Kuster was elected for his play on the BLC baseball group from 1989-91, the place he helped the group to a state championship. However, it was enjoying summer time ball in New Ulm the place Kuster obtained his begin.

“I grew up playing New Ulm Park and Rec,” Kuster stated. “Started when I was 5. Played all the way through Junior Babe Ruth, Babe Ruth, VFW, Legion, Kaiserhoff. So I played pretty much my whole younger life.”

The baseball tradition of the New Ulm space was a robust affect in Kuster’s early profession, and he believes that the expertise and competitors he confronted early on helped kick-start his athletic success.

“New Ulm was a baseball town,” Kuster stated. “And I appreciate so much what everyone in New Ulm has done for me in terms of teaching me the game. I don’t have the words to describe [it]. I felt so ahead of anyone else playing because of what New Ulm did for me in terms of teaching me the game, both in terms of the coaches I had through youth baseball, coaches in Park and Rec, VFW coaches, Legion coaches. It was something to play for New Ulm. The teams that we would play in the tournaments would call us Baseball Town, U.S.A. It was an awesome experience.”

Kuster grew up enjoying summer time ball in New Ulm.

Kuster performed with names which can be nonetheless very influential in New Ulm space baseball whereas on the VFW Blue group. John Giefer coaches for the Courtland Cubs, whereas Mark Grossmann manages VFW Silver. Others he performed with embody Bob Windschitl, who was inducted into the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016, and Tony Hanten, who was inducted into the New Ulm Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.

That VFW Blue group was coached by Jim Senske, who can also be within the New Ulm Baseball Hall of Fame. That group of gamers went on to qualify for the 1989 Great Lakes Region Five Legion Tournament in Danville, Illinois, after taking second on the state event.

Kuster additionally performed baseball with Minnesota Valley Lutheran, the place he graduated from the varsity in 1989.

After his time enjoying New Ulm baseball, Kuster went on to have a really profitable profession at Bethany. Playing second base and middle discipline, Kuster had a .381 batting common in 1991, together with a .578 on-base share, a .512 slugging share, and solely had one error all season. That season, Kuster received the Golden Glove Award and was named an All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region participant. He additionally ended up being chosen because the Minnesota Community College Conference Southern Division Player of the Year.

Kuster stated that baseball in New Ulm was a giant motive why he had a lot success in faculty.

Photo courtesy of Matt Kuster
The 1989 New Ulm Legion baseball group made it to the Regional Legion Tournament after taking second on the state event.
Top row (l-r): Mark Grossmann, Corey Stolte, Bob Winscheitl, Tony Hanten, Matt Senske, Andy Hammerschmidt, Brett Linbo, Brandt Drill, Foel Allen.
Bottom row (l-r): Coach Jerry Allen, Dave Kuhns, Johnny Kuck, Jason Walsh, John Giefer, Matt Kuster, Paul Bauer, Brian Schmidt.

“Going from New Ulm, especially the strong legion program that we had, to college baseball was a jump in terms of challenge,” he stated. “At the same time, it wasn’t a radical jump because of the quality of baseball I played in New Ulm. Of course, playing in college, every pitch matters, every situation matters, so in that way its a little bit different, but not by much. At that time, you’re growing into your body, you’re getting bigger, you’re getting stronger, you’re being able to use the tools that were taught earlier to succeed in college baseball.”

Kuster returned to Bethany and has taught Exercise Science and Biology for the final 24 years after turning into a licensed Physical Therapist and Athletic Trainer. Kuster says his experiences enjoying baseball made it pure that he ought to develop into the athletic coach discipline.

“Baseball in New Ulm taught me accountability,” Kuster stated. “It taught me how to compete, it taught me how to accept difficulty, how to push through that, how to be a good teammate, how to succeed in life because of some of the lessons I learned on the baseball diamond … Physical therapy, that’s my schooling, I have a doctorate in physical therapy. Most of my desire in going into that field is dealing with my own injuries and then being able to help others through those types of injuries. It was a natural fit, a natural career choice for me. Then of course moving from being a physical therapist to being a professor at Bethany allowed me to encourage and inspire the next generation of medical professionals.”

Kuster seems to be again at his time in New Ulm fondly. He stated he may bear in mind nearly each play he ever made. Some of his favorites embody enjoying together with his teammates, corresponding to when Grossmann hit a house run over the left discipline fence at Johnson Park within the state event and enjoying center infield with Brian Schmidt, who he had performed with all through his childhood.

“I remember how they treated me, I remember the friendships that we had …,” Kuster stated. “I don’t want to leave anyone out. Those are some pretty good teams. All my teammates, those were some awesome memories we made playing baseball. It was a wonderful time.”

Kuster has some recommendation for younger and aspiring baseball gamers in New Ulm that wish to discover success of their very own.

“I would say learn the fundamentals of baseball,” Kuster stated. “Learn how to play the game. There’s always the game inside the game, so if you learn the fundamentals and pay attention to what’s happening, you can succeed.”