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The distance from the pine tree to the property line in the Tasiemski family’s back yard measured 40 feet. Just right. The making of one of Bay County’s most accomplished softball pitchers was going to happen right here. It wasn’t going to happen quickly or easily, but Denise Tasiemski was determined to define home-grown talent. “My dad was my catcher and he’d take a bucket of balls to the back yard,” she said. “And the amount of balls he caught was probably five compared to 50 that went in the neighbor’s yard. And my mom – who was always my biggest cheerleader -- would be sitting on the back porch going ‘That was a good one!’ “I put in lots of practice and threw lots of balls that hit everything but the catcher’s mitt. But I finally found that strike zone.” Once Tasiemski found her command, she never stopped being a pitching powerhouse. From a Little League World Series ace, to a four-time state finalist at Bay City All Saints, to a Division I hurler at Western Michigan University, her back yard background reaped constant softball benefits. Now it takes her to the Bay County Sports Hall of Fame, as she joins the induction Class of 2025 that is being honored with a Nov. 9 banquet at the DoubleTree hotel and conference center in downtown Bay City. When the daughter of Marlene and Ronald Tasiemski arrived on the varsity scene as a freshman in 1988, All Saints was already on the doorstep of history. The Essexville-Hampton Little League star, who led her team to a third-place finish in the World Series, would provide the extra kick that sent the Cougars to powerhouse status. She played in the state championship game all four seasons, helping All Saints win it all as a freshman and a senior and finish as state runner-up as a sophomore and junior. “That became the goal for every year. That was the end game,” said Tasiemski, who is now Denise Toogood. “There was no other option, we’re going to states. I always remember that being my mindset. “We always shared with the younger players coming in, ‘This is the attitude you need, this is the work you need to put into it, and this is what you’ve got to do to get to states.’” Tasiemski certainly did her part as a three-time first-team All-Stater as a pitcher, third baseman and first baseman. She graduated with school records of 56 doubles and 142 RBIs, striking out only 29 times in four years. In the pitching circle – that familiar 40 feet from the plate – she posted a sparking 45-19 record with 383 strikeouts as the Cougars took on the top teams in the state from all classes. Hall of Fame coach Brad Walraven called Tasiemski the “heart and soul” of the program during that era. He saw her next-level leadership emerging – for better or worse – right from her freshman year. “In the regional, we were fighting for our lives. The game was going back and forth,” Walraven said. “I looked in the dugout and I could see four seniors surrounding her. I thought ‘This doesn’t look good. Looks like she’s in trouble.’ “It turns out that Denise was telling the seniors they weren’t playing hard enough -- and they wanted to kill her. It wasn’t like she didn’t like those girls. She just felt like she needed to say ‘We need to play harder. What we’re giving isn’t cutting it.’ That took guts.” Tasiemski won over her teammates with her play. She came on to pitch in the 1988 state title game – as a ninth grader – and registered the save as All Saints captured its first state championship in program history. “(Pitching coach) Tom Clements taught me the most beautiful changeup. It just floated in there,” Tasiemski Toogood said. “I struck out the last batter on that changeup, a called third strike. I can still visualize the umpire raising his hand, then me jumping up and Jaquie Korpal giving me a big hug. That’s still one of my favorite memories.” Tasiemski returned All Saints to the top as a senior. Now with little sister Colleen as a teammate, she closed out her prep career in spectacular fashion with a second Class D state title. “I loved having my sister with me. I wouldn’t have been as good a pitcher if it wasn’t for her,” she said. “There was a little pine tree in our back yard that marked where our mound was and every year when the snow started melting, we would be out there every day. “There was a moment when she got better than me. I went ‘Wait a minute, your dropball is better than mine!’ I said ‘I can’t let my little sister pass me. I’ve got to get better.’ She was my best motivation.” Colleen would go on to pitch at Northwood University while Denise became just the second All Saints product to play Division I when she signed with Western Michigan University. “She earned academic honors and that kind of leads into where her success came from because she was a highly intelligent pitcher,” Western Michigan coach Kim Worden said. “She was very successful not as an overpowering pitcher but a smart one with a super high softball IQ.” Tasiemski was part of the WMU pitching rotation from 1992-95, compiling a 24-33 record with a 2.22 ERA over 362.2 innings. She was a two-time academic all-Mid-American Conference honoree and was named All-American Scholar-Athlete in 1994. “She’s one of my all-time favorites,” said Worden, WMU’s head coach from 1988-95. “If she had to come out of a game for a relief pitcher, she’d be the first one cheering her on. She had that kind of positive energy, and that was big for her team. Her style really resonated among the players.” Tasiemski’s big personality and big smile – mixed with her competitive spunk on the diamond -- made her a popular team leader for the Broncos. “She’s always smiling and she loves to have a good time,” said Angie Rosich Johnson, the Pinconning product who played alongside Tasiemski at WMU. “But when she’s on the mound, she’s all business. She took a lot of pride in what she did. “She was just awesome as a leader. I was kind of scared going in as a freshman, but she took us all under her wing. That meant a lot to me to have her support and encouragement – and that has continued after softball.” Tasiemski Toogood said those softball years provided the base for her life as an adult. Now age 52 and living in the Grand Haven area, she works as a sales executive for Myriad Genetics. She has helped as a pitching coach off and on over the years, but her favorite hobby is serving as head coach in Little League baseball for her 12-year-old son London’s team. Tasiemski Toogood is part of the Bay County Sports Hall of Fame induction class that includes Jim Eurick, Christie Gruszynski Konieczny, Tom Herek, Trenton Robinson, Dave Schwartz, Jim Skrocki, the 1989 Pinconning volleyball team, the 1991 Bay City All Saints baseball team, the 1999 Delta College softball team and President’s Award winner Dinah DuRussel. Tickets for the Hall of Fame banquet can be purchased online or at Renue Physical Therapy, 804 N. Water Street in Bay City, by the Oct. 31 deadline. RELATED READING Read more Bay County Sports Hall of Fame stories Farm-built football hero Jim Skrocki shined at St. James, CMU Football mastermind Jim Eurick led Bay City Western to glory era Delta College softball rose from nothing to national champion Tom Herek welcomed All Saints football players into the fold 1991 All Saints baseball rose from rag-tag to runner-up Garber leader Dave Schwartz prepares for worst, delivers best ‘Spaghetti arm’ didn’t stop Christie Gruszynski from HOF rise Cookie-baker, impact-maker Dinah DuRussel earns HOF honor
