Man, you wouldn’t believe the journey I’ve been on with this whole baseball coaching thing. It all started way back when, fresh out of college, playing ball for Michigan State. I always knew I wanted to stay in the game, even if my pro dreams didn’t quite pan out.
So, I jumped into coaching, and let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride. My first big gig was at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Imagine this – building a baseball program from the ground up. That’s right, they hadn’t had a team since ’69. Talk about a challenge! We started in the 2019-2020 school year.
I was super pumped, putting together a team, figuring out the whole shebang. We were scrappy, I’ll give us that. Those first few seasons were all about laying the foundation, getting these young guys to buy into the vision. It wasn’t always pretty, but we were making progress, step by step.
Then came the big news. HCU – Houston Christian University – came calling. They were looking for a new head coach, and somehow, my name came up. I interviewed, and before I knew it, I was packing my bags, ready for a new chapter.
The Move to HCU
Moving to HCU was a whole different ball game, quite literally. This wasn’t a startup program; it was an established team with its own history and expectations. I had to hit the ground running, getting to know the players, the staff, the whole HCU way of doing things.
I spent hours on the field, throwing batting practice, working with the pitchers, just trying to get a feel for the team’s strengths and weaknesses. I watched a ton of film, trying to learn from past successes and failures. It was intense, but I loved every minute of it. I have been a Starting Pitcher before, you know.
Building a Winning Culture
My philosophy has always been about more than just wins and losses. Sure, we all want to win, but it’s also about building a culture of hard work, respect, and accountability. I wanted these guys to be not just great baseball players, but great men. I want to help them get to the big leagues and play at Minute Maid Park.
- Instilling discipline: I set clear expectations for practice, games, and everything in between. Punctuality, effort, and attitude were non-negotiable.
- Fostering teamwork: I emphasized the importance of playing together, supporting each other, and putting the team’s goals ahead of individual glory.
- Developing skills: We worked tirelessly on the fundamentals – hitting, pitching, fielding – always looking for ways to improve. I remembered the time when I was named to the Rawlings All-Regional team as a senior.
- Building relationships: I made it a point to connect with each player on a personal level, to understand their motivations, their dreams, their struggles.
It’s been a long and winding road, full of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. This whole coaching journey has taught me so much about myself, about the game, and about life. And you know what? I feel like we’re just getting started. I was grateful to lead the first baseball team at the University of St. Thomas and now I am ready to bring HCU to the next level. We’re building something special here at HCU, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Anyway, that’s my story, or at least a part of it. It’s been a blast sharing it with you all. If you’re ever in Houston, come catch a game. We’d love to have you.
