Softball: Grams' 40th season at Elk Grove put on hold

Elk Grove's Katia Pendowski couldn't wait for her senior season of softball.

A major reason was Ken Grams, whose 948 wins are the most of any active coach in Illinois high school softball.

"There are coaches who seek to create winners on the field and then there coaches who seek to create winners in life," said Pendowski, a standout catcher who will play at MIT. "For years, coach Grams has somehow proved to fulfill both roles with absolute ingenuity.

"He represents true kindness and never-ending support in each of our lives. And I'm incredibly grateful to have played under such a familial figure these past few years."

If not for the COVID-19 pandemic, she would have been playing for Gram's 40th season.

Yes, it's been 40 years since Grams has been in charge of this Mid-Suburban League softball power, winning 21 regionals, 20 Mid-Suburban division titles and a second, third and fourth-place state trophy.

Not only could he never imagine his fourth decade would start like this, Grams actually never thought he'd be reaching 40 years as a head softball coach.

"Who knew?," he said. "It just kind of evolved into that. It's kind of strange that this happened (for the 40th). So I guess I'll have to wait another year for the 40th. I never thought that would be in the big game plan."

Actually, he never thought coaching high school softball would be in the career game plan.

"I was pretty heavy into basketball when I came out of college," said Grams, who studied education at Northern Illinois.

"That probably would have been my first choice. When I first started coaching, it was basketball and baseball. I'd always been a big baseball fan."

But then came a twist of fate.

He and colleague Doug Millstone were having lunch in the school cafeteria in February of 1980 when athletic director Bob Tipsword stopped by.

"He said the head softball coach was having some health issues and he needed someone to coach the team," Grams remembered. "So he asked both of us. We were already coaching basketball together, so we said 'OK, let's do softball.' "

As co-coaches, Grams and Millstone took over and in just two years, the Grenadiers took the state runner-up trophy home from Pekin in the 1982 tourney.

"I absolutely fell in love with it immediately," Grams said. "Doug ended up transferring to Buffalo Grove (where he became a counselor and the head boys basketball coach) and I said 'I'll stay with it'.

"Thank goodness I did. I never looked back and have looked forward to every season ever since."

He was especially looking forward to this year's team which included three girls who have eight years of varsity experience.

"I have only three seniors but they're kids who've been with us the whole time," said Grams of Pendowski, Lauren Clausen (Trine University) and Grace Engwall (St. Norbert). They're very productive and personable kids.

"Now we don't get to enjoy their last seasons. We're going to drive past their homes this weekend, put signs in their yards and put a gift on their porches. But that's about it. That's it for our season. At least we've been able to stay in touch with the kids by Zooming once a week. I like that. It's been very neat."

As for the future, Grams, like everyone, has no idea.

"I think a lot will be determined by the end of June because schools have to put some plan into effect for both teaching and activity/athletics stuff," said Grams, a former athletic director and head boys basketball coach at Elk Grove where he began the year the school opened in 1966.

"That's because you have to order equipment and transportation, get officials signed up, book facilities and all that stuff.

"My best guess, if there is going to be anything in the fall, it will have to be very limited and different."

The spring has certainly been different.

"I never dreamed I'd be coaching 40 years and to hit that magic number in such a bizarre way, I don't know what to make of it," said Grams, who has announced every home football game (54 seasons) played at Elk Grove.

"As long as I enjoy the game and I am teaching the kids and learning from them, which I value, I'll keep going."

When asked about the 40 years and a shot at 1,000 wins, Grams said, "I'm not going to count numbers. Numbers aren't important - unless you've got three runs, then I want four. As long as we're all smiling, that's what really counts."

As long as Grams is in charge, you can bet everyone is smiling.

"What I'll remember about coach Grams would have to be his constant daily jokes," Pendowski said. "Anyone who has played for him knows the man never runs out of jokes, whether you've won a regional championship or lost by 20 runs."

Pendowski said that at their core, Grams' jokes reflected his dedication to positivity and growth through both success and failure.

"At the end of the day, coach Grams taught me to promote relentless passion and kindness," Pendowski added. "I may not have had a final season under him but he'll still be my coach for life.

"Though I would have loved to help him this spring on his path to 1,000 wins, I know the culture he has established at Elk Grove will take him far beyond 1,000 wins. No matter how long it takes, current players and alumni will be supporting him forever."