Roger Kriete, tall with broad muscular shoulders, had quickness and agility that belied his size. Athletes look for teammates with strong competitiveness and a charismatic streak to follow into battle, and Kriete was the man they followed at Wauwatosa High School. He was elected captain of both the football and volleyball teams. A two-time letterman on the football team, Kriete played end on both offense and defense. On offense, his pass routes were a thing of beauty, mixing speed and moves to go with large, soft hands, catching passes with ease. Defensively, his strength and agility weren’t the only tools at his disposal. He used his intelligence to anticipate offensive plays in such a disruptive manner most teams ran away from his side of the field. Roger was a two time 2nd team All-Conference selection. Kriete earned three letters and was captain of the volleyball team. He possessed a rare blend of delicate touch and ferocious power. He could spike, set, and dig with equal skill. Anticipation is a volleyball skill coaches can’t teach and Kriete’s came naturally. His blocking skills were unmatched. His spike was a powerful weapon he used to score many a point with. With great court awareness, he’d also score with delicate ‘dinks’ over the outstretched hands of opponents who were trying to block one of his spikes. Kriete attended UWM and was a three-time letterman in both football and basketball. He was inducted into the UWM Hall of Fame with the Panther Award of Distinction.
