May 22, 2023 at 7:18 a.m.
Late '90s standouts Orgeman, Brekke inducted into Hodag Hall of Fame
Late '90s standouts Orgeman, Brekke inducted into Hodag Hall of Fame
Teague Orgeman and Kerry Brekke (nee Hagen) were inducted into the Rhinelander Athletic Booster Club's Hodag Hall of Fame during the club's 41st annual banquet at Holiday Acres Resort.
Both were enshrined for their accomplishments in multiple sports. Orgeman, a 1999 RHS grad, was the starting point guard for the Hodag boys' basketball state tournament teams in 1997 and 1999. Additionally, he was a two-time state qualifier for the WIAA boys' tennis tournament. Brekke earned third-team all-state honors in 1998 in softball before walking on and having a successful career at UW-Madison. Like Orgeman, Brekke was also a two-time qualifier for the state girls' tennis tournament.
"The two that we're inducting this year are a very rare pair," Rhinelander ABC president Brandon Karaba stated in his opening remarks. "The reason I say that is because people that are typically inducted into the hall of fame are usually for one sport. These two are being inducted for two sports. It's very special to have both of them here tonight."
In their speeches, both Orgeman and Brekke reflected less on their accolades and more on the lasting impact sports has had on their lives.
"I'm so excited to watch my kids grow through athletics, because you learn so much more than playing a sport," said Brekke, who is now a mother of four and owns her own veterinary practice in Rhinelander.
Added Orgeman, "My dream for my daughter is that she has the same kinds of coaches that I had, because they made a huge difference in my life."
In addition to the hall of famers, the ABC awarded its two $1,000 student-athlete scholarships to Rhinelander seniors Ava Lamers and Charlie Heck, and honored the 2022-23 Rhinelander High School boys' swim team for winning the WIAA Division 2 state championship.
Brekke honored for drive and dedication
Brekke was a three-sport athlete at RHS, but excelled most in tennis and softball. She was a four-year starter on the girls' tennis squad, moving up to the No. 1 singles position by her junior season. She was a sectional champion in 1996, and a state qualifier in both 1996 and 1997.
Brekke was a three-team All-Wisconsin Valley Conference honoree in softball, earning first-team honors in her senior year.
Her collegiate athletic career included a third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2000. She was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and was on the first Badger softball team to qualify for the NCAA tournament in 2001.
Brekke shared that those collegiate accomplishments almost never happened, as she nearly decided not to try out for the softball team as a freshman walk-on, and had a professor try to persuade her to quit the team later that season.
"If any of you in the room know me, which a few of you do, the very best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can't," she said. "I stayed on the team. I earned a starting position. I earned a scholarship. I was the only graduating senior in my class and I also earned a degree in molecular biology from UW-Madison and, now, I'm a veterinarian."
Brekke's husband, Dan, and father, Steve Hagen, presented her for induction. Both spoke of her dedication, which they said continues today.
"While we're here tonight to honor Kerry for her high school athletic career, let me be the first to tell you that that same dedication still exists every bit as much today," Dan Brekke said.
Hagen said there were many springs in which Kerry had to get creative to hit tennis balls, or work on softball. He also mentioned the Hodag Dome is a godsend for student-athletes like his daughter.
"I know if that were the case when she was young, we would have had a key to it, because she would have wanted to be there 24/7 playing tennis or playing softball," he said.
Karaba, who also serves with Kerry Brekke on the Rhinelander Kiwanis Club, echoed those remarks.
"Kerry is one of those once-in-a-generation kind of athletes," he said. "You want every player to emulate her. When I talked to her past coaches and players, they all said pretty much the same thing - her drive, her mental toughness were unmatched. You couldn't find anyone more passionate about what she did."
Kerry Brekke said she was "truly humbled" by the honor and thanked her parents for her dedication to her sports endeavors. She also said she was thankful for the relationships, the education and leadership skills that she gained through sports.
"These are the things I remember, not how many all-conference awards I had or how many games that we won or that we lost, or even how far we made it in the postseason," she said, later adding, "I hope my children find something they are passionate about, that propels them through life and teaches them the life-long lessons that athletics did for me."
Orgeman's influence stood out
Long-time RHS tennis coach, and fellow Hodag Hall of Famer, Bob Heideman presented Orgeman for induction and said Oregman's legacy was one of elevating those around him.
"I don't know if being in the Hodag Hall of Fame makes you a superstar, but I think the definition of a superstar is someone who makes their teammates better," Heideman said. "I think that fits Teague perfectly."
Heideman described him as an "influencer," which seems fitting as Orgeman now lives in California and is a lawyer for Google and its social-media subsidiary, YouTube.
"Teague is a different kind of influencer," Heideman said. "At RHS and in his adult life he has influenced many, many competitions. I used the word competitions because, I think in Teague's world vire, there are just a lot of things that he reduces to competitions - things he's going to be better at, things he's going to win at. Whether it's on the tennis court or in the courtroom, he hates to lose. He's smart, he's physically gifted and he's not afraid to work but, above all else, he is a fierce competitor. It's from this potent mix that his power to influence springs."
In tennis, Orgeman complied a 81-29 career record and was the only Hodag player to win a match at the WIAA state tournament in the 1990s, doing so in 1998 and 1999.
Aside from being a three-year starter in basketball, he was voted the inaugural Wisconsin Valley Conference player of the year in 1999. While Orgeman was on two state tournament teams, Karaba said Orgeman also laid the foundation for the 2001 state team that Karaba was a part of.
"He inspired so many players around him to be better," he said. "When he was working his butt off at practice, everyone followed. Because of what he did, he inspired the athletes below to keep up that same work ethic. He made those players better and, because of that, they were able to go to state those couple of years and made basketball what it is today."
Orgeman thanked Heideman and former RHS boys' basketball coach Rich Fortier for their contributions to his life. He also thanked his parents and teammates, along with the ABC and the Rhinelander community.
"This place is special to me," he said. "I appreciated the opportunity to grow up here was because of the way in which this community always invested in sports and children and trying to prepare people for the rest of their lives."
Other honors
Lamers and Heck were honored for their achievements both on and off the field of play in receiving their ABC scholarships.
Lamers has participated in volleyball, girls' basketball, girls' soccer and softball at RHS, earning 10 varsity letters. This winter, she broke the single-game and single-season scoring records for the Lady Hodag girls' basketball program. She was the leading scorer in the GNC in girls' soccer last spring and the GNC scoring champ in girls' basketball this winter. Additionally, she will represent Rhinelander in the WBCA girls' basketball All-Star game next month in Wisconsin Dells.
Lamers currently ranks second this year's graduating class with a weighted GPA of 4.507. She will attend University of Montana next fall, where she plans to study Kinesiology and Business.
Heck has earned 11 varsity letters and was on last fall's RHS boys' soccer team that qualified for the WIAA Division 3 state tournament, as well as a captain on the state champion Hodag boys' swim team this winter.
He currently ranks in the top 14% of this year's graduating class, with a cumulative GPA of 3.852. Heck will attend the University of Arizona next fall, where he plans to major in business and finance.
"These two have done so much in their career, it's amazing," Karaba said.
The majority of the Hodag boys' swim team was in attendance, along with coach Jenny Heck, as they were honored for their state title, as part of the RHS year in review presented by activities director Brain Paulson.
During the banquet, Karaba noted that the ABC has presented more than $28,000 in grants to high school and local sports programs over the last year, bringing its contributions since 2002 to more than $370,000.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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