Hall of Fame Meritorious Service - Myron Schroeder

In 1984, Myron Schroeder played in his first USSSA state qualifier at Lincoln, His enjoyment of the USSSA game led to him becoming Bloomington/Normal's first area director in 1985.

Three years later in 1988, he directed the first Men's Master's State Tournaments (40 and 35 and Over) at Bartonville's Alpha Park. His Fox's Sports team (40 and Over) became the first USSSA State Masters Champions, resulting in them becoming Illinois first representative at a Men's Master's World Tournament event, where they defeated the defending world champions.

Two years later, he guided a much younger Fox's Sports team to Illinois' first USSSA Youth World Tournament Championship at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This premier team in 1990 was the beginning of the Team Illinois Youth Softball Association, which has captured 6 world and 5 national titles, with whom he has earned several All-World, All-National and All-State coaching honors.

In 1994, he was awarded the USSSA State Director's Award and in 1995 became the first recipient of the USSSA Boy's National Award for his contributions to the USSSA youth program.

In 1996, he organized Illinois' first USSSA registered girl's fast-pitch team, LeRoy Hardees, which attended the first USSSA Girl's Fast-Pitch World Tournament at Hutchinson, Kansas, where the team finished 4th in the 16 and Under division. This team's success inspired him to direct Illinois' first USSSA Girl’s Fast-Pitch Tournament at Clinton in June of 1997. He continued to direct fast-pitch tournaments until 2003, before focusing his efforts toward creating his hometown's first middle school program at Tri-Valley, while serving as their first coach.

As a coach, he presently has accumulated nearly 2100 softball victories, including nearly 800 at the youth level, coupled with nearly 300 youth baseball wins as a head coach. At the softball scholastic level, since 2002, his teams have compiled an impressive 160-63 record for Tri-Valley and Blue Ridge school districts. This past spring his Blue Ridge High School team captured the school's first IHSA regional softball title and advanced to the school's first "Sweet 16" appearance in any sport.

Illinois Executive State Director, Brenda Paulson summed up Myron’s contributions to the IL USSSA program. “Myron is the first Director I appointed in the Girl’s Fast Pitch program and Boy’s Slow Pitch program. His tournaments were second to none and always keeping the players best interest in mind. Myron also is the first Director to step up and take on more responsibility if needed. I’m still hoping he will find the time to run more of those awesome State Tournaments”.

In July, Myron was informed that he had been selected to the Boy's Softball National Hall Of Fame. He will be inducted in July, 2009 at Cookeville, Tennessee.

Tristen Hall, Schroeder’s grandson and a player on his youth 10 & under team made a presentation speech and said, “He makes the game fun for all of us.” he closed by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen meet my grandfather, my coach.”

Schroeder accepted his place in the Illinois USSSA Hall of Fame by saying, “All of us on this stage this evening realize that none of us arrived here alone without the support of many.” Schroeder went on to tell of some of his coaching experiences by saying, “After your assistant coach washes the boys red jerseys with the white pants you get to explain to a bunch of twelve year olds boys why they get to play the national championship game in pink pants.” he later stated, “If you coach girls you have to wonder how they can miss so many batting signals but never miss a phone call.” Schroeder closed with a short poem, “I coach, not of fortune or fame. I coach, not so that you will remember my name. I coach, for the knowledge a child may gain. I coach, all for the love of the game.”

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