By STEVE KRAH
Baseball means a great deal to Terrance Kuykendall and he wants his players to be just as passionate about the game.
After two seasons as an assistant, Kuykendall is in his first as head coach at Calumet New Tech High School in Gary, Ind., in 2024.
“I’m honored, humbled and blessed to be the head coach of the Calumet New Tech Warriors,” says Kuykendall. “When I got the job I almost cried. This is something I love doing. I’ve been loving this sport since the day I was born. My father (Tim Kuykendall) taught me how to play.”
Kuykendall sees the diamond sport as more than just an activity.
“I see baseball as life,” says Kuykendall. “I learned about life from playing baseball. I learned that everything is not going to come to you straight down the middle and on the sweet spot every time. You’ve got to work hard for your swings.
“I’m teaching the boys to be a family first. Without us having this family bond, we’re not going to get anywhere. We’re not going to have a team. We’re not going to understand communicating with each other.
“If we have a family bond on the field, we’ll have a family bond outside the field. We’re here to put together a program and family that lasts.”
No matter the situation, Kuykendall wants his athletes to perform with confidence.
“If you play with your head down, other people are going to see that and take advantage of it,” says Kuykendall. “We want to keep our heads high.
“Keep fighting, keep pushing because if you don’t you ain’t getting nowhere.”
Calumet New Tech (enrollment around 615) is a part of Lake Ridge New Tech Schools and a member of the Greater South Shore Athletic Conference (with Griffith, Hammond Bishop Noll Institute, Illiana Christian, Lake Station Edison, River Forest, Wheeler and Whiting).
The Warriors are part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping in 2024 with Andrean, Boone Grove, Griffith, Hanover Central, Highland, Rensselaer Central and River Forest. Calumet New Tech has won three sectional titles — the last in 1990.
Other teams on the schedule include 21st Century Charter, Bowman Academy, East Chicago Central, Gary West Side, Hammond Central, Hammond Morton and Kouts.
Justin Quiroz (Calumet New Tech Class of 2024) shows college baseball potential to Kuykendall.
“He’s an excellent baseball player,” says Kuykendall. “The kid loves the game. He gets on me. I like it when players tell me when I’m doing something wrong.
“I want to try to fix it and do it right for them. I want to have a team that the school will be happy to see.”
To build up a feeder system, Kuykendall has been coaching in Calumet Region Little League and has been appealing to the school board to install middle school baseball.
“I have a lot of freshmen who never played a day of baseball in their lives, but they’re learning,” says Kuykendall, who is assisted by Terrence Jackson, Kavel Killins (Calumet New Tech Class of 2021) and Tim Kuykendall.
Calumet New Tech is southwest of Gary’s city center. CNT’s home diamond is on the west side of campus next to the football stadium.
“I’d love for us to see us put lights on our field, fix our scoreboard and sound system,” says Kuykendall. “This program needs it.”
Kuykendall graduated in 2007 from Wirt-Emerson Visual and Performing Arts High Ability Academy in Gary and played his freshman year at Gary Horace Mann and then at Gary West Side where he also participated in football and wrestling.
Away from coaching, Kuykendall works for the independent American Association’s Gary SouthShore RailCats in broadcast production and also serves as mascot Rusty.
He is also in the custodial department at U.S. Steel.
www.IndianaRBI.com 
Great wo k. as always Mr. Krah ! Very proud when my assistants become head coaches ! way to go Coach !
LikeLike
Thanks Coach!
LikeLike
Great article! Congratulations Coach Kuykendall! I’m very proud of you. Extremely excited for you and your team. May the be an amazing season for you all.
We are scream “Yayyy!” all the way from Arizona!🎉
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike