It is now mid-June and the NCAA Division III season has been history for a couple of weeks. Though we didn't win the Regional or National Championship, 2011 was a rewarding season with great players and fellow coaches. We finished second in the country in team ERA, behind the National Champion Marietta College team. We were also the only team to shut out Marietta this season, beating them 2-0 in Florida in early March.
I am still in the classroom for another week or so, but a new baseball season has begun for me. I am helping coach the Adrian American Legion team for the summer. Two years ago I helped Coach Aaron Klotz during the last three weeks of their season and was planning to join him again in the dugout last summer. Unfortunately I had a health issue and took the summer off, and now with Coach Klotz coaching Logan and the 8U Adrian Dirtbags I have decided to help new coach Don Cappelletty with the Post 275 Legion team.
We were able to have two practices before last night's first doubleheader against Brooklyn, and for those practices we were without the Tecumseh High School players who had advanced to the state quarterfinals that were played on Tuesday. I congratulate their high school team, and all four of out Tecumseh players played in last night's opening doubleheader.
We won both games last night by scores of 3-1 and 3-2, and then won game #1 of the Blissfield Tournament today 3-2 before getting rained out in game #2. It's great to win games, but I've gotta confess that just being out there at practice, and especially being in the dugout for the games, is a special thing for me.
Coach Klotz has been telling me that he enjoys the constant coaching he gets to do now with the eight year olds, and I echo his feelings now as I have the privilege of working with high school age players.
For a long time, I have defined coaching as 'teaching and developing/nurturing relationships'. With players I have never coached before (other than working with them occasionally at camps, etc.) I now have this opportunity to teach them and interact with them virtually every day, every game, every inning, and every pitch.
I have to admit, for me, this beats just about anything else I could be doing!!!!
I have more exciting things happening, but I'll save that for another time!!
I am still in the classroom for another week or so, but a new baseball season has begun for me. I am helping coach the Adrian American Legion team for the summer. Two years ago I helped Coach Aaron Klotz during the last three weeks of their season and was planning to join him again in the dugout last summer. Unfortunately I had a health issue and took the summer off, and now with Coach Klotz coaching Logan and the 8U Adrian Dirtbags I have decided to help new coach Don Cappelletty with the Post 275 Legion team.
We were able to have two practices before last night's first doubleheader against Brooklyn, and for those practices we were without the Tecumseh High School players who had advanced to the state quarterfinals that were played on Tuesday. I congratulate their high school team, and all four of out Tecumseh players played in last night's opening doubleheader.
We won both games last night by scores of 3-1 and 3-2, and then won game #1 of the Blissfield Tournament today 3-2 before getting rained out in game #2. It's great to win games, but I've gotta confess that just being out there at practice, and especially being in the dugout for the games, is a special thing for me.
Coach Klotz has been telling me that he enjoys the constant coaching he gets to do now with the eight year olds, and I echo his feelings now as I have the privilege of working with high school age players.
For a long time, I have defined coaching as 'teaching and developing/nurturing relationships'. With players I have never coached before (other than working with them occasionally at camps, etc.) I now have this opportunity to teach them and interact with them virtually every day, every game, every inning, and every pitch.
I have to admit, for me, this beats just about anything else I could be doing!!!!
I have more exciting things happening, but I'll save that for another time!!
Where are you located? My brother needs a pitching coach, and I google searched and you guys came up. He's 11
ReplyDeleteMike...???!!!
ReplyDeleteWe are in Adrian, Michigan......you can email at gtathletic@hotmail.com or call at 517-605-1263
Gordie