For a guy who steers clear of the spotlight, Dale Buvid's fingerprints are all over the many-splendored history of Cheesemakers softball.
Shortly after taking the reins in his first softball coaching gig in 1984, Buvid turned a six-year-old program into a veritable powerhouse over the next two-plus decades.
"A program takes time to develop, and when we first started, we weren't terribly successful," Buvid said. "I, as a new coach, didn't know exactly what I was doing, but it takes time to turn the corner.
"Now that you've turned the corner and you have a winning program, winning breeds winning."
The corner was turned long ago. Now, the Lady Cheesemakers are a dynastic operation making their third appearance at Goodman Diamond in five years Friday night for the WIAA state tournament. Monroe is scheduled to play Rice Lake in the second semifinal about 8 p.m.
Buvid's army makes routine marches to Madison because it's run like a college operation.
After the affable head coach tears around Twining Park to get every piece of gear in order before practice, he hits warm-ups for fielders. Balls fly from hitting stations without cessation. Every cog turns relentlessly, and you can almost hear the Lady Cheesemakers whistle while they work to be the very best.
That's because what gets overlooked is that Buvid and his staff get boot camp-like results with the atmosphere of a competitive family picnic.
"We have a lot more fun than a lot of teams do," Buvid said. "There are some programs that I would call 'college programs' like Verona that are very drill-oriented. The head coach is the sergeant and if you don't like it, you can leave.
"We like to push the kids, but we're really not a dictatorship," Buvid said.
In an era riddled with coaching staff turnover, Buvid has had assistant Noel Herbst in the fold since 2001. Original head coach Brian Saugstad and Jamie Jaeggi offer their services, and Brian Bassett rounds out the staff.
"We get a lot of repetitions in a short amount of time," Buvid said. "Getting that is impossible with one coach. Kids are kids.
"You have to be efficient and smart with how you allocate your time."
Buvid, who coached track upon his arrival in 1980 and also coaches junior varsity hoops, wears his dedication on his hips. After all, he had surgery on both of them last summer due to playing as hard as his players during practice.
"August was tough - had one done, went back a week later and had the second one done," Buvid said. "I was pretty much immobile for a couple weeks."
The only thing that made him as uncomfortable as being off his feet was knowing how badly his team needed its ever-present leader.
"I still enjoy being out there every day, hitting fungo flies and fungo ground balls, working with the kids and encouraging them," Buvid said. "I like to compete, and I know if we don't get our work done during the week, come game night, our chances of winning are greatly diminished."
Buvid has a good idea of what it takes to win, having skippered 17 straight winning clubs and watching his girls hoist the state title in 2003.
But Buvid takes his seasons and games one at a time.
"I've been very fortunate and unbelievably blessed," Buvid said. "So many coaches put so much time and energy into their programs and don't get to do what we get to do this weekend."
But there is a certain element of magic that even a master alchemist (Buvid was a science major University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) couldn't create with another state title this year.
"It's gonna be hard to duplicate what happened the first time around, and my daughter was involved so that was huge and I'll always remember that," Buvid said.
Even though there won't be another Buvid putting prints on the trophy this year, that doesn't take away from a uniquely-talented club that has sparkled in its pre-state practices.
While conducting traffic in the halls at Monroe High School Wednesday morning, Buvid once again deftly deflected the spotlight.
Track and cross country coach and guru Dave Hirsbrunner congratulated Buvid and wished him luck.
"You get a little lucky along the way," Buvid replied.
Hirsh couldn't have put it better when he rebutted, "A little coaching helps you along, too."
Shortly after taking the reins in his first softball coaching gig in 1984, Buvid turned a six-year-old program into a veritable powerhouse over the next two-plus decades.
"A program takes time to develop, and when we first started, we weren't terribly successful," Buvid said. "I, as a new coach, didn't know exactly what I was doing, but it takes time to turn the corner.
"Now that you've turned the corner and you have a winning program, winning breeds winning."
The corner was turned long ago. Now, the Lady Cheesemakers are a dynastic operation making their third appearance at Goodman Diamond in five years Friday night for the WIAA state tournament. Monroe is scheduled to play Rice Lake in the second semifinal about 8 p.m.
Buvid's army makes routine marches to Madison because it's run like a college operation.
After the affable head coach tears around Twining Park to get every piece of gear in order before practice, he hits warm-ups for fielders. Balls fly from hitting stations without cessation. Every cog turns relentlessly, and you can almost hear the Lady Cheesemakers whistle while they work to be the very best.
That's because what gets overlooked is that Buvid and his staff get boot camp-like results with the atmosphere of a competitive family picnic.
"We have a lot more fun than a lot of teams do," Buvid said. "There are some programs that I would call 'college programs' like Verona that are very drill-oriented. The head coach is the sergeant and if you don't like it, you can leave.
"We like to push the kids, but we're really not a dictatorship," Buvid said.
In an era riddled with coaching staff turnover, Buvid has had assistant Noel Herbst in the fold since 2001. Original head coach Brian Saugstad and Jamie Jaeggi offer their services, and Brian Bassett rounds out the staff.
"We get a lot of repetitions in a short amount of time," Buvid said. "Getting that is impossible with one coach. Kids are kids.
"You have to be efficient and smart with how you allocate your time."
Buvid, who coached track upon his arrival in 1980 and also coaches junior varsity hoops, wears his dedication on his hips. After all, he had surgery on both of them last summer due to playing as hard as his players during practice.
"August was tough - had one done, went back a week later and had the second one done," Buvid said. "I was pretty much immobile for a couple weeks."
The only thing that made him as uncomfortable as being off his feet was knowing how badly his team needed its ever-present leader.
"I still enjoy being out there every day, hitting fungo flies and fungo ground balls, working with the kids and encouraging them," Buvid said. "I like to compete, and I know if we don't get our work done during the week, come game night, our chances of winning are greatly diminished."
Buvid has a good idea of what it takes to win, having skippered 17 straight winning clubs and watching his girls hoist the state title in 2003.
But Buvid takes his seasons and games one at a time.
"I've been very fortunate and unbelievably blessed," Buvid said. "So many coaches put so much time and energy into their programs and don't get to do what we get to do this weekend."
But there is a certain element of magic that even a master alchemist (Buvid was a science major University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) couldn't create with another state title this year.
"It's gonna be hard to duplicate what happened the first time around, and my daughter was involved so that was huge and I'll always remember that," Buvid said.
Even though there won't be another Buvid putting prints on the trophy this year, that doesn't take away from a uniquely-talented club that has sparkled in its pre-state practices.
While conducting traffic in the halls at Monroe High School Wednesday morning, Buvid once again deftly deflected the spotlight.
Track and cross country coach and guru Dave Hirsbrunner congratulated Buvid and wished him luck.
"You get a little lucky along the way," Buvid replied.
Hirsh couldn't have put it better when he rebutted, "A little coaching helps you along, too."
