Don Richards

As my shirt in the picture above the column says, I'm 90. There are advantages to a long life, but they're elusive. However, here's one: There's a lot less peer pressure. And at my age, "getting lucky" means walking into a room and remembering what I came for.

Now I remember what the subject of this column is: Steven Bartlein (pronounced Bart-line), newly hired UWRF baseball coach. Some background: Coach Bartlein says he started playing baseball with his parents in his yard, before tee ball age. His first competitive experience was in tee ball. Next, he moved to machine-pitch at age 6 followed by South Milwaukee Little League. Then, at 13, he started to play travel baseball with the Milwaukee Angels and played for South Milwaukee High School and the Wisconsin All-Stars throughout high school.  

Coaching was always something that he wanted to do.

"From a young age," he says, "I gravitated towards organizing practice and competitions, whether getting a group together to play locally or setting up open gyms and practices throughout high school. The part I enjoy most is combining the art of teaching with a sport I am passionate about. Our UWRF program will have assistant coaches and we have the support needed to produce a competitive collegiate baseball program.  

"Growing up in southeast Wisconsin," he continued, "I would attend the UWW Warhawk Baseball Clinics and other college baseball clinics in the area. In addition to clinics, my father and I would watch games, and each experience watching WIAC baseball proved to be worth the trip. The league bolsters highly talented players and competes at a high level. When it came time to decide on a school, I chose UWW for the opportunity to compete in the WIAC and be a part of something that was growing. I was not guaranteed anything but an opportunity. My playing experience was one of resilience. In my early years, opportunities were limited. I continued to improve and was a starter for my final two years, receiving first-team all-conference accolades my senior season. We achieved great success as a team, and the experience afforded me lifelong friendships with many of my teammates."

For two years at UWW, one of his teammates was Marty Herum, River Falls High School alumnus.

He heard about the UWRF coaching opportunity in early June and applied in the following days. The search committee called him in early July, and the process culminated in a full-day on-campus interview. It was his first time to River Falls. "I was very impressed with the community, University, and committee members. Shortly thereafter, I accepted the offer to lead the program."

What are the challenges in establishing a competitive WIAC team?

"It will be vital that we focus on who we are and be the best version of ourselves. Focusing on daily growth and establishing a culture of competition will be the first hurdle that will require committed staff and student-athletes. Recruiting has begun, and we are excited about the prospects,” Bartlein said.

Though he taught at UWW, recruiting will be given full time attention because he will not have a teaching assignment.

Asked about First National Bank of River Falls Field as his home field, he said, "It is a tremendous facility, and a demonstration of a community that is invested in giving back to its players and families. It has gained attention from those both near and far and the support and hard work that has gone into its existence is exciting and energizing. I played amateur baseball in southeast Wisconsin until 2018. At that time, I stepped away due to a large portion of recruiting happening over the same time frame. At this time, that will remain the same, but I look forward to supporting the Fighting Fish!"

Considering the emphasis on weight lifting in all athletics, Coach B said strength training plays a significant role in the development of the collegiate athlete.

"We will emphasize functional strength training. Not all training will involve weights,” he said. “We are going to work closely with our strength and conditioning coaches to help our athletes maximize their athleticism as it pertains to the playing field. The physical changes  made through a commitment to the weight room can make a significant impact on the field. We will prioritize the weight room throughout the year in the Falcon baseball program."

Considering that most weight lifters are "biceptual," that will be a plus for Falcon baseball players. To conclude in a baseball way, a quote from Bob Uecker: "The highlight of my baseball career came in Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium when I saw a fan fall out of the upper deck. When he got up and walked away, the crowd booed."

Here's hoping we have better mannered fans for Falcon baseball.