From Playing to Planting, Susan Matzat Gives It Her All

Systems Architect Susan Matzat is the first to admit she has never been the fastest player on the softball field. But what she lacks in speed, she more than makes up for in hitting, fielding, and motivation to give it her all at every at-bat.

“I am good at placing the ball into open spaces and know I need to hit it just far enough to get myself onto base. It’s all about getting myself in position to move on and hopefully score a run,” says Susan.

Susan has been playing softball since high school, but her playing career almost ended before it began.

“My freshman year, I was at the door to sign up and try out for the team, but I chickened out and left,” she says. “I kicked myself for that decision all year and was determined to make the team the following year.”

Thanks to her natural ability, Susan made the team despite never having picked up a bat before. “I remember that it was about the third game I played in that I finally asked someone how many balls and strikes you got as a batter,” she laughs. “I never thought about it before because I had always managed to get a hit.”

She went on to play fast-pitch softball at UW-Whitewater and—thanks to studying the rules of the game—also became an umpire. After graduation, she moved on to the community rec league circuit, first to fast-pitch and later to slow-pitch softball. 

“I’ve played with or against many of the same people for the past 30 years,” Susan says. She also coached youth teams for many years and still volunteers as an umpire.

In 2022, Susan was a member of the Atomic Fireballs, which competed in the Wisconsin Senior Olympics. The team won the gold medal, earning it the right to compete in the 2023 National Senior Games.

Susan’s commitment to giving it her all applies to all areas of her professional and personal life. As a member of Acuity’s Agency Interface Team, she earned the ACORD Community Leadership Award for her commitment to leadership in standards development, advocacy, and volunteerism. Volunteerism is nothing new to Susan: she earned the prestigious Statesman Award from the Jaycees before aging out of the organization at 40. 

When she’s not playing softball, Susan still loves to be outside. She enjoys hunting and fishing and is a member of Tri-County Sportswomen. Gardening is also her passion. She helps her parents, who live in Madison, with their gardens, maintains a vegetable and flower garden at her home in Fond du Lac, and tends a plot in Acuity’s employee gardens at our headquarters. This year’s wet weather has been challenging, but the crops and flowers are growing well under Susan’s care.

“If you need any gardening tips, just give me a call,” she says.