For Hall of Fame Juco Coach, Home Is Where the Heart Is
After 35 years spent shaping the lives of young men through coaching baseball, Steve Ruzich can’t imagine being anywhere else.
Coaching success is often defined by tangible evidence: wins, losses, championships, and pedigree.
In nearly 35 years as South Suburban College’s head baseball coach, Steve Ruzich checks all those boxes: over 1,200 wins, four sectional titles, eleven regional championships and two JUCO World Series appearances.
But wins and milestones don’t always tell the whole story. What separates the good coaches from the great ones are the qualities that don’t always show up in the box score. Honesty, trust, and a family atmosphere are the core values Ruzich has built as the foundation for his program from the beginning. After all these years, it’s still paying dividends.
“Our communication level with our players, I think, is off the charts,” explained Ruzich, who also serves as the school’s athletic director. “They understand exactly where they sit. If they’re not happy, there’s an open door policy where they can come in and talk. When you’re honest with people and you’re not snowballing them, the best players will play. That’s how it’s always been here.”
That approach has certainly helped Ruzich navigate the challenges of coaching and recruiting at the junior college level. Players are often lured by the prospect of starring at a Division I four-year school. But there aren’t enough spots to go around, and they become discouraged from lack of playing time.
Ruzich, or ‘Coach Ru’ to those who know him, has managed to make that one of the selling points for coming to his program.
“Juco is a great level, man, and people don’t understand that sometimes,” he said. “Playing time is number one. If you want to come in and play right away, here’s your opportunity. Finances, that’s a big deal for these kids. Why go into debt if you don’t have to? Maybe you were overlooked, you come here, and now maybe you can go to that DI that you looked at. If you’re that good, maybe you have a chance to get drafted after your first two years.”
Coming Full Circle
When Ruzich took over as Bulldogs head coach in 1987, it was a homecoming of sorts. He played two seasons for the school when it was known as Thorton Community College after transferring back from Illinois State. After getting his degree, Ruzich transferred to St. Francis University in Joliet, where he earned All-American status as a catcher under legendary coach Gordie Gillespie.
The Chicago White Sox drafted Ruzich in the 30th round of the 1985 MLB draft. He was playing in the Gulf Coast League that season when the players strike briefly shut down baseball, and the White Sox released him. After trying out for several teams, Ruzich decided his days as a player were over. But his love for the game still burned.
That’s when Thornton Community College (which changed to South Suburban College in 1988) beckoned Ruzich back, this time as a coach. In his first year, he was an assistant for the softball, men’s and women’s basketball teams, head cross country coach, and intramural coordinator.
“I did it all, baby,” Ruzich recalled with a chuckle. “For $9,470.00.”
Building a Winning Culture
When the head baseball coach left, Ruzich took that position, earned his master’s degree, and has been the school’s athletic director the past 14 years. While he prides himself on creating a family atmosphere, he also pushes his players to perform at their highest level. That’s one of the reasons Logan Anderson chose to come to South Suburban.
Anderson, a six-foot, 215-pound sophomore infielder, was a multisport athlete at Providence Catholic High in Frankfort, IL. Head baseball coach Mark Smith advised him to pursue baseball, and was familiar with Ruzich. Smith convinced Anderson to enroll at SSC, a decision he hasn’t regretted.
“(Coach Ruzich) sets the tone for the day right when you get to the ballpark,” explained Anderson, who expects to commit to a four-year program soon. “He wants you to be excited every day you’re out there. He makes sure we know it’s a privilege that we’re out there playing baseball every day, when we could be working jobs. He’s going to squeeze every last bit of baseball ability out of you.”
Ruzich has coached eleven All-Americans, and has seen 24 of his players drafted by major league teams. Five SSC players have reached the big leagues, including Tim Brydak (Kansas City Royals), Ron Mahay (Boston Red Sox), Rob Mackowiak (Chicago White Sox), Julius Matos (San Diego Padres), and Tony Cingrani (St. Louis Cardinals).
Ruzich’s student-athlete graduation rate is over 75 percent, and he has seen more than 300 players continue their education at four-year college programs. The 2005 squad finished 51–11, the most single-season wins in school history.
Reaping the Rewards
In 2014, Ruzich was inducted into the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. It’s an honor he doesn’t take lightly.
“That was one of the top rewards as a coach,” Ruzich said. “I was never even thinking about it. That’s not why I got into coaching. (But) I don’t think there’s any higher award than that.”
Earlier this season, Ruzich reached another milestone. On March 20, the Bulldogs picked up an 8–6 victory over Carl Sandburg College, giving Ruzich the 1,200th win of his career. The temperature that day hovered in the low 40’s. But that didn’t stop the team from dumping water on their coach after the game to celebrate.
“They got him really good,” said assistant coach Lee Fischer, an All-American shortstop who played for Ruzich and was named best defensive player in the nation in 2006. “I kind of second-guessed having them do it because of how cold it was out there. He was really excited about it. I made sure I had a change of clothes in my car. He was able to put those on after the game so he wouldn’t get too cold.”
Ruzich approaches that accomplishment with the humility and grace that has earned the respect of many of his players.
“It’s rewarding because I had a lot of my alumni reach out to me,” Ruzich said. “You can’t be good if you don’t have good players.”
The past year hasn’t been easy for anyone, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. But Ruzich has managed to keep the team focused and engaged during the shutdown and current circumstances of this season.
“He’s done a great job this year with the scheduling aspect of things, making sure we’re in the appropriate groups number-wise,” Fischer said. “It’s been a whirlwind of a year. But surprisingly, we haven’t had any major issues or breakouts. I have to tip my cap to him with how he has planned everything out.”
Staying Put
Coaching at the same program for over three decades is a testament to Ruzich’s commitment and loyalty. Many coaches use the juco level as a springboard to a major college program. But Ruzich has no such aspirations. He’s quite content to live in the moment, and offers a simple but revealing explanation for why he has chosen to stay put.
“If you’re happy where you’re at, why go somewhere else?” he said. “Everybody I work under, the administration support, they’ve been terrific. It makes you feel at home.”
