For decades, the family name Sturm has been known not only for coaching, teaching or career accomplishments, but because of members of the family’s ability to encourage and have compassion for those around them.
From the late 1960s through beyond his retirement in 1999, Richard Sturm Sr. was more than a coach or a teacher at OHS — he was a role model and beloved member of the Oakville community. He was also a father, the kind of dad who, according to his son, you could always look up to, the kind of coach who always knew what to say to lift you up, and the kind of teacher that understood that success began with mutual respect. He was the perfect example of a role model, and much like his dad, current baseball and softball coach and gym teacher Richard Sturm Jr. came to adopt his father’s leadership qualities.
“I’ve tried to model myself after him. I do what I do as a teacher and a coach because of him, and I wanted to be just like him,” Sturm Jr. said. “I am so fortunate to have such a great role model and someone who set so many examples and have someone I was able to learn not just about the game, but also how to lead a team and have these conversations with your team and how do you motivate kids.”
When hired into the Mehlville School District in the late 1960s, Sturm Sr. became one of Oakville’s foundational figures. He wasn’t just an amazing coach, according to his previous players, he was a respected person, serving as the head baseball coach from the 1980s to the ‘90s, and later he continued his involvement after retirement as a volunteer assistant coach with the softball team. For those who knew him, he taught with patience, coached with heart and lived with purpose. That same purpose has been carried by his son, Sturm Jr., who followed in his footsteps by joining him as a teacher and coach. Together they have left a lasting impact on students and athletes, building a sense of community.
“What he understood was that in order to motivate people to change or to try something new, they had to trust him and that there had to be mutual respect. That is one of the things I think my dad did exceptionally well,” Sturm Jr. said. “Everybody loved him, everybody wanted to play for him, everybody wanted to have him in class as a teacher. He had a very big heart and was a kind, compassionate person.”
Although his players respected him, they also loved him. They played hard for him not out of fear, but because they wanted to give their all for someone who believed in them, someone who made the game fun and worth playing.
“Sports are meant to be fun. Yes, we want to win and be there to compete, but we have to be able to show up to a practice and a game enjoying what you are doing,” Sturm Jr. said. “If you talked to former players of his, they would tell you how much they loved playing for him and how much fun they had. If they could do it all over again, they would.”
After Sturm Sr. stopped teaching in ‘98 and retired from coaching in ‘99, he never fully left Oakville. He continued to be involved, showed up to games and helped whoever, whenever he could. He believed in giving back, as the community was a part of him. He loved the students, the athletes, the families, and they loved him right back.
In January, Sturm Sr. received a call from St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame, bringing him the news that after 10 years of being inducted into their Hall of Fame, he was nominated for the Bob Broeg Award. This award is to recognize his lifetime achievements, honoring his decades of service, compassion and impact on amateur baseball.
Unfortunately, Sturm Sr. passed away not long after receiving the news on March 18.
As his son, Sturm Jr., prepares to give his father’s acceptance speech this month, he does this not just as a fellow coach or teacher, but as a son who adored his dad and who still carries on his lessons and legacy every single day. Additionally, a decade after his father’s induction, Sturm Jr. will be joining his father in the Hall of Fame, continuing a legacy built on compassion, leadership and heart.
“I had an outstanding role model at first as a dad, but then to follow in his footsteps as a teacher and a coach. For me to follow in his footsteps and be in the hall with him is honestly the biggest honor for me and the most humbling experience,” Sturm Jr. said. “It makes me so proud to join him. I love my dad so much, it is going to be a tremendous honor to get inducted with him.”
Although Richard Sturm Sr. is no longer with us, his presence can still be felt all around Oakville — in the dugout, in classrooms and in the stories from former players and students. His legacy is not only the plaques or awards, but the entire community that he has helped shape with his humility and dedication.
He showed the community that being a great coach or teacher isn’t only about strategy or the outcome — it is about having heart. And that was what Richard Sturm Sr. was all about.
“…That is one of the things I think my dad did exceptionally well: everybody loved him, everybody wanted to play for him, everybody wanted to have him in class as a teacher,” Sturm Jr. said. “He had a very big heart and was a kind, compassionate person… I think that the students or the players that either had him in class or played for him knew that about him and that’s why they loved him so much.”
