End of an Era: Lansing Kee’s Schultz resigns

The career of one of the most accomplished prep baseball coaches in Iowa and the country has come to an end.

Lansing Kee Coach Gene Schultz resigned Monday night after 45 years guiding the Kee Hawks baseball teams to nine state titles, according to Tuesday's news release from the Iowa High School Athletic Association.

Schultz is the all-time wins leader in the state of Iowa with 1,754 victories. He is the country's most successful prep coach, posting 1,578 during the summer seasons, which is used by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

'The numbers speak for themselves but the secret to coaching, I think, is that Gene invested himself totally with the kids and the school,” IHSAA Information Director Bud Legg said in an email to The Gazette on Tuesday. 'In his 45 years, he may have been misunderstood by some, but the bottom line was he coached for kids and the love of the game, and that is a rich legacy and a commitment that is hard to equal in this day and age.”

Schultz, 68, made Lansing Kee one of the top programs in the entire state, winning his first summer title in 1973 as the Kee Hawks closed the Class 1A season with a 47-0 mark. The 1973 season was one of just 10 perfect seasons before this year.

Five state titles were achieved in 2A. Lansing Kee is tied for the most all-time with Davenport Assumption, who won the 2014 3A crown.

He stands alone in most state categories. He sits atop the state's all-time lists with nine state titles by a coach, 19 state tournament appearances, 16 championship game appearances and 32 state tournament wins. The last title came in 2005 but Lansing Kee was the 1A runner-up in 2011.

Schultz also led Lansing to fall baseball state titles in 1977 and 1978, in addition to two runner-up finishes in the fall season.

'He has shown what a good quality program looks like,” Kee Athletics Director Chad Steckel said. 'He has shown what the program is capable of.”

The record number of wins is not padded by topping small-school programs. The Kee Hawks took on teams from all classes. The 23-17 record of his final season included at least one win over a 4A, 3A and 2A opponent.

'They didn't shy away from anybody,” Steckel said. 'It speaks volumes in the confidence he had and the confidence he had in his players.

Schultz leaves some gigantic shoes to fill. The search will begin to replace the leader of one of the storied programs in the state.

'It's a very well established program and has very high expectations,” Steckel said. 'The person who comes in will have those same expectations.”

Phone messages left for Schultz were not immediately returned Tuesday.

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