Baseball is in the blood for Terre Haute’s Moore, Kraemer, Dumas family

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

When Terre Haute, Ind., high school baseball rivals meet for the second time this spring on Friday, May 7, one family will be out in force.

It’s just that some will be in opposite dugouts and bleachers.

Senior infielder/pitcher Cade Moore will represent North Vigo. His uncle, Kyle Kraemer, has been the head coach at South Vigo since the 1995 season. He is a 1986 South Vigo graduate who went on to play at Purdue University.

Cade’s mother, Amanda Moore (South Vigo Class of 1992), is Kyle’s sister. Amanda is married to Scott Moore (North Vigo Class of 1990), who began his teaching and coaching career at South Vigo and is now an administrator at North Vigo. Scott’s parents are Steve and Diane Moore. 

Steve Moore (Terre Haute Garfield Class of 1962) was North Vigo head coach when his son played for the Patriots. Diane graduated from Garfield in 1964.

Kyle’s parents are Bob and Kelly Dumas. They once rooted for another grandson in former South Vigo Braves and Indiana State University standout Koby Kraemer (Class of 2008), son of Kyle.  Father coached son.

Bob Dumas is a Massachusetts native who came to Terre Haute to attend Indiana State University and met Kelly (Terre Haute Gerstmeyer Tech Class of 1965).

A retired heating and cooling man, Bob Dumas is not hard to spot at at North Vigo-South Vigo game. He’s the one with the shirt that’s half blue with an “N” and red with an “S.” He had it made at an embroidery business in town.

“We’ve been South fans every since Kyle went to high school,” says Bob. “It’s been kind of a twisted year with Cade at North.

“There will be more favoritism to Cade because he’s actually playing.”

Says Kelly Dumas, “It’s a whole range of emotions. We’ve never been North fans.”

Cade, an only child, has always lived in the North Vigo district and attended DeVaney Elementary School and Woodrow Wilson Middle School. He played at Terre Haute North Little League. He’s also played travel ball with Mad Dog Baseball (coached by Travis Mason) and American Legion ball for Wayne Newton Post 346.

“I was a big fan of South watching (Koby) play as a little kid,” says Cade, who has taken hitting lessons from Koby and Kyle.”

What advice does Cade take from grandfather Steve Moore?

“Keep my head in the game and focus on making the right play,” says Cade, 18. “Be a leader and be a teammate. I’ve always been one to have a teammates’ back. Stick with a program. It’s been instilled from grandparents and parents. If you see a teammate knocked over you go help them up.

“I’m hearing the same thing from my coaches.”

Steve Moore, who has taught science at North Vigo, Indiana State and South Vigo, was an assistant to Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Don Jennings then took over the Patriots for six years in the early 1990’s. 

“My expertise was in teaching the game,” says Steve, who for 18 years was the only man to tend to the overall maintenance of the North Vigo diamond which would become known as Don Jennings Field. “You have to think the game. Some kids are not thinking like they should about the game.

“We stressed fundamentals. Know what to do when the ball comes to you. In practice, we would go over just about everything.”

One of the school clubs at North Vigo was Baseball. Members/players would talk about the game and expand their knowledge.

“They had to learn the rules of baseball,” says Steve. “I gave tests. It was all in fun.

“It was a way to teach the game from a different perspective.”

He appreciates what he sees on the field from his grandson.

“I told Cade not too long ago. ‘You’re better than your dad and a whole lot better than your Grandpa,” says Steve. “He’s constantly thinking.”

Steve Moore enjoyed being a Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsor at North Vigo, bringing in speakers like former big league catcher and Terre Haute native Brian Dorsett, and coaching Scott and against players like future major leaguers Don Mattingly (Evansville Memorial) and Scott Rolen (Jasper) and well as Kyle Kraemer.

“I did not like to see Kyle come to the plate,” says Steve. “His technique was always good. He could hit the daylights out of that ball.”

Scott Moore, who is now assistant principal of building and grounds at North Vigo, takes over as Post 346 manager — a position long held by John Hayes and then Tim Hayes.

Of course, Cade gets pointers from his father.

“Take charge and keep your teammates in the game as well as yourself,” says Cade of that advice. He’s more of the fundamental type.

“He can break down my (right-handed) swing for me and help me make an adjustment.”

Says Scott, “I talk to Cade about how being a part of a team is important and working with other people for a common goal.

