Dan Augustine is a role model for local high school baseball players from two angles.  First, he proved that local boys do have the skills, talent and drive to play for the Woodchucks.  Dan Augustine played for the Woodchucks for three summers earning a Northwoods League Championship along the way.  Second, Dan proved that there is life after baseball.  Very few former Woodchucks move on to a career in Major League Baseball, but they can have interesting, fulfilling and successful careers.  In Dan’s role as a Financial Consultant with Peoples State Bank, he has the ability to help people with challenging financial goals.

 

 

Coach Steve Foster, who went on to have a lot of success after the Woodchucks, called Dan Augustine; “A true pleasure to coach.”  “He didn’t take any day for granted and every day he worked to get better.”

 

Dan began his college baseball career at Madison Area Technical College.  He was originally enrolled at St. Norbert’s College with plans to play college hockey, but was convinced by former Woodchuck Coach Steve Foster to pursue a career in college baseball.  Coach Foster liked two sport athletes because: “Two sport athletes have a tenacity that one sport athletes don’t possess.”  Dan was a star at Madison Area Technical College and signed to play at University of Michigan after finishing his two years.  Unfortunately, he was plagued by hamstring injuries during his two years at Michigan and was unable to play most of the time.

 

 

Dan’s Woodchuck career was memorable.  He played for three seasons (2000, 2001 and 2002) and was the starting short stop for the Woodchuck’s during their 2001 Northwoods League championship season.  Dan’s Woodchuck career started as a temporary player during the 2001 season.  He was signed based on the recommendation of teammate Steve Guden.  In his third game, he hit a game winning home run and the team quickly moved him to a full time contract.

 

 

In 2001, Dan came back as a full time player.  After playing 2nd base for most of the season, Coach Rob Smith moved Dan from 2nd base to shortstop in the second half of the season and the team jelled.  At one point they won 15 of 16 games.

 

 

 

Dan has two memories from the 2001 Northwoods League Championship series.  The first was making a tough play in the hole in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Championship game.  Dan recalls, “It was a one run game and keeping the lead-off hitter off base was so important.” Dan’s also remembers “The bus ride home from St. Cloud which was fun, but also a little sad because you knew everyone was going home the next day.”  Dan remains good friends through Facebook with many of his former teammates.  He is also a golfing buddy of Aaron Bushong, owner of Wausau Smiles.

 

 

Today, Dan is a Financial Consultant with Peoples State Bank.  It is a tremendous responsibility helping people with saving for retirement and college in turbulent markets, but Dan’s baseball career taught him how to deal with pressure.