Coaching baseball has always been a bit unique. With all the information available on the internet and the fact that so many people played the sport growing up, everyone is qualified on some level to coach. Typically a coach's personal playing experience is held up as the standard for being highly qualified and in many cases that extra experience is truly beneficial.
While many former players make great coaches, I believe a proven track record in coaching is just as much or more valuable. Many excellent coaches did not have stellar playing careers. In my time as an HS and College coach, however, I was heavily invested in being at the top of my game. When your livelihood is heavily dependent on the success of your team on the field, you have a laser-focused approach toward player development and winning games. I lean on the experience I gained in my coaching career every time I work with a player.
I returned to Lubbock Christian University, where I finished my playing career to serve as the Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator in July of 2003. Getting a late start to recruiting was a challenge, and the first year we finished 36-28 after qualifying for the playoffs and losing in the regional tournament. One year later the team improved to 53-15 and lost in the Regional final championship to eventual National Champion Oklahoma City University.
The 2006 season saw LCU return to the NAIA College World Series and another 50 win season ending with a record of 50-17. An incredible 3rd place finish at the World Series saw the team beat the number one team in the country, Lewis and Clark State in the first game and the eventual runner up Cumberland, Tenessee in a mid-series matchup.
In my 3 seasons, 2 pitchers were drafted in the 10th and 26th rounds and 2 others signed free agent contracts.
My coaching career began unofficially in 1996 as I volunteered during my student teaching experience under legendary Texas High School Coach Bobby Moegle. The Monterey Plainsmen were 5A state champs and I helped work with pitchers during practices and games.
My first paid coaching job was at Amarillo High school from 1996 - 2003.
I started as a 9th grade football and 9th grade and JV baseball coach. I served in this role for 3 seasons.
In my fourth year I took over the Varsity Head coaching role. Following up on a 9 game district losing streak, my first team lost all 12 district games. The following season the team finished tied for the district championship with an 8-4 mark. The season finished up with a Regional Quarterfinals loss to eventual state champion Midland HS. This marked the first time in over 10 years that an Amarillo ISD baseball team had advanced in the state playoffs. This following season finished with the same fate, but an outright district championship unseated perennial powerhouse Monterey. In my four years as the head coach, I received the District 3-5A coach of the year honors three times. Multiple players went on to play college baseball at the Junior College, Division II, and III levels. Two moved on to Division I programs from their Junior Colleges.
My coaching career came to a close after 2 seasons at Mansfield Legacy HS. Opening a new school where our first team had only 1 player with any varsity playing experience, our first year was a struggle. But like all my previous stops, continual improvement was evident in my final year when the team finished one win away from a playoff berth. Multiple players I coached in those two years later went on to play college and pro baseball.
I returned to HS coaching in 2007, taking over a Levelland Lobo program that had seen recent regular-season success but hadn't found success in the playoffs. After gaining momentum by beating a district powerhouse for the first time in many years, the team went 3 rounds deep in the playoffs.
In addition to the teams I coached, I also was in charge of running instructional camps each year. Ranging from 50 - 200 participants, the weeklong camps provided a great opportunity to share sound fundamental instruction for athletes of all ages.
In addition to the large group camps, during my LCU stint, I also spent time working with pitchers in 1 on 1 and small group lesson formats.
My passion for developing youth baseball players stems from the opportunities that baseball afforded me. The game made everything I have today possible and it is a passion of mine to give back to the game that provided me so much. While my "success" as a player doesn't make me a good coach, it provides some fun memories. I played with and against several players that went on to way more success than I could have ever dreamed of having in the game. Through those experiences, I have a lot of great memories, but none of that solidifies me as a great coach. However, I do believe my coaching experience gives me a leg up on helping your pitcher succeed.
Some of my favorite playing career memories include;