“It’s about setting goals and working hard. What could I have done differently? Those are life lessons.”

Scott Moore — and the rest of the family — have watched Cade excel on the tennis court. Cade and doubles partner and classmate Ethan Knott (a close friend that he’s known since they played youth baseball together) came within two wins of making the State Finals in the fall of 2019.

“Being involved in multiple sports helps the athlete all-around,” says Scott. 

Cade probably could have played tennis at the next level, but he has committed to play baseball at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro. The Panthers are led by head coach Todd Lillpop.

“I like the way he runs his program,” says Cade. “I’ll go there to play infield. I’ll be a two-way if he likes me on the mound.”

Cade has been mostly a shortstop and third baseman when not on the mound for North Vigo.

Both sets of grandparents have already scouted at KWC and the town and look forward to spending time there and the places where the Panthers play.

“(Kentucky Wesleyan) has same colors as Garfield,” says Diane Moore. “Steve and I felt right at home.”

Diane, who retired after 32 years at the Vigo County Library, was brought up in a baseball-loving family.

“Before I even met Steve my father was a big Chicago Cubs fan,” says Diane. “My mother was from St. Louis and a Cardinals fan.”

Steve, who lived across the alley from Diane’s grandparents, met his future bride in high school.

Cade grew up spending plenty of time at his grandparents’ house. When he was young, Woodrow Wilson teacher Amanda dropped him her son at Steve and Diane’s and his grandmother took him to DeVaney. 

“(Cade) and Grandpa played I don’t know how much catch in our cul de sac,” says Diane.

Being part of a family filled with educators has not been lost on Cade.

“Not only has it helped me on the field but in the classroom as well,” says Cade.

It doesn’t hurt that he has ready access to facilities thanks to his dad’s job.

“Education has always been our focus,” says Amanda Moore. “You’re here to get an education first and then you can participate in extracurricular activities.

“Cade’s always been a pretty good student though it took a little bit of guidance in kindergarten and first grade.”

Says Scott, “Fortunately he had some good habits and worked through some things. (As an only child), my wife and I were able to focus on him. There was tough love. I wouldn’t say we spoiled him.”

Being six years younger than brother Kyle, Amanda tagged along or begged out when he had games when they were youngsters. She was a gymnast and then a diver at South Vigo.

“Not until Cade started playing baseball did I have any interest in it,” says Amanda. “One great thing about having Cade involved in baseball for so many years is the friendships. These people have become almost like family. 

“Some of the parents are like an aunt and uncle to Cade and vice versa. We travel together. We’ve supported each other when one child has been injured.

“It’s been nice to develop those almost familial relationships with those other people and children.”

Amanda has watched her son learn life lessons through sports. While in junior high he was on the track team and did not like it. But there was no quitting the team.

“When you make a commitment you can not back out of that,” says Amanda. “Taking the easy way out is not going to teach you anything about life.

“My brother has shown that loyalty is an important value to have and develop even through the tough times.”

Amanda also sees similarities in her son and nephew and notices a similar dynamic between her husband and son and her brother and his son.

“I can see the competitive edge and desire to work hard,” says Amanda. “I can see that mirror in Koby and Cade. They want to win and are willing to work hard.

“Kyle and Scott walk that fine line between being a coach and dad and not showing any favoritism. 

“Sometimes dad is tougher on their own child than they are on their own players.”

Kelly Dumas, a retired teacher who saw Kyle first play T-ball at age 3 and make tin-foil balls to throw around the house when it was too cold to go outside, has been to diamonds all over the place and made friendships with players and their families.

“We’ve enjoyed 50 years of baseball,” says Kelly. “I just like to watch all the different players come through and follow what they do afterward. It’s good to see both my grandsons be successful

“We’ve been so many places with Koby, especially when he played for the (Terre Haute) Rex (the summer collegiate team that will be managed in 2021 by former big league slugger and Kyle Kraemer player A.J. Reed). We went to little towns with old wooden stadiums.

“Cade’s been working very hard to be the best he can be.”

Koby Kraemer, who briefly played in the Toronto Blue Jays system after college, is now assistant strength and conditioning coach at Ohio State University.

“We all love the game,” says Koby of the family’s affinity for baseball. “It plays a big part in our lives.

“The reason my dad has coached so long is because he loves it. The reason he’s successful is that he challenges people to be better.

