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Madison Area Youth Soccer Association
- EXPIRED -

Remembering Ron Holzhueter

By Admin, 05/08/19, 1:00PM CDT

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It is with great sadness that the Madison 56ers recognizes the loss of one of its most dedicated members, Ron Holzhueter. Ron, a Wisconsin Soccer Association Hall of Fame member, was one of the most recognized faces on the Madison and Wisconsin soccer landscape. A pioneer of the game in the 1970’s and on, Ron was a tireless promoter of soccer through his camps, Madison 56er teams as well as Madison Memorial, Waunakee and Verona high school programs. 

As a 56er, Ron held positions on the club Board of Directors, including President as well as Secretary, and coached the men’s Majors team as well as various boys age groups. He touched so many young players through his Capitol Soccer Camps, with established locations throughout the greater Madison area. However, it may be his influence on the coaches of his camps that allowed an even wider impact on the youth player, as he taught so many a proper training structure that could be used in team settings for decades. 

This influence continued as Ron could be seen walking the park in Waunakee amidst young club teams with up and coming coaches, guiding and advising them on best practices in order to help create a positive and progressive learning experience for their players. Never satisfied with mediocre conditions, he could be found mowing a field if the grass had been left too high, making a U12 team feel they were playing a World Cup game.

Ron also put an incredible amount of time and energy into the Baby Blues, an expansive group of players who enjoyed each others’ company playing indoor soccer together for many years. He served in the ‘upper echelon’ of his Blues as its CEO, COO and CFO, putting his own money and time into the group in order to provide a place for all ages and abilities to play. 

Current 56er Director of Coaching Tony Wright commented “Ron will be a huge loss for the Madison soccer community. When I accepted the DOC position in 2012, Ron reached out to me right away to offer his help and support. I would often see Ron out at the fields and parks, fixing nets and goals, painting lines and generally helping wherever he could.” 

Ron was a tireless advocate for the game of soccer in the Madison area and the state as a whole. While we mourn his loss, we celebrate his enduring influence on the game as it continues to grow in prominence across our ever-widening soccer community.
Ron was a state instructional staff coach—an ODP Staff Coach—and made his impact felt Within MAYSA and WYSA in so Many ways.

The memorial service will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7291 County Road PD, Verona WI on Saturday, May 11, at 11 am. Visitation will take place at the church from 9-11 a