Klekar achieves tri-fecta at UIL state tournaments

  • Robert Klekar indicates an out call during the Class 1A state championship game between Hermleigh and D'Hannis played Wednesday, June 1 at Red and Charline McCombs Field in Austin
    Robert Klekar indicates an out call during the Class 1A state championship game between Hermleigh and D'Hannis played Wednesday, June 1 at Red and Charline McCombs Field in Austin
  • Kenneth Leopold, Tommy Schuette, E.L. Moore and Boston Gates, members of the Tri-County Umpire Chapter, were selected to call the Class 3A state semi-final softball game between Coahoma and Franklin played Wednesday, June 1 in Austin.
    Kenneth Leopold, Tommy Schuette, E.L. Moore and Boston Gates, members of the Tri-County Umpire Chapter, were selected to call the Class 3A state semi-final softball game between Coahoma and Franklin played Wednesday, June 1 in Austin.

    One could say, Robert Klekar, a softball umpire for the past 12 years, reached the tri-fecta this past Wednesday when he was part of an umpiring crew at the University Interscholastic League (UIL)  state softball tournament. 

    Selected by the UIL, Klekar was assigned the first base umpiring position for the Class 1A Hermleigh-D’Hannis title game.

    As a result of having that opportunity, it helped him complete a three-fold distinction of not only getting to umpire a state tournament game, but also serve an assistant coach for the 1995 Hallettsville Brahmas state championship baseball team.

    In addition, he completed a third tournament highlight when he watched his daughter, Cherise, pitch both the state softball semifinals and finals games in 2009.

    “When I think about the three opportunities, it leaves me wondering how did I get so lucky,” Klekar said. 

    A member of the Tri-County Umpiring chapter out of Yoakum, Klekar said he and other members of the chapter, including E.L. Moore and Boston Gates of Yoakum, Tommy Schuette of Shiner and Kenneth Leopold and
    Terry Patek of Hallettsville,  have called a number of softball playoff games over the past years. 

    He considers the chance to umpire at the state tournament the highlight of his umpiring career.

    Klekar said he was notified by email a couple of weeks before the state tournament by the UIL that he had been selected to call a state tournament game.

    “I got chills just reading the email,” Klekar said of his first feelings of being notified. 

    Klekar said he then had mixed feelings about the chance because he felt his friend and fellow umpire E.L. Moore should have been the one selected. 

    “After I got the call and was told I was one of 18 umpires across the state to get to call in a state championship, I thought wow,” Klekar said. “But then I called E.L. and found out no one else had been picked, I was then upset because I felt he (E.L.) should go instead of me.”

    However, Klekar disappointment turned to joy when  on the weekend prior to state softball tournament the UIL notified the Tri-County Chapter that a crew had been selected to call in the tournament.

    “I got even more excited about getting to call after hearing that other chapter members would have the same opportunity,” Klekar said. 

    Moore, Gates and Leopold got the distinction of calling the Class 3A state semi-final game between Coahoma and Franklin, while Schuette served as alternate for the game.

    In 1995, when the Brahma baseball team won the first state championship, Klekar coached at first base.

    “You know, winning state that year was our first state championship for the entire school,” Klekar said. “It was a wonderful accomplishment and feeling. I can imagine what the girls (Lady Brahma softball team) is going through right now.”

    Klekar said he remembers after the ’95 state game, he was holding his daughter Cherise, who at the time was around three years old, for a photo.

    Little did he know at the time that when Cherise reached high school age, she would help lead the Lady Brahmas to their first state tournament appearance. 

    In 2009, Cherise pitched a no-hitter in the Class 2A state semi-final game against Early  and the next day also was in the circle against Brock for the state championship.

    However, the Lady Brahmas came up short in the Brock game, but Cherise’s no hitter is one of very few ever thrown in UIL softball state tournament history.

    Klekar was present for Thursday’s state championship game and got to watch Kaylie Olivarez pitch the Lady Brahmas to its first state title.

    “I can remember watching Kaylie’s dad (Gary) and boy I could see he was just so into the game,” Klekar said. “I thought that had to be me when Cherise was pitching.”

    Klekar said the opportunity to call  first base at the Red and Charline McCombs Field and coach first base at the UFCU Disch-Falk Field and to say he got to umpire a state game the same year the Lady Brahmas won state in softball are chances he will always remember