Krakora Studios
Mark Tauscher and his dad, Dennis J. Tauscher, who passed away in 2013.
Our family farm in Milladore, Wis., spread out over 200 acres. But it was the five acres in front of our barn that showed me how much my dad loved sports — and his kids. Instead of harvesting crops there, he turned the pasture into a baseball field. He appealed to our competitive spirit by offering a $100 reward if we could hit a ball from home plate into a nearby pond. I now think my dad made sure we moved off the farm before any of us kids were strong enough to collect the bounty.
My dad and I spent hours and hours in batting practice on that field. He also put up a hoop in a heated equipment shed so my siblings and I could practice basketball in the winter.
These are just a couple of the ways that my dad, whom everyone called Denny, supported my love of sports. He also coached me in baseball and basketball and drove me to town after town to play in tournaments.
My dad passed away in 2013. This Father’s Day will be the second one without him. As a father now of two young children myself, the holiday is a reminder of the joys and responsibilities of fatherhood and how much I miss my own dad. There is not a day that goes by that I wouldn’t love to get him on the phone to discuss anything and everything — what I’m doing these days, a sheepshead hand that I misplayed, or my own children’s joy of sports.
Sports weren’t the only way I connected with my dad, but they were a big part of it. If I wanted to play a sport, and was willing to work at it, he was 100% behind me. He sacrificed time and money for his children, all in support of our success. He was a strict coach, but also a proud parent.
Looking back, I think he encouraged all of us to participate in a variety of sports because he thought it would strengthen our skill set. And he was right. In high school I thought I was a better basketball player than football player. And I was convinced my post game would take me to the next level. Unfortunately, I learned there wasn’t a big need for a 6’3”, 290 lb. power forward in college. But the skills I learned in basketball would eventually help me on the football field.
It was 1989 when we moved off the farm. I was 12. Dad then began a whole new chapter in his life. He worked as a sportswriter for the Marshfield News-Herald, covering high school athletics, and also did a radio and cable TV show. Along the way he coached youth baseball, basketball and football at the same high school (Auburndale) where he once was a member of the 1960 State Baseball Championship team.
I wish now that I had spent more time with him, enjoyed and shared more of the big moments of my life with him. I also wish I had thanked him more for all he did for me.
I think dad always thought sports were a great way to teach his kids life lessons, the value of competition and importance of teamwork. I found they also teach you how to handle defeat and move forward. These are the lessons I plan to share with my own children.
