Pitch Perfect
Father Myron Kirsch, O.S.B.
Story: Dr. Andrew Herr and Sue Hozak | Photos: Saint Vincent Archabbey Archives
The Saint Vincent community suffered a tremendous loss on September 8 with the passing of Father Myron Kirsch, O.S.B, C’69, S’73. Saint Vincent Athletics was a lifeblood to Father Myron. He woke up every day with the purpose of supporting Saint Vincent Athletics and its coaches and student-athletes. Under his care, the Athletic Department flourished, expanding to twenty-three varsity athletic teams, including the establishment of eleven women’s teams. He gave each of these teams his personal care and attention.
We remember Father Myron as a man who said few words but meant every one of them. He understood the power of words and chose his carefully. When he spoke, Father Myron was on the mark, because he took the time to understand the situation and the people involved. While his words were few, their message was direct and meaningful. Speaking was the last step in a process that involved observing, listening, deliberation, and prayer.
When you did something well, he praised sincerely, and you knew that he meant it. When you needed kind words, he encouraged empathetically, and you knew that he cared. When you were unsure to how to address a problem, he shared practical wisdom and advice that you could use. When you made a mistake, he corrected with love, and you knew that he valued you.
Fr. Myron with seminary classmates circa 1973.
When you ran into Father Myron, the focus was on you. What was going on in your life? What were you looking forward to? What challenges were you facing? Even as his health began to fail, his focus remained on others. When you asked how he was doing, he would quickly assure you that he was managing well. He would then redirect the conversation toward your needs. He would ask about your family, your team, and, most of all, you, as a person, not always as a coach. He looked beyond the job title and showed a sincere concern for the person doing the job. To Father Myron, coaches were not just employees; they were dedicated individuals to the sport, the Department, and to the College.
Father Myron was generous with his time and respectful of yours. His meetings were infrequent, on point, and effective. He prepared meticulously and was detail-oriented. His handouts were informative and color-coded. We never quite deciphered the meaning of each color, but we are sure that they had meaning to him.
In a crowd, Father Myron could go unnoticed. He valued private conversations over public appearances. But one public appearance that he looked forward to was the annual Senior Athletic Banquet. As he addressed the student-athletes, parents, and coaches, he emphasized that the honors were not merely participation awards, but rather that they were earned from hard work and real accomplishment. He praised the student-athletes for balancing their athletic and academic demands and would tell stories related to his own experience as a Saint Vincent student-athlete.
When you ran into Father Myron, the focus was on you. What was going on in your life? What were you looking forward to? What challenges were you facing?
In his tenure at Saint Vincent, Father Myron served in many roles beyond director of athletics. Over the years, he was a student-athlete, assistant baseball coach, residence hall moderator, faculty member, parish assistant, and dean of students. Often, he served several roles simultaneously. This experience gave him a keen understanding of how to balance time and effort among competing demands. When he spoke to student-athletes about balancing athletics, academics, and other demands and to coaches about work-life balance, he spoke from experience, and he spoke from the heart with care and love.
While many saw Father Myron as the quiet, dutiful Benedictine monk, those who worked closely with him fortunately got to enjoy his unique sense of humor. He may begin a meeting with a humorous athletic experience or joke that he may be contacting a few teams to let them know he had several innings left in his arm. His quiet demeanor would become spirited and animated when discussing the successes of Bearcat teams. His enduring support for the student-athletes and the coaches of Saint Vincent continued throughout his tenure as director of athletics and beyond.
Father Myron emphasized the broader lessons of athletics. The link between hard work and success. The importance of conducting oneself with integrity in victory and in defeat. Always, he emphasized personal responsibility over winning percentage. Still, we know that Father Myron’s spirit will be uplifted with each Saint Vincent victory.
Father Myron’s exceptional, understated strength continues to inspire all those who were fortunate enough to work alongside him. For this, Father Myron, we thank you, and we miss you dearly.