Local coaching assistant mentoring players in three sports

Press Sports Editor
sports@presspublications.com

Eric Dusseau is Oak Harbor personified.
The 2004 Oak Harbor graduate, who earned 10 letters playing football, basketball and baseball as a student, is working at the school as an assistant coach of those same three teams. He’s overseen successes within all three sports and is busy working to help those teams accomplish loftier goals.
He has the respect of the coaches he works with, and the experience and credibility when it comes to working with the players.
Head football coach, Mike May, who has led the program for 16 years, has had Dusseau with him for over a decade and has seen his assistant coach grow into accepting larger roles with the team. Dusseau is the quarterbacks coach and coaches the defensive line.
“He always has the defensive line playing hard and they take great pride in that. During practice, they sprint from drill to drill and always give tremendous effort,” said May. “On the offensive side of the ball, Eric is heavily involved with weekly game planning and also works with (offensive coordinator) Scott Schulte on play calling duties on Friday nights.
“When Eric first started with us, he was a position coach who possessed a great knowledge of the game. Over the years, he has taken on more responsibility, which has helped us as a program. He does a great job of staying on an even keel on game days and remains steady in pressure situations. That approach definitely helps our quarterbacks stay calm regardless of the situation we may be in.”
In the last six seasons, the Rockets have won four league titles, one regional championship and advanced as far as the regional semifinals three times. And they’ll bring a number of key players back next fall.
Dusseau also coaches basketball with Eric Sweet, who has rebuilt a program that had fallen on hard times when he took over.
Dusseau coached basketball at the junior high for three years and is now in his sixth season as an assistant with Sweet.
“Coach Dusseau is my varsity assistant and is my right-hand man when it comes to my varsity team. He is directly in charge of subbing but has roles in game planning, game management, scouting reports and daily practice roles,” said Sweet. “In basketball, you have to be involved in a little bit of everything, but during the game he does manage the subbing pattern and helps out play calling when he has an itch that something will work.
“He has grown as a coach and I have also grown as a coach with him on my staff. He brings a different style of coaching and knowledge than I do and we have grown together over the years and have enjoyed every minute of it.”
Under Sweet’s tenure, the Rockets won their first league title in 19 years and the first sectional title in 19 years. Now, Oak Harbor is a bonafide competitor in the Northern Buckeye Conference and was competitive before that in the Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division.
Sweet knows how much it matters to a local resident like Dusseau to be part of the program.
“I think it is a great honor that all coaches in the three sports want and need Eric to be a part of their program. I think he views it as a huge honor but also views it as giving back to the school that he loves. He was born and raised in this area, played in high school and is now able to give back and help mold and create the next generation of Rockets,” said Sweet. “I am proud to coach in Oak Harbor and be a part of the programs, but that is a different pride and honor when you come from the system. When we are in big moments, often Coach Duss will step up with a story from a different time ago of Oak Harbor. He has great pride in Oak Harbor.”
Nick Lance oversees a good baseball program, and he’s had Dusseau as an assistant for eight years. Dusseau coaches the JV team and assists with outfielders in the program.
“Each year, he continues to help develop our young JV players, which helps to provide us at the varsity level with quality players,” Lance said. “More so, he’s just a positive role model for our kids and holds them accountable to the standards of the program.
“Eric is the epitome of what it means to be a Rocket. He plays a vital role in each of the programs he's a part of. It's apparent that he wants his high school to be the best it can whether it be athletically and/or academically.”
May summed up just what Dusseau means to the school district and the community.
“Eric loves Oak Harbor as much as anyone that I have ever known. Since the very first day of coaching football here, he has been willing to do anything to help the program,” said May. “Eric has coached the JV offense for many years, which has helped our kids develop their skills in preparation to be varsity players. It is rare these days to have someone who teaches full time and is willing to invest the time to coach three sports. We are very fortunate to have Eric here at Oak Harbor. He has a tremendous impact on our kids, school and community.”