Some people put a stamp on your memory the first time you meet them.
As editor of the paper, I had read Lori Videmschek’s name about 1,000 times while editing the copy of our former sports editor. In the news business, she’s got what I call a copy-and-paste name — one you don’t want to type repeatedly for fear of misspelling it.
When I assumed sports reporting duties, I had to use the copy-and-paste method a few times, but as the list of her accomplishments grew, I committed the spelling to memory.
A state softball champion in the spring of 2021 with Purdy, Videmschek also coaches the Cassville squad in the fall, and she runs her own training center in Purdy, Big Bass Academy.
Oddly enough, it was not through the paper that she and I met for the first time. It was as colleagues.
It was the summer of 2019, and I was the assistant soccer coach at Cassville. One crisp morning, Videmschek walked by with her arms full of softball gear, first to the softball field for the summer training session.
She greeted me with a smile and a “How-are-ya?” It was like she’d known me for years.
Through coaching nearby and later covering her teams, I learned rather quickly that her outgoing, up-front style was a marquee strategy to her success, both on the field and off it.
Truth be told, Videmschek, who was recently inducted into the Missouri High School Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, is one of my alltime favorite coaches to chat with on the third base line and interview after games. Her honesty and steadfast belief in her teams, no matter how successful they may be at the time, is one of the reasons she has found success.
Coaches come in all types. What I see from Videmschek’s teams are players who can trust her not only as a coach, but as a mentor and a friend, someone on whom they can rely.
In small-town schools, the role of coach cannot be understated for that last reason.
We put a hefty weight on the shoulders of teachers and coaches to help mold the minds of our youth for anywhere from 7-12 hours a day. And, if you look at students’ schedules these days, from school to extracurriculars to homework, 12 hours isn’t far-fetched.
Coaches of all backgrounds are tasked with improving not only their players’ athletic skills, but also their minds and social skills. Success in these areas comes down to a factor built over time and with consistent effort — culture.
Cassville athletics have an overarching culture of “family.” This is most prominently seen on the football field, but the same manta also repeats in other huddles.
One of the finest examples of culture done right is at Lamar. The amount the Tigers’ “Brotherhood” contributes to their success is immeasurable. Skills help, but teams only win eight state titles over 12 years with the kind of unity and trust built by the right culture.
This aspect of sports is one of my favorites as I age and look more from a coach/parent perspective and less like the athlete I once was.
Successful coaches like Videmscheck put their players in a position to succeed and support them not only as their skills grow, but as their personalities grow, too.
My hope is this kind of culture extends beyond the fields and courts and into classrooms and school buildings. We should strive to give our youth every tool possible to succeed, yes in athletics, but more so in life.
Parents play an even more prominent role in the culture surrounding their kids. What we teach through words and actions will be repeated, and developing positive habits and values should be a goal of anyone spending time with youth.
Those who may be struggling in that area can take a look at Videmschek for inspiration.
Being a positive influence can be just a smile and “How-are-ya” away..
Kyle Troutman has served as the editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014. In 2017, he was named William E. James/Missouri Outstanding Young Journalist for daily newspapers, and in 2022, he won a Golden Dozen Award from ISWINE. He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com.
