Head Coach Pete Johnson began his coaching career by assisting local legend Dick Peper in 1993. He took the helm after Coach Peper's sudden death in the middle of the 1998 season. Pete has led the Pirates to eleven conference championships with twelve regional titles, four sectional runner-up finishes, and trips to state in 1998 and 2011. He oversees the youth baseball program during the summers, coaching junior high (since 1993) and other levels through the years. A 1986 graduate, Pete played shortstop for Grantsburg and was a four-year letter winner, three-year batting champ, two-year All-Conference player, and member of the 1984 state tournament team. He is grateful to be a product of "Peper Ball," and appreciates his role in the strong Grantsburg Baseball tradition. Pete graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1991 and taught in the Grantsburg district for 11 years, then worked at Northwestern Electric Company for 17 years before returning to the school district in 2021.
Welcome to Pirate Baseball
GHS Coaching Staff

Pete Johnson

Bryan Vilstrup
Assistant Coach Bryan Vilstrup joined the GHS coaching staff in the 2013 season. He is a 2003 graduate of Frederic High School where he was a four-year baseball letter winner, three-year All-Conference player, and a senior captain. After a successful high school career as one of the area's top pitchers, he walked on as a redshirt for the UW-Stout Blue Devil baseball team in 2004. At Stout, he earned letters all four years as a pitcher/outfielder. He was a team captain and part of the starting pitching rotation as a senior. Beginning in the summer of 2004, Bryan played men's amateur baseball with the Grantsburg Honkers. He became the team's player/manager in 2010. He is actively involved in working with youth baseball teams. Bryan works at Community Bank - Grantsburg.

Tony Stelsel
Assistant Coach Tony Stelsel joined the GHS coaching staff in the 2023 season. More info coming.