Our 200 wins

Kya Loffswold, Sports Editor

Winning is a team effort, 27 teams to be exact.

Coach Duane Schulte has coached varsity football for 27 years, four at LaSalle and 23 at Xavier. After the Xavier football season opener victory over Western Dubuque on Friday, August 28, Coach Schulte reached his 200 win milestone. 

“I consider these 200 wins to be an achievement by my entire family, all my assistant coaches and support staff over the years, and mostly an achievement by all of the boys who played for us the past 27 years, both at LaSalle and here at Xavier,” Coach Schulte said. 

These 200 wins took a lot of hard work and dedication. Sherry Schulte, Coach Schulte’s wife, has seen it all.

“Each year he [Coach Schulte] has gained greater experience, but he approaches each year the same way, he tries to work hard and get better. He and all the coaches on the team approach each year with enthusiasm and look forward to coaching the kids,” Mrs. Schulte said.

Outside of the season, practices and games, Coach Schulte puts many extra hours into his craft.

“During the season, he and all the other coaches on the team work continuously,” Mrs. Schulte said. “After practice is over he continues to prepare by working evenings and all weekend.”

Mr. Reggie Schulte, who played for his dad and now coaches with his dad, has seen his father’s coaching progress over the years.

“He coaches kids hard to get the most out of them, while still caring about their overall well being. Every kid he’s ever coached knows he cares about them,” Mr. Schulte said. “When it comes to strategy, one of his best qualities is the ability to adjust with the times while still staying true to the hard-working, tough identity that Xavier football teams have always been known for.”

Coach Schulte’s hard work does not go unnoticed by his players.

“Coach Schulte means so much to every single one of his players. Our coaching staff’s dedication and work ethic shows what being successful players and more importantly successful people means to them,” senior captain Jack Lux said. “They push us to become better people overall, and there are no other coaches I would rather work with every day.”

The players are grateful they were able to be the team that helped Coach Schulte reach his 200 win, but they remember the teams that have come before them. 

“It means a lot to the whole team to be able to be the team that pushed him to 200 wins, but there were many people that came before us that got us in the position to reach this milestone,” Lux said. “This achievement is something that says a lot about Coach Schulte and his staff’s character.”

The football team is thankful for each practice and game because they never know when it might be their last day on the field. 

“I just hope everyday we can finish the season and continue to be able to compete and do what we love on the field,” Lux said.

The Saints plan to add another win to Coach Schulte’s career in their next game Friday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m. vs. Oskaloosa, at Lacey Sports Complex.