“You get more out of them then they thought they had in them. That’s what makes good coaches.”

Besides April 30 (the Patriots won 8-5 at South Vigo) and May 7 at North Vigo, the rivals could meet three times this season. Both are in the IHSAA Class 4A Plainfield Sectional.

Kyle Kraemer (left) stands with father Bob Dumas and Cade Moore. Kraemer is the head baseball coach at Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo High School and the son of Dumas and uncle of Terre Haute (Ind.) North Vigo senior infielder/pitcher Cade Moore. Dumas wears a custom shirt touting the South Vigo Braves and North Vigo Patriots.

A baseball family in Terre Haute, Ind. (from left): Steve Moore, Diane Moore, Amanda Moore, Kyle Kraemer, Cade Moore, Steve Moore, Kelly Dumas and Bob Dumas. Kraemer is head coach at Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo High School. His nephew, Cade Moore, is a senior infielder/pitcher for Terre Haute (Ind.) North Vigo High School.

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Mannan out to change lives with Fort Wayne North Side Legends

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Austin Mannan has found his “why” and he pursues it on a daily basis as an educator and coach.

“I felt like I’ve had so many people pour their time and effort into me,” says Mannan, a special education teacher at Lane Middle School in Fort Wayne, Ind., and the head baseball coach at Fort Wayne North Side High School. “I have a duty to give that back to kids.

“I want to change somebody’s life. At the end of the day I don’t care what kind of baseball player you are, I want you to be a better person than when you got to me.

“I want them to look back and say he really cared about me. He really went the extra mile.”

Mannan has embraced his mindset and takes a cue from motivational speaker Eric Thomas, who asks “What’s Your Why?”

“Everybody has a reason to get out of bed everyday,” says Mannan. “You have to decide what that motivation is and what you can do to get there.

“(North Side) is an inner-city school. These kids have challenging backgrounds. We want to help them to be a better person.”

North Side (enrollment around 1,600) is a member of the Summit Athletic Conference (with Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran, Fort Wayne Northrop, Fort Wayne Snider, Fort Wayne South Side and Fort Wayne Wayne).

The Legends are part of an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping with Columbia City, Fort Wayne South Side, Fort Wayne Wayne, Homestead and Huntington North. North Side is seeking its first sectional title.

Zach McKinstry is a 2014 North Side graduate. The middle infielder made his Major League Baseball debut for the eventual World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers Sept. 16, 2020.

North Side plays its home games at Carrington Field, located in Daryl B. Cobin Memorial Park on Coliseum Boulevard and about five miles from the school. 

With high schools in Fort Wayne Community Schools going from 9:10 a.m. to 4:10 p.m., games generally do not start before 5. 

Also the home of the Fort Wayne Baseball Federation‘s Jackers, Carrington Field underwent renovations that the Legends did not get to enjoy in 2020 with the prep season being wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s pretty nice,” says Mannan, who notes that many previous games at Carrington were wiped out when it rained. 

Eight seniors were on the 2020 roster, including college recruits in left-handed pitcher Max Meisner (Huntington University), shortstop Cameron Woehnker (Grace College) and hurler Taegan Armey (Indiana Tech).

Mannan’s 2021 assistants are Jordan Young, Toni Georgi and Armey, who developed an arm injury that caused him to shut it down rather than play college ball.

North Side junior right-hander Nate Spurlock has been getting attention from college programs.

Mannan, who was born and raised in Putnam County, Ind., and played at Cloverdale (Ind.) High School before Lincoln Trail College (Robinson, Ill.), Spoon River College (Canton, Ill.) and the University of Saint Francis (Fort Wayne). Until middle school, he split his time between third base and catcher. From high school on, he was a catcher.

Bryan Archer was Mannan’s high school head coach.

“I owe a lot to the person and player I am to him,” says Mannan, a 2013 Cloverdale graduate. “He never let feel sorry for myself. He just pushed, pushed, pushed.”

Spoon River head coach Ron Clark, who died in 2016, was an old school coach who embraced the fundamentals.

“By doing the little things right all the time that would lead to big things,” says Mannan. “My coaches were all fundamental guys. You can’t over-due fundamentals.

“I’ve broken down every aspect to try to give (North Side players) a solid foundation.”

