Cramer gets the call from the national hall

He was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Hall of Fame late last century and a was a member of the inaugural class of the Grafton High School Athletic Hall of Fame a few years ago.

Now Kip Cramer’s decades of dedication, skill and gridiron glory have earned him higher recognition.

Cramer is being inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

His list of thank yous are about as long as his accumulation of accomplishments.

“Everybody perceives this as an individual award. There are so many people behind all this who have helped me over the years,” Cramer said.

Cramer, who turned 85 on Tuesday, is from Rockford, Ill., where he lettered in football, wrestling, baseball and track. He was captain of the freshman football team at the University of Illinois and later played for Iowa Wesleyan, where he played defensive end and was named most valuable player and co-captain as a senior.

He earned a master’s degree at the University of Michigan and coached the defensive line there before becoming defensive coordinator and line and linebackers coach for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for two years. He spent six years as defensive coordinator and line coach at Northern Illinois and went on a recruiting trip to Grafton High School.

“You’re coming here,” Cramer said he remembers athletic director John Bliese telling him.

He moved his family to Grafton in 1975 and never left.

Cramer coached Grafton football for 24 years and compiled a 154-79 record, reaching 100 wins in just 11 seasons. He led teams to Division II titles in 1981 — an undefeated squad — and 1982. The team was runner-up in 1977 and 1984.

Cramer’s teams won eight conference titles and made the playoffs eight times. Cramer received six District Coach of the Year awards and five Conference Coach of the Year awards.

Cramer was among the first to bring the platoon system, in which players played offense or defense but not both, from college.

“Everybody said you can’t do that in high school. Just watch us,” Cramer said. “You get more guys to have a say in the outcome of the program. The more people you can get to participate, the happier the parents are too.”

In addition, platooning allows coaches to coach players during games.

“You’re able to make adjustments and be able to be positive,” Cramer said.

“It promoted a little more of a professional environment. It was supposed to provide some meaning, and hopefully it did,” Cramer said.

Some of his former players, many of whom went on to play Division 1 college football and some who have been inducted into the Grafton High School Athletic Hall of Fame, sing their former coach’s praise.

Lineman and Hall of Fame member Tom Garrity said when Kramer was named coach, “That changed everything.”

One of Cramer’s assistant coaches and fellow Hall of fame member Dennis Goecke said Cramer “had me at times standing on the sideline so pumped up that I wanted to go into the game.”

Among the accolades Cramer gives for his success, his wife of more than 50 years heads the list. Patsy missed just one of his games in 36 years of coaching.

His son Scott played for and coached with his father, and last year was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Hall of Fame. He is the defensive coordinator for Verona.

His daughter Kathy worked with Ozaukee Press managing editor Nancy Mersereau on the school newspaper.

“Family has been the real supportive thing,” Cramer said.

The consistency of the team’s leadership also contributed to the Black Hawks’ success.

“We maintained a coaching staff for many, many years of really loyal dedicated guys. They worked so hard not for me but with me,” Cramer said.

He also found harmony with Grafton’s administrators — Bliese, High School Principal Leonard Petrowiak and Supt. Jim Murray.

“I had such  an outstanding relationship with the administration. They knew what the program was all about and supported it 100%,” Cramer said.

Parents of the players also played a vital role.

“Without their support, there is no program,” Cramer said.

The Hawks’ supporters traveled well.

“You cannot forget the student body. We had more people at some of our away games than the home team did. It was really wild,” Cramer said.

Then there were those who put on the pads and laced up the cleats.

“Of course we had the players. They’re the ones who provided the results. We had all-state guys. A lot went onto college levels and even the pros,” Cramer said. “They were very honest in their efforts and they gave a lot of time and commitment to the program.”

He has attended former players’ weddings and watched their children grow up playing the sport he loves.

Cramer also lauded his team managers and longtime statistician Lori Steinbach, who taught math at the high school.

“All those years she never missed a game,” he said.

Cramer said he was fortunate to learn from fellow great college coaches.

“My college background helped me a lot. When it came to Grafton, I decided I wasn’t going to change much as far as the program as far as procedures,” Cramer said.

He is thrilled to see Grafton back on top of the gridiron. The Hawks took home a silver ball in 2024 and won the Division 3 title last season.

“I’m really happy for Jim Norris and his staff. That administration now is back to like it was with Mr. Murray and Lenny and John, and Jim’s doing an unbelieavable job with the results he’s shown,” Cramer said.

He was shocked when he got the call about his induction from WFCA board member John Hoch. Cramer was in his truck in the garage ready to head to his vacation spot in Eagle River, where he competes in muskie fishing.

“I thought he was talking about Scotty,” he said. “There are a lot of guys out there who are great coaches. I’m just very proud and humble being in that category.”

Only two coaches from each state are allowed to be nominated for the NHSACA Hall of Fame.

Now Cramer joins that distinguished group.

“We were really trying to have a program that meant something, not just participation. It was really going to be a lifetime memory,” he said. “I thank God that it has worked out the way it has.”