MADISON — Former Cuba City boys basketball coach Jerry Petitgoue set a record, unlike nearly all sports records, may never be broken.

Petitgoue won 1,027 games in 52 seasons at Cuba City and before that four seasons at Gratiot (now part of Black Hawk) to become the winningest high school basketball coach in Wisconsin history. Petitgoue’s Cubans won three state titles, finished second once, made four other state tournament appearances.

The Cubans went 25–0 in 2019–20 before the COVID pandemic ended the state boys basketball postseason.

Petitgoue was named the 2019–20 National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Petitgoue got another honor last week. The state Assembly named Petitgoue one of the recipients of a state Assembly 2023–24 Hometown Hero Award in a ceremony in the State Capitol.

The legislative citation noted not just Petitgoue’s career accomplishments but that he “throughout his long career has had a positive influence as a teacher, coach, community leader and mentor on the lives of countless student athletes.”

“Coach Petitgoue’s efforts have resulted in generations of successful young people becoming productive community-driven members of society and leaders in Southwest Wisconsin,” wrote state Rep. Travis Tranel (R–Cuba City) in his nomination letter. “A leader both on and off the basketball court, Coach Petitgoue has dedicated his life to the Cuba City community and has positively impacted the lives of countless students throughout his decades of dedicated service as an educator, school board member, athletic director, mentor and head coach.”

The Galena native and University of Dubuque graduate has the CCHS gym named for him. The University of Dubuque created the Jerry Petitgoue award to honor alumni coaches.