of the Year.
Diesel’s three sons have followed in his footsteps, both in sports and education.
“I’ve led a charmed life, and am very grateful for the doors that just kept opening for me in Titusville,” Diesel said.
“I’ve been very fortunate.”
CLICK HERE to see all the members of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.
