Day 7 - I went to Teutopolis High School today to pick up my Sportsbacker sticker for my car and before I left I decided to take a quick snapshot of the side of the school that shows our team logo. The T-Town Wooden Shoes - yes it makes a lot of the lists of "strange team mascots" and it gets a few snickers from some of the fans of the teams we have played over the years. I am a "transplanted" Wooden Shoe, because I graduated from Effingham High School where we were the Flaming Hearts. Not sure which one gets the most comments but today I will be happy to let anyone know that I am proud to be a Teutopolis Wooden Shoe fan.
When I see the Wooden Shoe logo it brings a sense of pride. My two youngest kids both graduated from T-Town. I am proud to be able to say that my daughter ran track and cross country and she played basketball all four years here. The Lady Shoes of Teutopolis have a history of honor and class. When I see the Wooden Shoe logo I think of Dennis Koester. Although Dennis Koester wasn't the first coach of the Lady Shoes, he will in my and many hearts and minds go down in history as the best coach the program has or will ever see.
Dennis Koester taught Jr.high when Todd was there and he was Todd's high school cross country coach and he became the girls basketball coach in 1982. His first year of coaching wasn't all that great but over his years at Teutopolis he accumulated 654 victories and only 87 losses. He took his teams to the Elite Eight 12 times winning five state championships in 1985-86, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1994-95. His teams also claimed second place four years and finished in the Elite Eight three other times. These accomplishments are quite a legacy, but those numbers are only a very small part of the legacy of Dennis Koester. He was a great husband, father, grandfather, son, brother and friend, and he positively affected the lives of every player that came through his program, his friendship will be forever cherished by those close to him. As my daughter Jill's last game of her senior year ended she felt such a sense of loss, she knew that she wouldn't get to wear the Lady Shoes uniform again and that she had played her last game for Coach Koester. She is proud to have been the last senior girl that played for Coach Koester. She was the last one to have him give her a senior letter, the last one that can say that she played four years under the Dennis Koester program because his life and legacy ended way too soon. She holds the four years she played for him near and dear.
It is hard, if not impossible to explain the Wooden Shoe thing to those who haven't experienced it. At Teutopolis students are held to the highest of standards. Not only do we expect it from our athletes but we also expect it from the non athletes as well. A large majority of our student athletes are also honor students.
I am proud to be a Wooden Shoe, because I am proud to be from Teutopolis. It kind of goes with the saying of grow where you are planted. I am glad to have been replanted in Teutopolis, Illinois.
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