Why are you quitting now, Coach?

I get this question two or three times a day. "Why are you quitting now, Coach?"

Everyone thinks that the parents are driving coaches out of this profession. I don't believe that I have ever had problems with parents. Yes, there are two or three who don't care for me. I still love being around the players, and even the umpires are OK. Well, close to OK. 

So, here is the reason:  IT IS NO FUN.  THE GAMES ARE NO FUN.

  Call all the high school baseball coaches you know and ask them if they agree. You see, we (the coaches) have allowed the powers that be, the  National Federation of State High School Associations: NFHS to ruin our game. High school baseball is boring. They took a game that was so wonderful and they brought it to its knees.

We moved to the BBCOR bats a few years ago, and suddenly, teams that could hit were punished. Teams that can pitch are almost unbeatable.

I spent 30 years teaching players the proper technique of hitting.  I have coached quite a few good hitters. Some of those players have set school records for hitting.  One even set a national record when he hit 6 consecutive home runs. ALL of these are untouchable now. Players hitting double digit home runs were fairly common on every team in the New Orleans area. Last year one player hit 10 home runs -- in a seven parish (counties) area. 

It has affected all games played. We all bunt early in the game. We are giving away the the most important thing in baseball -- OUTS. Even when players hit a ball on the screws, center fielders run them down easily. I know they restricted the speed of the ball off the bat to protect the pitchers. I understand this concept in college baseball where the players are 19-22 year old men. Their frames are filled out, their bat speed is measurable.

I don't coach them. My best hitter is 5'8', 155 pounds. Really. Being a hitting coach you may say I want it back because I was successful. Well let me take you in another direction.

All I know about pitching is that I couldn't hit the good ones.

Well everyone is a good pitcher now! There are still very talented arms and they are almost impossible to hit. In the pre-BBCOR days,  an average player could run into a fastball and get a hit if it found a hole. They have no shot now, so coaches just pitch around good hitters. The other players don't have a chance. Even when you can get ahead in the count, the pitchers just throw it right down the middle. Hit it as far as you can, and the center fielder just runs it down. Not only the bats have been affected the pitchers are too. Do you really want to teach players to throw it down the middle? Why not?  There is no penalty. Home run hitters are singles hitters now (and the old contact singles hitters don't exist). We have even created a new brand of pitchers -- soft throwing right-handers. Just flip it up there, make it move a little and let them hit it. It's not going anywhere.

I miss 10-9 games, guys hitting doubles and players scoring from first. Those days are gone. Now its 0-0 in the 2nd and we have seen three sacrifice bunts already. The good hitting teams still win. We were 29-6 last year, so it's not about winning,  The fans are sitting on their hands. The players never jump out of their seats and never get to say "Did you see that?!"

Have I thanked the  National Federation of State High School Associations: NFHS?

You have made the game I love boring, and because you did it for "SAFETY REASONS" it's here to stay. 

 Well I'm not - so farewell.

Hurting for my son

I share a school with my son and daughter-in-law. I have been here for 14 years, enjoying the status of a successful coach. I am lucky I get to see the people I love everyday. I get to share their highs and lows in real time, as it happens.

I watched my son this week get eliminated from the football playoffs, and I feel his pain. We had a real good chance to win the championship, but lost in the semi-final 35-7. This team played much better than us on this night. We lost our quarterback in the first quarter when he got hit on a long run. This is important because this was Daniel's quarterback. This was his hard work put into a 6'4" 240 pound work of art. I could feel the pain and the loss in Daniel watching him walk off the field for the last time as a Wildcat. The long hug he gave his wife spoke volumes. I have made that walk many times, and despised each one

The coaches feel the hurt as well, they watch the players' tear streaked faces and hurt for them. The coaches only get to hurt later when the players start to feel better. The coaches understand that there is another season next year, but it seems forever from right now.

To Daniel and the other coaches. it was a great year going from 4-5 to 13-1, from wanting to be winners to believing you couldn't lose if you did things right. The message you gave to your players was inspiring. that through hard work your dreams come true. Everyone wanted to be state champions, and they are hurting right now. But your players learned more about themselves through those tear stained faces than they ever would hoisting that championship trophy.