A relationship built with Manny Lopez, owner of The Diamond Baseball and Softball Academy in Fort Wayne, Mannan has been able to get indoor reps for his North Side players.

“We made huge strides,” says Mannan. “Last year was going to be a our ‘back on the map year.’”

Mannan appreciates the way Lopez deals with the North Side kids.

“Manny tells them you can thank me when you make it,” says Mannan. “He understands what my kids go through on a day-to-day basis.

“I’ve never forgotten that.”

Besides being an assistant at Woodlan Junior/Senior High School (Woodburn, Ind.) while doing his student teaching, Mannan has coached the Northern Indiana Elite, Chicago 29ers and Fort Wayne Diamondbacks in summer ball. He is currently a 16U coach for the Diamondbacks.

As a player, Mannan got to know the junior college baseball grind from two head coaches — Kevin Bowers at Lincoln Trail and Clark at Spoon River.

“As a JuCo Bandit you’re a grinder,” says Mannan. “You’re putting in the work and getting after it.

“The grind of being a junior college player is incredible. You become so tough playing at that level.”

A typical schedule began with conditioning at 5 a.m., followed by classes, practice, study table and more practice with it all winding up about 10 p.m. Then the same thing the next day.

To get in games against top early-season competition, the team would cram 10 players each in three vans and drive 14 hours to Texas. Meal money was capped at $5 a day.

Junior college baseball is full of potential professional players and they are all MLB First Year Player Draft-eligible.

Two of Mannan’s Lincoln Trail teammates — Damon Olds (Kansas City Royals out of Indiana State University) and Justin Watts (Toronto Blue Jays out of the University of Southern Indiana) — were drafted in 2017.

In Mannan’s LTC recruiting class, 10 of 13 went on to NCAA Division I programs. Two went to NCAA Division II.

After a year at Spoon River (2014-15), Mannan landed at NAIA Saint Francis for two years (2015-16 and 2016-17). Greg Roberts was the Cougars head coach and his successor, Dustin Butcher, was an assistant.

Mannan, who also played summer ball for the Danville (Va.) Marlins in 2015 and Laramie (Wyo.) Colts in 2016, was honorable mention all-Crossroads League in the spring of 2016. 

At Saint Francis, Mannan earned a Secondary Education degree in 2018 and a Masters in Special Education in 2020. 

It was by coming to Fort Wayne that Mannan met an Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne student from Crown Point, Ind., named Adalyn. 

Austin and Adalyn Mannan were married in September 2020. She is a manager at Planet Fitness.

“We were supposed to go on our honeymoon during Christmas break,” says Mannan. Instead, the couple had a bout with COVID. Austin spent a week in the hospital. Except for occasional shortness of breath, he says that has recovered.

Austin Mannan was catcher with the Laramie (Wyo.) Colts in the summer of 2016.

Austin Mannan, who played at the University of Saint Francis in 2016 and 2017 and hold two degrees from the school in Fort Wayne, Ind., is the head baseball coach at Fort Wayne North Side High School. (University of Saint Francis Photo)

Shambaugh talks about ‘being competitive on game day’

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Detailed planning and setting expectations.

It’s what Bret Shambaugh has done as a baseball coach and educator.

There’s a always a plan and things are done for a reason.

Shambaugh, who has coached at college, high school and youth level, and is in his fifth year as an English teacher at Pioneer Junior/Senior High School in Royal Center, Ind., shared his ideas on “Being Competitive on Game Day” at the Huntington North Hot Stove clinics session Jan. 12 as a guest of Vikings head coach Mark Flueckiger.

A 1980 graduate of Pike High School and Marian College — both in Indianapolis — Shambaugh began his baseball coaching career while attending Marian (1984-89) and later became the Knights head coach (1990-93) before serving one season as an assistant to Bob Morgan at Indiana University (1994) then serving as head coach at Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis (1995-97).

He has served as a high school assistant to Jake Burton at McCutcheon, Phil McIntyre at Indianapolis North Central and John Zangrilli at Brebeuf Jesuit.

There have been a number of youth baseball coaching jobs, including the Lafayette White Sox, Hoosier Diamond, Indy Jets and, most recently, the Mavericks (which is attached to the McCutcheon program).

John Shambaugh, Bret’s son, is a senior first baseman/left-handed pitcher at McCutcheon.

“As an educator I’m amazed that there’s a lot of different ways to be successful in this game,” says Shambaugh, 58. “I believe in having a philosophy.”

