New skipper leads ‘Jays
Diethelm gets his shot to guide Athens to state
By Casey Krautkramer
The last time the Athens varsity baseball team played a game was in the WIAA Division 4 state semifinal, resulting in a 4-3 loss to eventual state champion Webster.
On June 12, 2019, Athens head baseball coach Bill Coker and his starting pitcher, Dakota Willemssen, nearly willed the Bluejays to an upset win against the defending Division 3 state champion Webster Tigers.
Although Athens was the two-time defending Division 4 state champion entering the 2019 state semifinal, Webster’s squad had two Division 1 college pitchers on it and the Tigers were undefeated.
A lot has changed since then. Coker retired from coaching baseball after the 2019 state semifinal loss and COVID-19 canceled the 2020 baseball season. Now Coker is an Athens assistant varsity softball coach, because his twin daughters are freshmen players this season, and baseball assistant coach Todd Diethelm is now the Athens head baseball coach.
“I want to start by saying how bad I felt for last year’s seniors and their lost season,” Todd Diethelm said. “I am beyond excited for the opportunity to lead the Athens baseball program. The program I am fortunate to lead is very strong and I want to hold it to a very high standard. I want the community to be able to be proud of this year’s team and the teams that are coming in the future. I expect to have my boys play smart fundamental baseball and compete in every game.”
Todd Diethelm guides an Athens baseball program this year that enjoyed a 60-15 record in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons combined.
“What coach Coker did with the Athens baseball program is at a legendary status,” Todd Diethelm said. “I learned so much coaching under him. I want to take that knowledge and use it to make me a better coach and person. To maintain the success we had in the past is to take on any challenge that comes our way and learn every single day. I will challenge our players and coaches every day to get better and become more knowledgeable of the game. Paying attention to detail will make a difference in being great or just good.”
Helping Todd Diethelm coach the team this season are his assistants Dale Westfall, Aaron Doll and Jeramie Penney.
It was noticeable at a recent baseball contact day the Athens players are anxious to see game action this season, after COVID-19 canceled last season.
“As a program we were chomping at the bit to get baseball rolling,” Todd Diethelm said. “I see us taking some time to get into sync, but we have players that were on state teams and know what it takes and what practices need to look like to get us to the level we need to be. I will be smart with our kids and not put them in positions they can’t handle. We will ride the experience we have and use our young talent to contribute.”
Athens lost its entire pitching staff from its state baseball teams. Todd Diethelm said his squad has experienced players all over the field, but it lacks experience on the mound and at the catcher positions.
Top returning Athens baseball players this season are the coach’s son, senior Dayne Diethelm who is a pitcher, infielder and catcher; senior Jake Denzine who is a pitcher and outfielder; senior Cobie Ellenbecker who is a pitcher, first baseman and outfielder and junior Cooper Diedrich who is a pitcher and infielder.
Other baseball players on this year’s squad who are ready to contribute are Gary Peel who is a pitcher, first baseman and outfielder; outfielder Kaden Redmann; first and third baseman Kody Lepak; pitcher and infielder Brooks Kraus; pitcher and outfielder Damien Haines; pitcher and catcher Kyler Ellenbecker; Connor Sheahan, who is a pitcher, infielder and outfielder and pitcher and outfielder Nathan Wolf.
The Athens baseball team has the luxury of practicing and playing its home games on Tucker Memorial Field, which is one of the best high school baseball fields in central Wisconsin, in honor of late Bluejays baseball player Tucker Westfall.
“The renovations that were done to the baseball field were completely amazing,” Todd Diethelm said. “The man hours that were donated, along with the materials to complete Tucker Memorial Field was so overwhelming. Dale and Tracy Westfall have been nothing short of amazing during such a tragic time. It’s special every time we walk to the field and see the bust of Tucker; it really puts things into perspective for the kids.”
Todd Diethelm is also excited to see more Athens youth are playing baseball this year than ever before.
“We have a great amount of young players participating this spring and summer,” he said. “I have to give a big thanks to the youth coaches and dads that drive our youth program. They put in a lot of time and as you can see it has elevated our program in recent years. It makes me smile every time I drive by the local fields and see a group of future Bluejays baseball players tossing the ball around.”