I love my family for what they do and how they do it. Daniel and Cori care and share themselves everyday with other peoples children. I know how lucky my grandchild is that they brought her into their lives.

A little bit short

The American Legion season came up a little bit short -- by about a month. We had a 16-4 record going into a three team round-robin tournament. With a pretty solid pitching staff, with good depth, we were ready for the big eight team double elimination tournaments. Only one problem --  after going 0-2 we won't be playing in those tournaments.

We really needed to play in those extremely competitive tournaments. We needed to fight our way through this, to find a way to win. But our hitting let us down, we never grasped the concept of staying on top of the baseball. We didn't do a good job of situational hitting, and we just didn't understand. We also didn't find a way to win. We didn't make big pitches, make routine plays when the game was on the line. We didn't get beat by better teams, we just gave two away.

We lost as a team, but the players lost individually. The seniors-to-be lost the most. They lost the opportunity to display their abilities. A high profile, eight team tournament draws college coaches from every school in the state. The coaches will stay for two days and watch 8 games, while evaluating the 2014 talent. They won't see our players and will wonder why. I will tell them it was a fluke, but in the end we didn't get it done.

I will never coach another American Legion game, and that is sad. I have enjoyed some great times coaching Legion baseball. Winning the 1st District championship in 1986 was my proudest moment. A public school from Algiers winning the (unofficial ) Catholic League championship. We were the first public school to win a 1st District championship in 34 years, and it has never happened again. Another fond memory was the summer of 2003. The Destrehan team that just lost the state championship to East Ascension, finished runner-up to Shaw after eliminating Jesuit in Ponchatoula. The state tournament was in Crowley, La.,  where we played for 7 days against quality teams. We played out of the losers bracket after losing the first day to the host. We played elimination games for 6 straight days winning them all until the final game --  a well played 2-1 loss to Gauthier Amedee.

The summer season is over but the preparation for the 2014 season is beginning. I am sure our players will rededicate themselves and work hard through the off season to prove that we are one of the best --  if not the best team in Louisiana.

Summer Fun

The pressures are still there, only different. There are no large crowds and the students are doing other things. So welcome to summer baseball DHS style. The temperatures will continue to climb and so will the pressure of trying to secure a starting position going into January's practices.

We have divided our players into three teams, with American Legion being the central focus. The Legion team consists of returning players for the 2014 season. There is a lot of anticipation for the 2014 team, coming off a 29-6 season and losing only four seniors. There is a lot of anticipation for this coach, as I will be coaching my last season -- my 25th. Most coaches believe that championships are won in the heat of summer, with plenty of luck in May.

We also have two younger teams (Metro), that we work with as well. This is where we develop the next wave of talented DHS players that make this a program. Incoming freshmen and our current freshmen make up these teams. They will battle each other for spots on the varsity roster as well as for playing time in the future. They will play through the month of June, and then get some much needed summer vacation. The Legion team will get no rest, as they will play in the playoffs through the month of July.

Is this a lot of baseball? It is if you ask our football coach. Summer baseball is what makes this sport so special. All men can tell you about a game or a summer team that was special to them. No one will ever say my most memorable day was the summer workouts in football, or the seven catches I made in the 7-on-7 drill. Summer is baseball -- hot, dirty, sweaty baseball in South Louisiana, where the heat index is over 100 everyday. The summer season will end when the players decide it should. Then it will time for football games and cheering on our beloved Wildcats. It's what we do between the last pitch of summer and the long-awaited first day of practice in January.

My last first day of practice in January.

Camp Life with the Coach

We are halfway through our summer baseball camp for Destrehan Wildcat hopefuls. There are 65 players ranging from 8 years old (well, one is 7) through 14 year olds. They are learning everything from the proper way to hold and throw a ball to the proper swing while letting the ball get deep. They are enjoying base running and sliding and, of course, learning how to spit.

The spitting is becoming an art form in baseball and it's not lost on these young hopefuls. They say the major league player's name and then spit like them. "Watch, watch Robinson Cano," then a spit and a swing. They have not invented this game, as every player that comes through my program will imitate some major league player. Usually the swing or throwing motion, not the spit.