Shambaugh says the coach’s philosophy should mirror that of his administrators.

This can help prevent future issues.

“We thought that they hired us because of us, but we forgot we answer to them,” says Shambaugh.

Since 2005, Shambaugh has been working from a syllabus/playbook that lays out the elements of his program. He shares this agenda with his players and often tests them on its content.

With the Mavericks, he emails it on sectional week.

“One week from the time they’re eliminated from their high school (season), they have to know this chapter and verse,” says Shambaugh. “It’s no different than reading the first three chapters of a novel.

“That is to make sure all of us — myself, whoever I have helping me, parents and players — that we all speak from the same book.

“I — for whatever reason — have never been good in the subjective. I have measured everything my entire life.

“That’s the only way I could understand as a coach how I could be good for the player.”

If everything is measurable those who enjoy competition will strive to meet the stated goal.

“‘A’ students will strive to make A’s,” says Shambaugh. “They’ll do whatever it takes to make an A.”

The same is true for someone trying to make the team, a sophomore wishing to play on the varsity rather than the JV or a player who wants to make the everyday lineup.

Shambaugh says putting an objective in front of the players eliminates favoritism and “who do you know?”

In Shambaugh’s calculations, he figured out to be a high school baseball head coach it takes at least 21 hours a week 52 weeks out of the year.

“That’s the amount of time minimum you would have to spend as the head coach for your program to do it right in my opinion,” says Shambaugh. “Of course, most of those months, as head coaches, you’re not in-season. But yet you have to give your program 21 hours a week.”

On game day, Shambaugh wants no wasted second.

The plan takes into consideration what is done for home and away contests.

“I’m talking everything,” says Shambaugh. “How they will be dressed on the bus, for example.

“I always have a rule when travel, the only thing you don’t have on are your spikes because I don’t want you to trip getting off the bus or the van and not be able to play.”

As soon players in the dugout, they change into their spikes and go to work.

Shambaugh devotes practice time to these things so players understand that no second is to be wasted.

If players are trained to know what they’re supposed to be doing, there will be no need to worry about “down” time.

“Evaluate what you’re doing constantly,” says Shambaugh. “Wins and losses don’t necessarily determine what you believe is the best practice for your players and your assistant coaches. It can always be re-tooled to meet the ultimate objective.”

Shambaugh learned from former Lewis & Clark College (Idaho) head coach Ed Cheff the importance of practicing delays with his players.

“They’d show up for practice and he’d send them back to the dorm. He would practice the rain delay in the third inning. What are you going to do during that time?”

Shambaugh says the worst thing you can create for teenagers is dead time.

“It may not happen but once or twice during the season, but are you ready for it?,” says Shambaugh. “Teenagers and parents will always react to your leadership. If you always appear to be in-control and in-the-know they’ll run through hell in a gasoline suit for you.

“If you’re not, that’s when the armchair quarterbacking begins.”

Shambaugh also says negativity should be saved for practice and not used on game day.

“I don’t think anybody lost on purpose,” says Shambaugh. “I don’t think the batter took the called strike three with guys on second and third and you’re one run down in the last at-bat. Your pitcher didn’t throw the gopher ball on purpose. Your shortstop didn’t take the ground ball through his legs on purpose.

“When we’re negative after the game, I don’t think it works. Positivity goes a lot further than negativity. It took me a long time to learn that.”

Things can be addressed at practice and no one else is around but the players and the coaches.

For Shambaugh, practices are always crisp.

Since leaving college and going into youth baseball coaching, he has learned that boring practices are a major reason players are quitting the game before they become teenagers.

Shambaugh has observed many youth practices where one player is hitting and the rest are standing around.

“When we practice with teenagers, we keep them moving,” says Shambaugh. “Whatever you are trying to accomplish on that given day, keep it crisp.”

Shambaugh says out-of-season is the time when teaching is done with individual players.

For players to know what is expected of them, objectives are written and explained.

Baseball is driven by numbers. It’s no difference than a grade-point average or the percentage of accuracy on a test.

“I believe in players knowing what those numbers are on a regular basis,” says Shambaugh. “It’s important. You can do that in the out-of-season.

“What’s the out-of-season for? To get better. Are you doing anything game-like to get better? If we don’t have written objectives for them, they’ll do what they’ve always done.”

