Minute with Mike

In late April, head baseball coach Brad Skoglund wasn't having a good day, when an writing assignment cheered him up.

Team manager Danny Schutz, in his fourth year of helping Skoglund and the baseball team, had written that day about what he liked about baseball.

The Bulldogs were scheduled to play St. Cloud Cathedral that afternoon (a game the Bulldogs lost 11-1), and Schutz captured some of the sheer joy of baseball in his writing. "On school nights, I especially enjoy helping with baseball because sometimes we have (the games) under the lightsÉ," he wrote. "Just like tonight, it is so beautiful; you can see the sunset and also it is so exciting to see a great game versus Cathedral and see my relatives there"

"Also, they have a wonderful baseball field and you get to have delicious food like hot dogs and popcorn. I just love watching baseball, and I like helping Mr. Skoglund," he continued.

Awards and great records are nice, said Skoglund after reading Schutz's composition, but rewards like this are the best part of the job. "That's why we coach. That's why we teach," he said.

Skoglund deserves rewards like Schutz's letter and having a baseball team advance to state for the first time after the year he's had. His parents were murdered and his brother committed suicide a year ago.

In fact, when the Bulldogs claimed the Section 5AA title in magical fashion by beating Waconia twice, by one run each time, coming from behind both times to win, including once in extra innings, it was the one-year anniversary of his parents' death. The Dogs got some otherworldly help that night, Skoglund is sure. "I gotta believe my mom and dad were cheering from above," said Skoglund.

Skoogs was my high school baseball coach and health and physical education teacher. I think I learned as much from him as I did from any other teacher in my educational career, college included.

Sure, Skoogs taught me how to play badminton in physical education, about the birds and the bees in health, and how to turn your body to properly catch a relay throw, among other things, in baseball. But what I learned from him that made the longest-lasting impression was how to mix principles with flexibility, the power of a positive attitude, and the never-ending rewards for being friendly and treating other people with consideration and joy.

So it doesn't surprise me at all to see the relationship between Skoogs and Schutz. To see Skoogs and his team make sure that Danny got a section medal, too, even when the public address announcer forgot to call Danny's name.

Danny also is welcomed and valued by his teammates. "Danny's like our heart and soul," said Nic Fuchs, who like Danny recently graduated from PAHS. "He's our #1 fan. He wanted (to go to state) as much as we do."

"I'm not sure there's a person who enjoyed being at the state tournament more than Danny," added Skoglund.

Schutz, the son of Dave and Margie Schutz, grew up in a baseball family, as Dave played baseball in high school for Eden Valley-Watkins and amateur baseball for Eden Valley for a dozen years after that. "I think everybody (in the family) is a baseball fan," explained Dave.

Danny started as manager when his brother, Nathan, was a junior on the baseball team. Skoogs asked Danny if he would help with the baseball team, and Danny agreed.

Danny only tried tee ball one time, he said, but he loves watching the game. He also follows the Minnesota Twins, the Paynesville Pirates, and is looking forward to an upcoming family trip to New York City, where the Schutzes plan to attend a New York Mets-Atlanta Braves game.

"We do a lot of things as a family (like golf, cribbage, and movies)," said Dave Schutz, "but baseball has really brought us together."

Danny has excelled in Special Olympics bowling and basketball, especially bowling, where he has bowled a high game of 172 when he had four strikes in a row. He has qualified for state in the Special Olympics.

During Danny's sophomore and Nathan's senior season, the Bulldogs went 19-3, won the West Central Conference North, and set a team record for wins before losing to eventual state champ St. Michael-Albertville in the subsection semifinals. Nathan credits a postgame speech by Skoglund, after a loss to Cathedral, followed by some sprints across a dark field in St. Cloud, with inspiring the team.

"To me, it just kind of said, 'You're good enough.' And he thought we were good enough and we just had to play like it," explained Nathan, which they did.

Skoogs is quick to share the credit for the success of the baseball program: with the players, with his assistant coaches, and with the baseball-crazed communities around here. "This is a great baseball area," he said. "The small towns around here Ð Roscoe, Lake Henry, Regal, and Paynesville Ð we all have our programs, and it's a feeder system for the high school."

Skoglund especially thanks his wife, Terry, and his family who support his dedication to baseball. "Our yard doesn't normally look too good," explained Skoogs, "but the ball park does."

Dave and Margie thank Skoglund for the opportunities he has provided for both of their sons. Nathan played on two American Legion teams that went to state and now Danny was part of the first baseball team from PAHS to qualify for the state tournament. "I think he's just a wonderful coach and wonderful person," said Dave. "Both he and Terry have done a wonderful job in developing players and people."

Danny apparently shares Skoogs' ability to find joy in the game and other small pleasures. In addition to night games, Danny enjoys thunderstorms, like the one that arrived in St. Cloud after the Bulldogs won the Section 5AA title. "That was quite spectacular. I enjoyed that," said Danny. "It was quite a light show, and we didn't have to pay for it."

Like the other eight seniors on this year's baseball team, Danny can only be a spectator next year, which he will do when the Bulldogs play at St. Cloud Cathedral, as Danny plans to move to St. Cloud next year and find a job.

"Danny's such a good guy," said Skoglund. "I'm really going to miss him."