Baseball coach earns honor his in hometown on field where he started playing
By Mike Ramczyk
Correspondent
After more than 20 years in the dugout, Scott Staude still loves the game of baseball like when he was a child growing up in Jefferson.
The left-handed batting, right-handed throwing athlete turned into a pretty good baseball player, forging an All-American career at UW-Whitewater.
In 1999, Staude took over the Burlington baseball program and never looked back.
He has taken five Demon squads to the WIAA state tournament, won numerous conference championships and sent a plethora of players to the next level.
All the while, he finds time to be there for his kids’ sports endeavors, which sometimes send him to Florida and across the country.
A family man with an insatiable love for the Milwaukee Brewers, Staude recently entered rarified air in the Wisconsin high school baseball coaching ranks.
On June 5, thanks to a 6-4 victory over Appleton North in Jefferson, the place where it all started, Staude earned his 300th win as a head coach.
It was on the field where Staude grew up playing baseball.
Back in 2016 when Staude’s Demons came back from a 4-0 hole in the state championship to beat Arrowhead, he told the Standard Press about a long career of coaching players that pave the way for the next generation.
“It makes it seem like a movie script,” he stated. “Winning the state baseball title has been an amazing feeling. It brings back fond memories of all of the great players who have played for us the past 18 years.”
“They helped build this program to where it is today.”
The Standard Press caught up with Staude this week to discuss his momentous milestone.
How special did your 300th win feel? Why does it matter?
It is a milestone I am proud of. It means I have been doing this a long time and have been able to stick with it through the great moments and the rough ones. To have it happen at Jefferson, the field I grew up on and played at for so many years, made it even more special.
Did the guys do anything to celebrate you?
After the game, the players were very excited for me. We took some pictures and of course they dumped the Gatorade cooler on me when I wasn’t expecting it!
Does coaching feel different now than when you started?
Things have changed a little bit since I started in 1999. Kids are busier than they have ever been and pulled in so many different directions. But overall kids still work hard and love to play. It’s still baseball, the greatest game out there.
Who would you like to thank?
The coaches and the players. I have had the best coaches to work with these past 22 years. Our staff is second to none. They outwork everyone out there and do everything they can to teach the game of baseball and the game of life to our players. Ryan Hoffman and Tom Krause have been with me since Day One. Of course, the players are the biggest reason. We have had so many great kids come through our program. Many have gone on to play in college, but almost all have gone on to successful careers and some have started raising families of their own.
Who are your biggest coaching inspirations?
I was fortunate to have some great coaches mentor and coach me over the years. Jim Miller, my college coach at UW-Whitewater, was very instrumental in teaching me the game of baseball, but also the importance of people and relationships. Bob Zweifel, my high school coach at Jefferson, is a great man who taught discipline and has a genuine love of the game.
I wouldn’t be anywhere close to getting 300 wins if it wasn’t for my family. My parents are a true inspiration with their work ethic and love of baseball. My wife Nicole and my daughters Brennan and Gracie are always by my side and my biggest fans. They are extremely supportive, understanding, and patient.
What makes a good coach?
I feel like I am always working to be better. I enjoy going to coaching clinics, reading books, and watching videos. I feel like you can always keep learning. I also think that building relationships with our players is extremely important.
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