In exit interviews with players last summer, Shambaugh told some to get 100 game-like swings three days a week. Infielders were told to field 100 grounders and throw to first base or start the double play. He also asked players to run 15 60-yard dashes for time.

Shambaugh wants his players to appreciate fitness 365 days a year.

“Teenage athletes, especially for the sport of baseball, have no idea what true fitness is,” says Shambaugh. “I agree that multiple-sport athletes, especially here in the Midwest, have some advantages.”

There are also disadvantages since the in-season athlete is focused on the next game and not so much on improving fitness.

In evaluating high school baseball, football and basketball program, Shambaugh sees a lot of natural ability but not a lot of fitness.

Shambaugh says coaches are careful with building fitness because they don’t want to take too much out of an athlete’s legs.

“If a baseball player doesn’t have his legs, he can’t hit,” says Shambaugh. “He’s anemic. He can’t move defensively.

“At the high school level, baseball pitchers play shortstop in the game they’re not pitching.”

Shambaugh says an athlete can train year-round for fitness.

“Nobody ever drowned in their own sweat,” says Shambaugh. “At least I haven’t heard of it.”

Coaches should have a written plan in what they want their players to do as an athlete in fitness.

With the Mavericks, Shambaugh has measured progress for his players in speed and strength.

“Serve those who want,” says Shambaugh. “We can hold it against players when they don’t show up. It will take care of itself over time. When players don’t want to get in the work, they won’t be on that roster or they won’t be in that lineup.

“I’ve never worried about who wasn’t there. I only wanted to serve those that were in front of me.”

Shambaugh also has written objectives for the pre-season.

“What do you want to accomplish (on a given day)?,” says Shambaugh. “Make sure your players know.”

Scrimmages allow coaches to immediately identify strike throwers and aggressive players.

“Baseball is a game that needs played,” says Shambaugh. “You won’t win any games probably on the gym floor or the batting tunnel.

“If it’s me, I’m going to scrimmage. For me to make a qualitative decision, I need to see guys perform.”

All things are game day-related. Runners are placed on the bases to create situations during batting practice. Hitters are expected to move the runners with hits or sacrifice bunts. Runners must read the ball in play. The defenders must do their jobs.

“Do they know what your expectations are in writing before you get there?,” says Shambaugh. “Because those are your coaching moments. You knew what your job was and you didn’t do it.”

Again, fitness is part of the equation.

“I’ve baseball players tell me for years, ‘Coach, I did not join the track team,’” says Shambaugh. “I’m sorry. It’s either that or the pool guys. (Players have) got to be in shape. All my years coaching, I never had a pitcher come up lame. That’s because we ran.”

Shambaugh asks players to do things that are difficult because baseball is a difficult game to play.

With in-season practices, Shambaugh challenges his players when they’re tired.

“It’s easy to play when you’re fresh,” says Shambaugh. “But baseball is a marathon.”

High school players play close to 30 games in seven weeks and also have take care of homework and — maybe — a part-time job.

“That’s a grind,” says Shambaugh. “Guys get tired.”

All things game day-related and the team scrimmages for three innings a day.

Once again, fitness is important.

Shambaugh says that timing is everything.

Teams might win their conference, in-season tournaments or rack up 20 wins, but the focus for the high school coach becomes winning the first game of the sectional and advancing as far as the team can.

“We’re building up momentum,” says Shambaugh. “We want to be good for that first game of the sectional.

“I would start my planning three weeks out. Get you (No. 1 pitcher) ready. Do you really know what your best lineup is when he pitches?

“Do I like what I see? Are we getting done in practice what we need to get done? Are our kids positive? Are we fresh? Do we have the right mindset? Does everybody understand what we’re looking to accomplish? Otherwise, why be disappointed when you get beat the first game of the sectional?

Once the team reaches the post-season, everyone involved knows the plan and everyone is all in.

“Just give me the baby,” says Shambaugh. “I don’t want the labor pains.”

In the postseason, everyone should know the objective is to win.

“Now your stats don’t mean donkey squat,” says Shambaugh. “No matter what it takes, we’re going to win. It’s not going to matter what gets the credit. It doesn’t matter what substitutions we make. We’ve got one objective.”

To Shambaugh’s way of thinking, the summer is the start to the next season.

Most coaches will want their athletes to play in the summer and will guide them to teams that are appropriate for them.

