BY STEVE KRAH
Jarrod Holtsclaw has been around Greene County, Ind., baseball all his life and he would like to see Bloomfield Junior/Senior High School return to the diamond glory.
Holtsclaw, who was recently named as the Cardinals head coach, is a 1991 Bloomfield graduate and recalls the competitive teams of the past. In the pre-IHSAA class days, the Cards went to Bedford for the sectional.
These days, Bloomfield is part of a Class 1A sectional grouping with Clay City, Eminence, North Central (Farmersburg), Shakamak and White River Valley. The Cardinals’ two sectional titles came in 1970 and 1971.
Bloomfield (enrollment around 250) is a member of the Southwestern Indiana Conference (with Clay City, Eastern Greene, Linton-Stockton, North Central of Farmersburg, North Daviess, Shakamak and White River Valley).
Non-conference foes in 2019 were Cloverdale, Edgewood, Eminence, Jasper, Loogootee, Mitchell, Northeast Dubois, North Knox, Owen Valley, Riverton Parke, Shoals, South Central (Elizabeth), South Knox, Vincennes Rivet and Washington.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us,” says Holtsclaw. “But we want to get back to playing good, solid baseball.”
Holtsclaw has coached travel ball with the Washington-based Bombers, in the Bloomfield youth league (which spans from T-ball to major league) and, the past couple of springs, with the junior high program at Bloomfield. It was started a few years ago as an independent organization by Shane Evans and is now affiliated with Bloomfield School District.
The coach notes that it’s important that the gap between major league and high school is filled to build and keep some kind of momentum for the sport.
“We have to keep as many kids involved in baseball as possible,” says Holtsclaw.
Some years, there have been enough sixth, seventh and eighth graders for an A and B squad. Last year, there was just an A team playing games between April and early June on the high school field and high school rules.
“We want to get them used to expectations of the high school kids,” says Holtsclaw.
What about the Cardinals’ home facility?
“It’s a quirky little field,” says Holtsclaw. “It has fairly short dimensions. The school property ends at the right field fence.”
The right field fence has been raised and there is talk of raising it again.
“Maybe we can sell sponsorships and have our own Red Monster in right?,” says Holtsclaw.
After IHSAA Limited Contact Practice this fall, the school plans to put down new sod and refresh the dugouts. On the wish list is also the expansion of batting cages and an upgraded sound system.
Being a small school, sharing of athletes is a must at Bloomfield. This fall, Holtsclaw has had 16 athletes come to voluntary baseball workouts. Of that number, 14 are in one or more fall sports.
“Time on the diamond is so limited,” says Holtsclaw. “But we can work on defense and arm strength.”
Pitching and defense will be a priority for the Cardinals on Holtsclaw’s watch.
“That will keep you in every ball game,” says Holtsclaw. “Over the years here, we’ve had struggles developing enough pitchers.”
The coach says he approves any steps the IHSAA will take to assist in arm care and development.
“They could give us a little more time to get kids’ arms ready to go,” says Holtsclaw.
With one spot yet to be filled on his coaching staff, Holtsclaw counts Mike Sherrard and Bill McIntosh as Bloomfield assistants for 2019-20.
Holding undergraduate (1995) and law degrees (1998) from Indiana University, Holtsclaw became a deputy prosecutor in Greene County in 1998 and has been the county’s elected prosecutor for the past 13 years.
Jarrod Holtsclaw is the new head baseball coach at Bloomfield (Ind.) Junior/Senior High School. He is a Bloomfield graduate.
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