Joe Kroc learned how to compete in sports from his two older brothers and now he’s headed to the Austin High School athletic hall of fame this Friday.

Kroc, a 1977 grad, who was an All-Big Nine safety on the Packer football team and an All-Big Nine golfer his senior year, played on three state golf teams, but none of those Austin teams won it all. Both of Joe’s older brothers were on state championship golf teams in Austin.

“We were the favorites going into it my senior year, but we didn’t win it,” Kroc said. “It was kind of disappointing.”

Kroc finished second place individually in 1977 and he went on to play golf at the University of Northern Illinois. He continued to play golf after high school, but now Kroc has taken a break from competing in big golf tournaments.

“I kind of miss it, but now that I don’t play competitively, I realize how much of a time commitment it is,” Kroc said. “There’s other things to do.”

Kroc recalled the Packer football team being high on numbers when he was in high school and it was tough for an underclassmen to crack the lineup.

“You had to be a pretty special player to make the varsity sideline as a sophomore,” he said.

Kroc, who still lives in Austin, was able to watch his son Joe play for the Packers in basketball and baseball. Joe is now an assistant basketball and baseball coach for Austin.

Kroc said he’s excited to be headed to the hall of fame.

“I’m very honored and it’s very humbling,” he said.

The Herald will run stories on all six Austin High School Hall of Fame inductees this week. AHS will hold its induction Friday during the Packers’ girls basketball game against Rochester Century.