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Dennis Semrau

Wissports.net

 

Town of Merton — It is never easy having to follow a legend in any profession.

 

But Vince Mancuso is eager to give it a try.

 

Mancuso was named the interim head baseball coach at Arrowhead High School Wednesday afternoon.

 

He succeeds Tim O'Driscoll, who announced his retirement immediately due to health reasons. The 62-year-old O'Driscoll had coached the Warhawks for the past 35 years and planned to coach one more season on the field that bears his name.

 

But that changed Wednesday morning when O'Driscoll announced he was stepping down during an emotional press conference at the school.

 

"Coach O'Driscoll is just a legend here around the state. He's established a strong tradition in the Arrowhead program," Mancuso said. "He's been a great mentor and is an icon in the state. I'm excited to get going here and very appreciative of the opportunity I've been given."

 

A 1998 Wisconsin Rapids graduate who was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball, Mancuso played baseball at UW-Oshkosh before earning a degree from Ripon College in 2006.

 

He was a student teacher at Waunakee under Pat Rice and at Madison La Follette under Jim Pliner before being hired at Arrowhead in 2006, where he has also coached football and weightlifting.

 

Mancuso was a freshman baseball coach at Arrowhead in 2007 and 2009 and served as the Warhawks JV coach in 2008.

 

But Mancuso has some big shoes to fill in O'Driscoll, who said he will do anything he can to make it an easy transition for his successor.

 

"I did JV for two years so for 37 summers, this has been my life," said O Driscoll, as he struggled to keep his composure. "I talked to the players this morning and it was tough. It was tough."

 

O'Driscoll had a phenomenal run, compiling a 742-328 record. That included 14 conference championships, six state tournament appearances, two runner-up state finishes and two state championships (1979 and 2009).

 

While O'Driscoll declined to release details of his health problems, he said he went in for a routine physical two weeks ago. When he received a call Monday from his physician, he knew his coaching career was over.

 

"It's something I have to deal with now. It's not life-threatening this second," O'Driscoll admitted. "But if I don't deal with it, it could become that so it's something I have to do."

 

O'Driscoll is also a long-time official scorer with the Milwaukee Brewers. He said he will have to miss some games this summer but plans to continue with those duties.

 

"I've been one of the luckiest guys in the world. I get to teach kids, coach baseball and then do this," O'Driscoll said from the Miller Park press box Wednesday afternoon after the Brewers hosted the Atlanta Braves. "I've had 35 great years coaching at Arrowhead. This is a tough day emotionally, having to walk away from it. I'm going to miss the kids the most."

 

The defending WIAA summer baseball state champion, Arrowhead begins practice on Friday. In addition to winning state a year ago, Arrowhead finished 21-0 in the Classic Eight Conference, the first time that happened in the league's 11-year history.

 

Arrowhead pitcher Jordan Paszek said it hurt to see O Driscoll have to walk away from one of his life s passions.

 

"Having to hear a man like coach O Driscoll, give up a passion of his life brought tears to my eyes," said Paszek, who heard the news from his coach in a phone conversation on Tuesday night. "Baseball is my passion. There s no other coach I d want to play for other than coach O Driscoll. He just brought something in the game to make you love it even more." 

 

Warhawks athletic director Kevin Flegner, though, said O Driscoll s impact on the program will be missed.

 

"He s always done it the right way and had such a positive demeanor," Flegner said. "He is as honest as the day is long. He s been a joy to work with."