Coach Ad Rutschman explores ‘winning with class’ in new book
Book review by Rusty Rae, McMinnville N-R/News-Register, July 30, 2021
During the winter of 1968, two pals and I from the Linfield College student newspaper were the first to interview newly-hired Linfield head football coach Ad Rutschman.
We were pretty excited about the interview since we would scoop four daily newspapers, two each in Portland and Salem.
With a portable tape recorder in hand, we’d be doing a question and answer interview.
We prepared for the interview with written questions for the brief 15 minutes we had between halftime at a Linfield men’s basketball game. Midway through the interview one of us asked him, “Coach, how do you think the team will do next year?”
Rutschman answered, “Well, I haven’t really had time to study the roster, but I’m not coming here to win football games — I’m really coming here to develop players into strong men.”
St. Vince -- NFL Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi -- revered for winning NFL championships and his “winning isn’t everything” — it’s the only thing quote flashed through our collective minds. I thought to myself “What? How will Linfield ever win another football game?”
Some 50 years later, after four national championships (three in football and one in baseball) for the Linfield Wildcats, Ad Rutschman’s secret sauce for success is now available in his recently released book, “Winning with Class.”
Written with Portland-based writer and publisher Carl Casanova, the 168-page book allows readers an inside look at Rutschman’s formula for success. Built around his second national championship win in 1984, when the Wildcats rallied from a 22-0 deficit to top the defending national champion 33-22, readers will not only find numerous nuggets of valuable advice on performance improvement but also understand Rutschman’s personal story.
The book provides a roadmap for anyone interested in improving their lot in life. Rutschman breaks down the formula for success in all six chapters. As he told the three of us in that initial interview, the focus isn’t on winning but on building people and programs, with the knowledge that if one follows that regimen, the winning will follow.
Each chapter focuses on one of the primary building blocks Rutschman used for his successful career. While most may remember his four national titles at Linfield, the book highlights the fact Rutschman is perhaps the only coach in history to win national championships in football and baseball at the collegiate level and state championships at the high school level.
It would be difficult to translate those chapters into a few concise words, but here are six compelling gems from Ad:
-The mental precedes the physical, and one must first get themselves in the right state of mind, and then act.
-What happens to us is one thing; how we deal with it is the most critical part.
-Formula for winning: People, preparation, performance.
-On the team, you may have marginal ability, but not marginal attitude.
-Your input affects thoughts, thoughts become actions, the action develops into habit and habits become your character.
-Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
In addition to these many aphorisms, there are many examples of how the application of these principles has led young men to success in their lives after football and Linfield. The application of the principles these men learned through Rutschman give credence to the Rutschman way. The stories of Steve Pickering and J.P. Ming stand as examples of how adhering to those principles aided them in being successful in their lives after Linfield.
Though the writing is not fluid and occasionally meanders from the main story, Rutschman called the more than year-long project nearly as difficult as winning a national championship. Though he had been asked about writing a book many times, Rutschman’s answer was always, “Don’t know how; not interested.”
But former Linfield head coach Jay Locey persisted and one day presented Rutschman with the opportunity to work with Casanova to produce the book. Little did Rutschman know the toil he would put into the process. The soon-to-be nonagenarian notes, “If I would have known how much work it would have taken up front, I wouldn’t have done it.”
On reflection, Rutschman says he’s happy with the result and believes it gives readers insights into how they may use and apply these principles into their development.
While the book became a true labor of love, those who read it will feel grateful for the gift of Rutschman’s philosophy of life brought to life.
Though the book is available through Amazon for $24.95, Rutschman is offering it for $18, including shipping. Orders can be placed by sending a check to Team Rutschman, 2142 NW Pinehurst Drive, McMinnville, OR 97128. If there are questions regarding the order, email teamrutschman@gmail.com