“Tuning it out is dangerous,” says Shambaugh. “I believe in the exit interview and not just for seniors, but everybody who was involved.

“I know the athletic director or the principal is going exit-interview me. I want to hear from all of my people.

“If I’m a good listener and they’re being conscientious, I’m going to learn. It also builds ownership in the program.”

Shambaugh says coaches should follow and support their players in their accomplishments away from the team.

“They get a big kick out of that when their head skipper or assistant coaches that don’t have any summer accomplishments are at the ballpark or become aware that they did something that was pretty cool,” says Shambaugh. “It is amazing if an adult gives a teenager positive information.”

Shambaugh marvels that many high school coaches don’t consider the summer as part of the out-of-season. In many places, basketball and football coaches are involved with their players at that time of year.

“Baseball players probably play for someone else in the summertime?,” says Shambaugh. “Why can’t you have open fields in the summertime even if it’s just two days a week?”

By reaching out to players out-of-season, coaches will know who might be considering not coming back for the next season and who might be thinking about joining the team for the first time.

Shambaugh says it will pay to support football and get those players pumped for their season.

“Football controls the numbers,” says Shambaugh. “They have 35 to 50 guys involved with their program.

“Getting along with the football staff and program really benefits a baseball guy.”

With all that, Shambaugh wants his players to have fun and he wants to know what makes them tick.

“It can be about the X’s and O’s, but it’s always about the Jimmys and Joes,” says Shambaugh. “You can have this technique or that technique or you can get involved with your people so that they know you’re in it with them. Everything you’re trying to do is on their behalf.”

Bret Shambaugh has coached baseball at the college, high school and youth levels. He shared some of his thoughts at the Huntington North Hot Stove clinics Jan. 12. (Steve Krah Photo)

Bret Shambaugh has coached baseball at various levels since 1984, including being head coach at Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Marian College (now Marian University) and high school assistant jobs at McCutcheon, Indianapolis North Central and Brebeuf Jesuit. He talked at the Huntington North Hot Stove clinics Jan. 12. (Steve Krah Photo)

It’s all about service for 2020 IHSBCA Hall of Famer Abbott

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Brian Abbott has been an educator, coach and administrator for a long time.

In all his roles, he has strive to follow the model of servant leadership.

“I like serving others,” says Abbott, who will go into the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame with George Cuppy, Clint Barmes, Scott Upp and Tony Uggen during a Jan. 17, 2020 banquet as a contributor/coach. “I like baseball. I’ve met a lot of good people.

“I have a lot of good friends that I never would have met if I was not involved.”

Abbott, who grew up in Carroll County and graduated from Delphi (Ind.) High School in 1979, began his coaching career as a teenager at the local Babe Ruth League level. He led a group of 13-year-olds to the state tournament in Noblesville.

He pitched at Huntington (Ind.) College (now Huntington University), graduating in 1983, and served one year as an assistant at Brookville (Ind.) High School (now part of Franklin County High School) followed by 21 years as a high school head coach at Eastbrook and Huntington North. His teams won more than 300 games, seven county championships, four conference titles, three sectional crowns, one regional title and made one Final Four Appearance (1999 with Eastbrook).

As Eastbrook coach, Abbott got to compete against baseball minds like future IHSBCA Hall of Famers Ty Calloway at Western, Greg Marschand at Lewis Cass and George Phares at Taylor.

“I always thought the (Mid-Indiana) Conference was tough when I first started,” says Abbott. “The teams were all good because their coaches were really good.”

Abbott had the distinction of pitching the first no-hitter on the new lighted Delphi diamond when he was a junior for the Oracles. He played for three coaches while in high school — Greg Fisher, Dave Young and Mike Lane.

Long before Abbott was associated with high school baseball, he regular at the IHSAA State Finals and remembers seeing Paul “Spider” Fields lead Lafayette Jeff to its second state championship in 1973. Another found memory is going with his father and grandfather to the Colt League World Series, an event organized by Hall of Famer Harry Bradway and staged at Loeb Stadium in Lafayette. One year, he saw future big league pitcher Sid Fernandez compete there.

During the single-class era, Delphi played in an IHSAA sectional with Lafayette Jeff (coached by Fields), West Lafayette (coached by Hall of Famer Fred Campbell), McCutcheon (coached by Hall of Famer Jake Burton), Harrison and Lafayette Central Catholic.

