Don Gruenewald is stepping down as the Bonduel High School varsity baseball coach, ending his four-year run as the Bears’ skipper.
Gruenewald, who finishes with a 54-35 record and coached the Bears to a WIAA Division 3 regional championship in 2013, said he felt it was time to go.
“It was nothing to do with kids, parents, administration or anything like that,” he said. “I’ve been coaching basketball for 12 years at the high school, and baseball for 10 years, and it just got to be a little bit more than what I really wanted right now.
“I just became a grandparent last year, and I just thought it was time to step down and let somebody else take over.”
The coach, who will continue to be involved with the BHS basketball program, said going from basketball right into baseball was a long stretch without a break.
“I was starting to get a little burnt out, I think,” he said. “You go from basketball right into baseball, and you don’t have any time off, really.”
Gruenewald started in the baseball program as an assistant in 2004 when his son, Eric, was a junior. Former coach Mark Margelofsky asked Gruenewald to help out.
“I though I might as well, I’m going to be at the games anyway,” Gruenewald said. “All I was doing was helping out. Someone to coach bases and helping with practice a little bit. That was it.”
After two years he became a varsity assistant, coached the freshman team in 2009, coached the junior varsity in 2010 and took over the varsity program when Margelofsky stepped down.
Gruenewald gave credit to the players for the team’s success the last four years.
“That’s a tribute to the kids,” he said. “They worked hard. They did all the playing. All I can do is suggestions. They have to want to play well, and they did.”
Gruenewald said winning the regional championship was one of his best memories. Tied 4-4 with Brillion in the 2013 Division 3 regional final, Gruenewald remembers Trevor Homan hitting a single and seeing Hunter VanderLinden heading into third base.
“It was kind of exciting, because there was no way I was going to stop Hunter VanderLinden,” Gruenewald said. “I saw his eyes coming into third base. If I had put up a stop sign, I don’t think he would have stopped anyway. He knew he was going to score.”
VanderLinden did get home, sealing the 5-4 win and the Bears’ regional title.
Gruenewald said he’s confident the BHS baseball program will continue to have success.
“Bonduel has always been a good baseball school because the kids like to play baseball,” he said. “Now with the youth program that we’ve got set up, I think it’s going to continue to be good.”
Gruenewald said the numbers of kids participating is encouraging, and it was tough to keep younger players from playing varsity because the program had so much talent.
“I think it’s a strong program, and I think it will continue to be a strong program,” he said.
Categories
