I didnt personally Coach a team at Eaton Park. I wasnt subjected to being strapped with tunnel vision. I was finally able to witness as a fan, help as a consultant and score keeper, scout other teams a little, and watch our players from a different vantage point. All while being proud as the leader. I started in 2008 with a 10 year plan. People thought I was crazy. I went through 3 JV coaches and 3 varsity assistants in 3 years. The youth program has changed in leadership 3 times, Ive bumped heads with my share of other personalities within the community while trying to make and mold. I stepped in as the varsity coach March 8th 2008 and the season started March 10th. I moved in from G. Rapids and only really knew two players. Two seniors. Thaddeus MrBrucewayne Walker and DAndre Moneymaken Pryor. I gutted the team, went with 7 freshmen, finished 0-22, and that doesnt tell the story of how bad it was. It was demoralizing. We had to have lost 15 of those games by mercy rule. I found myself spending majority of the time teaching youth baseball basics to high school varsity players. That would have been a formula for disaster every year. Thats how I ended up heavily involved in our youth program. Over the past 6 years, in addition to coaching high school, Ive coached everything from Tball to Legion, in an attempt to ensure that the boys are getting what they need to excel beyond little league. We still have a ways to go. 7 years later ...... the work is finally manifesting. My high school program is in tact to be very good very soon. The youth program with the help of Elite has a good foundation of young talent and coaches. Im very inspired by where this can be as early as next year, and the following year. Inner-city baseball is practically dead in the US, and especially in the Midwest ..... but this little corner in Southwest Michigan will have a lot to say about that in the very near future! #TigerPride
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 22:28:18 +0000
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