Blue Devil Alumni Spotlight: John Zuerlein

Name –  John Zuerlein
UW-Stout graduation year – Undergraduate, 1965, Graduate, 1966
Major – Undergraduate and Master degrees in Industrial Education
Sport(s) – Football (1959) & Gymnastics (1963-1965)
Hometown (High School) – Lincoln High School in Lincoln, Neb.
Currently Reside – Menomonie, Wis.
 
Give us a brief synopsis of your life since graduating from UW-Stout, include job and family?
After graduation, I was hired on at Stout as gymnastics coach and to work with the American Industry Project. After the American Industry Project was completed, I moved into the Physical Education and Athletics Department full time. I spent three summers working on a master's degree in Outdoor Education at Utah State University. At this time, my family and I spent the rest of the time till retirement at UW-Stout. During this time, I coached both women's and men's gymnastics teams and taught phy ed classes.
 
Why did you choose to be a collegiate student-athlete at UW-Stout?
 My drafting instructor in high school was a Stout graduate and was from Chippewa Falls. He provided information about Stout. I called the football coach and program director to get information about the football program and Industrial Education programs. I came to Stout and played football for one year and loved various industrial labs. I dropped out of school for a year and then came back in 1962. No football then, but there was an interest in men's gymnastics and with the help of athletic director Ray C Johnson we were able to start gymnastics as a sport. I stayed with that sport until I retired.
 
What did you like most about competing in collegiate athletics? 
The desire to excel in athletics was the same at all levels during my sports career. But college athletics was on a higher level. Higher level skills were required and I loved that challenge. Competing with higher level gymnastics was a real challenge and I loved that.
 
What is the greatest lesson you learned from being a collegiate student-athlete?
 If you are going to do something you had better do it well. Never accept a low level performance…..you go for your best, or don't do it at all.
 
Who was the most influential person in your athletic career?
Not just one but there were four of equal value. Phil Sprague, my high school gymnastics coach who got me hooked on gymnastics and how to work with athletes and people in general.  Ray Johnson (Stout athletic director), who provided the drive to establish and maintain the gymnastics program.  Fred Martinez, who taught me more about gymnastics and how to teach it than any other individual. Warren Bowlus (Stout athletic director) who instilled in me what it takes to lead people in a "people oriented" manner.
 
What is your most memorable or favorite sports moment at UW-Stout? 
There was no one favorite moment. The things that meant the most to me was placing in the top four teams at any of the national championships, placing in the top two teams in our conference, and having one of our gymnasts become a national or conference champion.
 
How did your teammates and staff describe you as a person and a student-athlete?
This is something they would have to tell you. I felt that I was well liked and respected by all I was associated with. They seemed to be supportive of my efforts and accomplishments in all activities and in gymnastics.
 
Are you in contact with any former Blue Devil student-athletes? (If so, who?)
I have been in contact with a few over the years. Scott Young, Paul Speltz, Todd Downing, Mike Beaupre and Lisa Hille.
 
Outside of athletics, what other activities and jobs were you involved in at UW-Stout?
I was very involved in adventure classes in phy ed and very involved in teaching phy ed in the Early Childhood Education program.
 
What was it like to compete as a Stout student-athlete and then become a coach and staff member here as well?
When I helped originate the gymnastics program at Stout, I was both coach and gymnast at the same time. When I graduated, and was then hired on at Stout I remained as a coach but no longer competed. Guess I finally got paid for the coaching part of the deal.
 
You coached seven individual National Champions and 20 All-Americans.  What was one thing you noticed they all had in common?
They all had the will to win even if it did not happen. They were all competitors from the word "go". They all had the skills required for a champion. And they all had what I call "natural kinesthetic awareness" required to become a champion.
 
How did you have to change your coaching style with the men's and women's team?
Skill levels for both the men's and women's teams could all be attained, but the coaching style to get there was different. The men responded to a more rugged style in words and techniques. The women were more sensitive to words. I had to be more careful what I said and how I said it. You do not teach or coach the men the same way you do the women. Once I found that out, both programs progressed in a positive direction.