Packerland legend steps down

One of Northeastern Wisconsin’s winningest basketball coaches has stepped down on her own terms after 23 seasons at Kewaunee.

Lynn Geier, whose teams went 410-151 in her two stints as head coach, finishes her career with the fifth-most wins by a female girls basketball coach in Wisconsin history, and is 44th overall on the state list.

She submitted her resignation earlier this season, but asked the administration to hold it as she didn’t want to distract from the record-breaking boys or girls basketball campaigns.

“I’ve been preparing myself for this decision since I took this senior group when they were freshman,” Geier said. “Part of my preparation was to find an assistant coach that I could mentor, and who was serious and compassionate about taking the program over. I feel very comfortable and confident with whom I’ve been mentoring (Ellie Olsen) in hoping she will be named my successor.”

The Storm went 22-6 this year, earning a three-peat as Packerland Conference champions and winning back-to-back regional titles.

“Obviously the closer you get to something, the tougher it is to handle,” Geier said. “Knowing that I made the decision to resign was always in the back of my mind — when would be the final game for me?”

Her last timeout came March 7, a tough overtime loss to St. Mary’s Catholic at Brillion in a Div. 4 sectional final, 58-56.

“Knowing it was possible, and a couple possessions either way could have given us the win is something you look back on,” Geier said. “But I am just proud of this team for continuing to battle throughout the season, and especially the post-season, to accomplish what they did knowing this was their last year as well. I also told them to continue to put things in perspective knowing there is so much we all should be grateful for.”

That included a hard-fought, 75-69 sectional semifinal win over Manitowoc Lutheran, a team that had eliminated the Storm in overtime in a sectional semifinal the year prior.

In her two stints of coaching over 23 seasons, her teams have won 13 Packerland Conference championships. Eight of them have been solo (1990, ’91, 2017, ’19, ’20, ’21, ’25 and ‘26) and five shared (1992, 2011, ’12, ’13, ’24), one with Southern Door, three with Algoma and one with Sevastopol. Three were as the Indians, and eight — including the first season of the mascot name change, 2010-’11 — as the Storm.

Some of her most memorable seasons were from 2011-2013, which included a silver ball as Div. 3 state runner-up and two golds back-to-back in 2012 and 2013.

“Being able to share these years and memories with my daughter Nicole by my side was and always will be priceless,” Geier said. “In 2014-2017 once again with my daughter Brooke by my side will always be cherished, winning multiple conference and regional titles with her.”

Having daughters as players and later as assistant coaches was indeed special, but Geier said every team brought something unique in different ways.

“It makes me proud to have built such a great tradition and legacy for Kewaunee girls basketball,” Geier said. “But I didn’t do this alone. I have been blessed with great assistant coaches and great athletes by my side along the way that I will always be grateful for.”

A firm believer in not wasting energy on things you can’t control, Geier preached focusing on attitude and effort; things like discipline, character and accountability, showing up every day and treating others as you would want to be treated.

“As a coach I have always fully committed myself, and always been confident in myself, our mission and philosophies within my program,” Geier said. “I never let the outside pressures or doubt toward my players or coaches ever affect my confidence or change my game plan. It was always about team first and protecting our players, by keeping a positive, healthy environment on our court internally.”

A ”no regrets” person, Geier said she always tries to be positive.

“I make my bed every morning to start my day off by completing my first task, and continue to build off of that in having a productive day,” she said.

Geier is a paraprofessional in the Kewaunee school district, working with 4K children twice a week. She also watches her grandchildren once a week, or whenever needed.

“The rest of the week is mine, which is much needed,” Geier said. “I will be focusing on my family and of course the ‘grandkiddos’ — Parker who’ll be three in May, and Walker who is seven months — where needed, but also very much on myself. I like to stay active and work out as well, so I am looking forward to getting myself off the shelf and getting some ‘me’ time.”

Next week, in part two, we’ll hear more from Coach Geier including her thoughts on the MVP of her household, husband Jeff “Fonz” Geier.