Softball: Elk Grove’s Grams becomes IHSA’s all-time wins leader
Ken Grams showed how much he loved coaching softball in the mid-1980s when he assumed the role as assistant athletic director at Elk Grove High School.
That meant he would give up his boys basketball coaching duties and keep softball as his only sport.
But Grams, who was at the school teaching typing and accounting when it opened in 1966, never imagined he'd be in the dugout after 45 years as the state's winningest coach in the sport.
Now in his 44th season (COVID wiped out the 2020 season) and with the temperature at 44 degrees when Monday's nonconference game ended, Grams took over the aforementioned title with a 3-2 victory over visiting Fenton.
It was his 1,045th win as the Grenadiers coach (against 431 losses since 1981), breaking the record of retired St. Joseph-Ogden coach Randy Wolken, who retired in 2018 at 1,044-242.
They are the only coaches to surpass 1,000 wins in IHSA softball history.
Currently in the third spot is Barrington's Perry Peterson, 975-217 in 34 seasons, who goes way back with Grams.
According to MaxPreps, Grams is the ninth winningest active softball coach in the United States while Peterson is 14th.
"I received my opportunity in Barrington due to advice Ken Grams shared with the Barrington athletic director in 1992," said Peterson, who began as a volunteer assistant coach at Prospect in the mid-1980s. "Ken has simply created a fantastic environment for his athletes year after year. He deserves all of the recognition he receives for the amazing work he has done for the Elk Grove community."
Elk Grove principal Paul Kelly was on hand Monday for the historic milestone.
"I am so proud, it's amazing, it's a great feeling," Kelly said. "He is such a great legend and there's no better person to have earned this honor. It's been an awesome honor for me to be a part of only about a quarter of his career.
"I got here my first year 11 years ago today when he won No. 800 at Fenton. And I have that T-shirt in my office right now and to be here again 11 years later and see this happen is just an amazing thing. He's the best. We still get to see him here at the building all the time as a substitute teacher. He is just such a wonderful role model for all our kids and has been for so long, It's just awesome."
Winning pitcher Brianna Magner (2-0, same record as EG) was in awe as well after throwing a 2-hitter with 8 strikeouts.
"It's really a special feeling," said the sophomore who also got the win when Grams tied the record at Glenbrook South on Saturday. "He deserved this one and I just wanted to get it for him.
"He is honestly a great coach. He changed my high school season. He understands all of us really well and he adapts with us as the game changes."
When Grams tied the IHSA record on Saturday, it was against one of his former players, Glenbrook South head coach Dana Boehmer (3-1 win).
On Monday, his win came over Fenton’s 18-year coach Dave Mello, who also graduated from Elk Grove. Mello played in Grams' elementary school basketball camps in 1981 and then was his accounting student at Elk Grove.
"What a legend, there's no other way to put it," Mello said after his young and feisty team, featuring a freshman battery of southpaw pitcher Bella Delagado (4-hitter) and catcher Ryleigh Mitchell, dropped to 0-2. "We play Barrignton and Perry next week and I know Perry is only 70-some wins behind him. But Ken is the original up here. I know Randy (Wolken) was a little farther south. We'll keep playing Ken as long as he's doing this and I'll play Elk Grove even if Ken is ever done coaching. But he might still be going when I'm done."
Grams, who has won 21 Mid-Suburban League divisional titles, 21 regional titles, five sectional titles and made three appearances in the state finals with second-, third- and fourth-place finishes, says he is glad the milestone win is history.
"We can move on now to what in my mind are more important things of the season," he said. "I never anticipated anything like this when I started. People always said, 'Why did I do this?' It's because of these kids.
"The administration here has been terrific with me. When I needed stuff, they've helped out. I've had great people assisting me, especially these last few years where it's getting a little harder physically and they are doing the heavy lifting. And driving here this morning, I was thinking probably well over 500 kids have played varsity softball here and had some sort of input to do this."
With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth, junior Aubrey McHorney made her input felt with a 2-run single to right for a 3-2 lead.
Fenton got its final run in the bottom of the sixth when Izzy Delgado (2-for-3) led off with a double and scored on Kailey Bernero's one-out groundout to second.
"I know Ken is very excited down inside but he is not going to show it with us here," Mello said. "I'm glad our girls got to see history made as well.
"I am the head girls basketball coach as well and wherever we go for girls basketball and softball, we are going to do it with the highest respect for our opponent and everyone because with Ken as a mentor, that's how I have seen it done for 45 years.
"I've known him since 1981 and saw many of his games. He has played a huge part in my life and coaching career. I hate that we were on the losing end today but for Ken to get the record, I can take a loss today, especially when we played the way we did. There's no shame losing to Ken in this one. And being the classy guy he is, he said he hated that it was me. But things have a way of working out in a weird way. And I thought this was a well-played March high school softball game."