Mitch Jaeger, Racine St. Cats
Dennis Semrau
Wissports.net
Mitch Jaeger, Racine St. Catherine’s, senior
Sports: football, basketball, golf
When it comes to playing sports, it is simply a case of “like father, like son” for Mitch Jaeger.
“When I was a kid, I always watched my dad play sports and he was really good at them,” said Jaeger, who is on track to graduate as a nine-time letterwinner at Racine St. Catherine’s.
Jaeger has an older brother, Kyle, who played football, basketball and golf in high school, and a sister, Samantha, who played tennis and basketball.
But it was his father, Al, who was a three-sport athlete at Kewaskum High School in football, basketball and baseball, who has always been his biggest inspiration.
“I wanted to be like him when I was older. I started playing basketball in second grade. I played soccer from fourth grade until seventh grade when I started playing football and I’ve been playing golf since I was 10.
“My dad played golf a lot and we joined a country club and he got me into it. We played a lot together in the summer and I started loving it.”
Jaeger said the variety of experiences have kept him from “being bored.”
“I’m been a competitive person my whole life,” he said. “I like the feeling of making big plays and winning games. That’s the best feeling to have.”
Jaeger will be a four-time letterwinner in golf, but he has attracted the most interest from college recruiters in football.
“I enjoy football because you get to hit people and make big plays and score,” said Jaeger, who moved up to the varsity as a sophomore when he started at defensive back. He has started at defensive back and wide receiver the past two seasons.
Jaeger earned second team all-Racine County and all-Midwest Classic Conference honors as a junior as a wide receiver. He served as a co-captain his senior season.
While the Angels finished 3-6 and missed the playoffs this fall, they advanced to the Division 5 state semifinals his sophomore year, finishing 11-2. St. Catherine’s lost in the Division 5 first round his junior year and finished 6-4.
Jaeger was the team’s Most Valuable Player on special teams as a junior and also received the Angels’ Outstanding Athlete award.
He has had the least individual success in basketball, where he was a reserve guard on the varsity team as a junior. But it is also the sport where his teams have had the most success. Racine St. Catherine’s defeated La Crosse Aquinas 48-34 in the Division 3 state championship game last March at the Kohl Center.
“I got to play the final minute in both games. I got on the floor. That’s all that counts,” he said. “It was a lot of fun.”
In golf, Jaeger earned honorable mention all-conference honors as a sophomore, narrowly missed qualifying for the state golf meet with his team as a junior and will serve as a co-captain his senior year.
Despite constantly being on the go, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Being in three sports keeps me busy. But it’s a lot of fun,” said Jaeger, who has a 3.4 grade-point-average and is planning to study business in college. “You get to make a lot of new friends from all different schools and around the county.”
Jaeger said athletes who specialize in a sport don’t know what they are missing.
“In basketball, I don’t get that much playing time compared to football where I start but I’m part of the team,” he said. “You get to practice against the starters which is always tough but it’s still fun.”
Being a multiple sport athlete also shows an ability to perform under pressure.
“You have to work hard on and off the field, and it takes a lot of time, too,” he said. “It’s taught me not to take anything for granted and to keep going when things don’t go my way.”
Time out with Mitch Jaeger
1 – Words to live by: “If you fail, you should learn from your mistakes and keep trying and never give up.”
2 – Role model: my dad, Al
3 -- My family also includes: my mom, Char, brother, Kyle, and sister, Samantha
4 -- Favorite opponent: Kenosha St. Joseph
5 -- Favorite movie: Superbad
6 – Favorite food: chicken quesadillas from Taco Bell
7 – I wish I could play: hockey
8 -- Dream date: Jessica Alba
9 – Hobbies: playing tennis, swimming
10 -- Most memorable moment: winning the 2009 WIAA Division 3 state basketball championship