Abbott and Burton first faced off back in the ‘70s Babe Ruth coaching days when Abbott was in Delphi and Burton in Dayton, Ind.

As a Huntington Forester, Abbott played for three head coaches — Jim Wilson, Fred Vonderlage and Tim McKinnon. Current HU coach and Hall of Famer Mike Frame was a third baseman and classmate of Abbott.

In Brookville, the hometown of Brian’s wife, Trisha Abbott, he got to work with another coach bound for the Hall of Fame — Jim Hughes.

“He was a good mentor to me,” says Abbott of Hughes. “He loved baseball. He loved sports. He was a positive person. He always had something good to say about everybody.

“He was one of those people you hate to lose.”

Abbott currently as a pitching coach at Huntington U. and held that position at Indiana Wesleyan University.

A math teacher for 37 years, Abbott currently instructs eighth graders at Riverview Middle School in Huntington. He holds master’s degrees in mathematics and administration from Ball State University.

He often drives to the nearby Crossroads League games himself. When Huntington makes weekend trips to places like Tennessee in February, Abbott and a friend get on the road about 2 a.m. and then come back to Huntington after the last game.

For several summers, Abbott has worked for Hammel Floor Service, sanding, re-lining and lettering basketball floors. He uses his math skills to put down and fill in the patterns.

“It’s really been neat,” says Abbott. “I’ve had a chance to go to a lot of different venues.”

Abbott has been part of a crew that did gyms at most of the North Central Conference schools as well as Market Square Arena, the University of Notre Dame, Purdue University and many more.

He knows about the intricacies of sanding a parquet floor, such as the one at Carmel High School.

He’s met many accomplished coaches — men like George Griffith, Norm Held, Bill Stearman, Howard Sharpe, Jim Miller and Steve Shondell — and had the privilege of putting the name of John Wooden on the hardwood at Martinsville High School.

“Growing up, he was a guy I respected,” says Abbott of Wooden, the coaching legend. “I read his book.

“I feel like I have a good feel of the high school land. I follow high school sports and I love baseball. Being in the association is a good role for me because I feel like I’ve got a pretty good feel for a lot of different things.”

After serving as associate executive director to Hall of Famer Bill Jones, Abbott has spent the past eight years at IHSBCA executive director.

He was nominated for Hall of Fame induction by the IHSBCA executive council.

“I was very humbled by it,” says Abbott. “I’m a mule. I’ve coached.

“It’s been a really good experience.”

Abbott got his start in the IHSBCA when future Hall of Famer Rick Atkinson of Mississinewa invited him to his first State Clinic.

“Little did I know what he was trying to do,” says Abbott. “I didn’t figure it out until about a year later.

“I kind of got drafted into service.”

Atkinson would take statewide IHSBCA office and turn over his district representative duties to Abbott, who led the group that fed the old Kokomo Regional for years.

In that role, he got to know one of the association’s founders and leaders in Jones.

“Bill was very thorough and very complimentary,” says Abbott. “He was very nice to me. He would take me underneath his wing and teach me things.”

Abbott has seen the IHSBCA membership grow. Each January, the association’s state clinic brings around 500 coaches to Indianapolis.

The latest renovation at the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in Jasper is almost paid off.

“We’ve been working real hard at that the last couple of years,” says Abbott. “The coaches association put in about a third of that money — in the $240,000 or $250,000 range.

This week, the IHSBCA presented five proposals to Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and is hoping for action by the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

“I’m just trying better baseball,” says Abbott. “I think my strength is as an organizer and listening to other people and figuring out how I can serve them better.

“I haven’t been afraid to change things. When Bill (Jones) started I’m sure he had to make some adjustments.

“As we’ve had solutions and suggestions come along, I’ve been willing to be open and say let’s give it a shot.”

One of those things was starting a Futures Game last year as part of North/South all-star activities.

“It’s a good adjustment from the Junior Showcase,” says Abbott.

The 2020 Futures Game and North/South All-Star Series is to be held in Evansville.

Brian and Trisha Abbott have two children — Tyler (who is married to Chelsie and have a son named Quinn) and Briley.

Brian Abbott, the executive director of the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association, will go into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2020 as a contributor/coach. He is also an eighth grade math teacher in addition to serving as pitching coach at Huntington (Ind.) University.