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Wieseler’s faith guides Lady Blue Devils to another finals run
LINCOLN — Wynot head girls basketball coach Steve Wieseler worked his magic again this season then led Wynot to its 14th state championship game in school history.
If you know Steve Wieseler, you know he will deflect any of the glory for his ongoing success and put it squarely to God.
Obviously, Wieseler has a lot to do with the success of the program he has built, but he wouldn’t be this successful without his faith and the girls playing for him and Him.
“We get together about a lot of things that don’t include basketball,” Wieseler said. “We go to Mass together at times, we pray together. Faith makes everything easier and puts everything in the right perspective.”
Wieseler and the Lady Blue Devils needed every ounce of that faith during a season with a lot of ups and downs.
“We faced a lot of adversity, especially the first half of the season,” the coach said. “The girls had just come off of a state title in volleyball and I thought, this is going to be a great year in basketball.
“What you learn is it takes a lot of work, both mentally and physically to win a state championship. We didn’t have the energy necessary to compete with all of the teams on our schedule for the first one and a half months of the season.”
Although the coach doesn’t count all of his measurement of success in wins and losses, he knows it’s part of the game.
Wieseler attained his 500th career win during the season, but wasn’t really interested at the time, he was just trying to win the game.
“I had no idea I was getting close, I knew it would probably come this season, but a cousin called from Omaha and said he heard it on the radio that I would be going for my 500th,” said Wieseler. “For one thing, it takes great, hardworking players; it takes longevity, it takes some luck and it takes a supportive community. In the end 500 is just a number and at the time, I was just worried about getting a win and steering the ship.”
It was the middle of January when the team started to come around and together.
After starting the season 6-7, the Lady Blue Devils finished the regular season, district play and the state tournament 12-5 to post an 18-12 record overall.
“We just kept fighting through and got better each game,” said Wieseler. “It was like the sun finally came out.
“I knew we could get the team back together and working together, I didn’t want to see them regret anything after the season was done.”
The players responded with the run and a trip to the state finals.
Wieseler said his coaching philosophy has evolved over the years.
“It was around 2010 when I started talking with Father Eric Olsen,” said the coach. “He was very respected in the entire community and he started mentoring me. I wanted to incorporate my faith into the program and he helped me do just that. I didn’t want to alienate anyone and I wasn’t trying to push the girls one way or the other as far as religion, I just knew from my own experiences, God will help and God would make things easier because you do everything for Him.”
Now Wieseler and the Lady Blue Devils receive guidance from Shane Kleinschmidt, a Deacon after Fr. Olsen moved on.
“He has been extremely helpful as well,” Wieseler said. “We wouldn’t be where we are without him, Fr. Olsen and the community.”
The coach referred to a talk he listened to from former Husker football assistant coach Ron Brown.
“He related shooting a free throw and to just say you were shooting the free throw for Him,” Wieseler said. “If it goes in it goes in, if it doesn’t it wasn’t meant to be. God had a different plan. You don’t have faith to get wins, you have faith in that there is a reason for everything. It’s in His hands.”
Well, this group of young ladies and their coaches finished strong and yet faced one more bit of adversity in the finals where they fell 49-39, but that’s all right.
“It’s the getting back up again, the journey that counts,” the coach said. “And God has a helping hand to get you off the floor.”