We have ample space to hold a summer baseball camp. We have a full size field, a softball field and a turfed football field. We have the use of two gyms and a hitting facility with three drop down cages. We have 7 adult coaches and 40 high school players to help demonstrate. My players love the camp, and get to know the kids and remember them when were done. It is a mutual love and we allow the campers to come to our summer games for free (mom and dad get to pay).

I tell people who ask that there will be excellent teams at Destrehan after I retire. I know I have been watching this process for years, evaluating talent in our community for 12 years. I put a Destrehan Baseball shirt on every camper and start talking about "the Destrehan Way" when they are small. We don't lose players to private schools because they can't wait to be a DHS Wildcat. I can't wait to watch them myself. I love DHS Baseball!

The fallout

"I hate losing more than I like winning."

I'm waiting for the LHSAA to crown a 5A champion, and it sucks. I know we were not playing well enough to win in May, but we were awesome in March.We played with enthusiasm, swagger and a purpose. Unfortunately, we started to believe we were good --  No. 2 in the state, the best Destrehan team since 2004. They asked about it, brought it up often, but we reminded them that they had to finish the job. You can't be great without winning the big playoff games, but they didn't listen or execute.

The 2013 team wanted to win, but all the teams want to win. Some find a way to win, others just recruit to win. They are there every year. They win a lot and smile and celebrate, just like they earned it. I'm sounding bitter, and this blog is not about them.

I wanted to write about how I feel, this hollowness I can't shake. I went to a school system function today and faced the crowd. Many said congratulations for a great season, others asked why I was retiring in 2014, but most just couldn't believe we were not going to the tournament. It's hard to explain.

As coaches we did the normal coping procedures, we started looking at next year and this summer. The expectations are high for next year. We have the big arm, pitching depth and good team speed. Our hopes are high, but that's so far away, at least two blogs.

See you Saturday night after we have a champion.

Give the Coach a break

I know I am a bad blogger. I write twice a year. I'm going to get better I promise.

Life is interesting, to say the least. My wife is playing the piano. And throwing things. I think she needs practice at the piano (not throwing things, she has that down). But it makes the house so alive. I love the music, and when my Daughter begins to sing, "WOW".

My mother has joined us since the assisted living facility she lived in decided she needed to much assistance. You figure it out. I can't. She is a handfull, and the bulk of the duties fall on my wife. She has been wonderful, (God knew I needed her help so he laid her off.) taking care of my mom, running her to dialysis three times a week. They get annoyed with each other, but that's normal. I do the same thing at work.

Lora is a tween in all its glory! She thinks like a adult, is maturing like an adul,t but needs to be a kid. We can't slow her down, and social media doesn't help. Skype/chatting and watching Sponge Bob. Now that's a tween.

My mom is living here but questions her quality of life. She would really like us to entertain her, but she can't hear me and she thinks Lori is mocking her by talking loud. Sometimes you just get tired of saying things twice.

I will be right back --  the beeper just went off. I hate that thing......She needed the bag of toothpicks opened. No strength she said.

My life is kind of like this blog, all over the place. In a year that my team is putting up incredible numbers (29-5), I really haven't had time to enjoy it. That is why I have decided to make next year my last. There are just too many things I am leaving for tomorrow. My mother needs more attention.  I keep scheduling her needs after the baseball season. My wife and daughter have been great, being on call and helping out. Lori has literally put her life on hold for me and my mother. Now that's for for better or for worse, I never thought she would have to live up to our vows.

Well, the baseball season has one week left. A champion will be crowned in 7 days. In 24 years of coaching that champion has been someone else.  I hate to beg but...

In three weeks the school year ends and summer vacation begins. I will be able to relieve Lori of her Grandma duties. I will be the main provider, and get her to appointments and dialysis. Wish me luck, cause I will get a full plate of Lori's days now.

It's a life that is full of others needs and personal wants. I am doing it with someone I love and respect, and because of her love for this forum you are doing it with us. So enjoy the ride and away we go...