Manchester’s Pinarski enjoying diamond opportunity

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Michael Pinarski was not sure where baseball was going to take him in the summer of 2020.

When word came down that the remainder of the 2020 season had been canceled at NCAA Division III Manchester University because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pinarski and his teammates were coming off a 6-5 March 10 victory at Taylor University.

“It was a high note for us,” says Pinarski. “We were going into our Florida trip. That got cancelled and the rest of our season got cancelled.

“It was a bummer.”

After quarantine came the chance to play for the Nighthawks in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., where he is got to see many of his baseball friends.

“I like the availability they give us — the opportunity to come out here and show our skills, just have fun and play with other people,” says Pinarski of the CSL, a collaborative effort of Bullpen Tournaments and Pro X Athlete Development which is scheduled to conclude July 30.

Last summer, Pinarski played with the National Amateur Baseball Federation-affiliated Mishawaka Brewers and may have played for that squad again and pursued an internship (he is a double major in Sport Management and Marketing). But the pandemic took away the latter and the Grand Park league came along.

Most of Pinarski’s jobs have revolved around diamonds. He worked the last three summers at Riverview Park softball complex in Elkhart, getting fields ready for games.

Pinarski, a 2017 graduate of Goshen (Ind.) High School, has played three seasons at Manchester in North Manchester, Ind. He has two more years of eligibility. One was added by the NCAA because of the pandemic.

In 71 games — mostly at shortstop — he has hit .247 (54-of-219) with two home runs, 25 runs batted in and 44 runs scored.

In 12 pitching appearances (10 including four starts in 2019), the right-hander is 1-4 with four saves. In 37 innings, he has 28 strikeouts and eight walks.

As a sophomore in 2019, Pinarski was on the all-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference first team after hitting .262 (27-of-103) with one hour, one triple and five doubles. His on-base percentage was .412. He also earned four saves on the mound.

In 2020, Pinarski hit .304 (7-of-23) in seven games. In one three-inning mound appearance with five strikeouts and one walk.

But those aren’t the biggest source of pride.

“My best quality is probably on the defensive side — being smooth and quick to the ball, getting rid of it and getting the ball there on time,” says Pinarski.

He’s done it all as a Type 1 Diabetic.

Michael is the third of Jim and Valerie Pinarski’s five children — Andrea and Stephen are older; Nathan and Lucas are younger. Andrea and Stephen went to Concord High School, where they were athletes.

Andrea Pinarski is now the Mintuemen’s head softball coach. Stephen Pinarski was a baseball standout for Manchester. His senior season was 2018. 

Michael and Nathan went to Goshen High School. Michael says Lucas looks to be headed to Concord.

Goshen Little League gave Michael his first organized baseball experiences.

“I fell in love with it,” says Pinarski. “I was there basically everyday I could be.”

When it was time for travel baseball, Pinarski went with the Goshen Dugout Club then the Michiana Scrappers.

During his high school summers, Pinarski played for the Jim Treadway-managed Bristol American Legion Post 143.

Josh Keister was Pinarski’s head coach at Goshen High.

Pinarski calls his coach at Manchester — Rick Espeset — “a man of few words.”

“I like him as a coach and as a person,” says Pinarski. “He’s pretty good.”

Michael Pinarski, a 2017 Goshen (Ind.) High School graduate, has played three baseball seasons at Manchester University in North Manchester, Ind. He is with the Nighthawks of the 2020 College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. (Manchester University Photo)

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New baseball coach Doherty wants Concord Minutemen to be competitive

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Pat Doherty has fond memories of his time in a Concord High School baseball uniform.

From his four years as a player at the Elkhart County, Ind., school to his stint as a Minutemen assistant, Doherty wore the green with pride.

Now he gets to do it again as head coach.

The Concord Community School Board of Trustees officially approved his hiring at their meeting on Sept. 17.

“I’m excited. It’s awesome to be back at Concord High School,” says Doherty, a 2005 CHS graduate. “I’m blown away by the support. There seems to be a buzz around the program.

“It’s my job to keep it going. I want the players to buy in and compete everyday and let the chips fall where they may.”

Doherty looks to bring consistency to the program. He is Concord’s fourth head coach in five years.

“We want to be competitive — in the classroom and on the field — and bring a sense of pride back to the baseball program,” says Doherty, 31. “That’s a the high school and youth level.”

Doherty plans to form relationships at Concord Little League and will keep tabs on area travel baseball organizations that may feed the Minutemen.

The past two summers, he has coached the Concord Pride 12U and 13U travel squads.

He was a JV coach then assistant at CHS in 2016 and 2017.

Doherty coached baseball on head coach Steve Stutsman‘s staff at Elkhart (Ind.) Central High School 2008-11 after playing two seasons (2006 and 2007) for head coach Keith Schreiber at Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, Mich.

Doherty played four baseball seasons at Concord and earned three letters for head coaches Cary Anderson and Mike Jackowiak. He also earned three letters in swimming and participated in cross country and football one year each and played baseball for Jim Treadway-managed Bristol American Legion Post 143 following his junior and senior years of high school and freshman year of college. 

“I’m a big proponent of the three-sport athlete,” says Doherty, who will be meeting with returning seniors this week after having open fields two times a week this fall. “To be out on a baseball field at this time of year is always good at this time of year.”

While it is early in his tenure, Doherty has talked to some potential assistant coaches and has been talking with a few area head coaches about bringing back some instructional summer games, like the ones he played when he was in high school.

Another fond high school memory is of the Concord Marching Minutemen Band. He helped earn a state championship in 2003 and was drum major as a junior and senior.

Concord is a member of the Northern Lakes Conference (along with Elkhart Memorial, Goshen, Northridge, NorthWood, Plymouth, Warsaw and Wawasee).

The Minutemen are in an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping with Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial, Goshen, Northridge, Penn and Warsaw.

Pat and Kelly Doherty (a 2006 Concord graduate) have been married for nine years. They live in Elkhart with daughters Addison (7) and Ryleigh (9 months).

In addition to coaching, Pat Doherty is plant manager for Lippert Components in Mishawaka, Ind., and broadcasts high school football and basketball and hosts a talk show on Froggy 102.7 FM. Kelly Doherty is about to embark on a teaching job with Headstart in Elkhart.

Pat Doherty, a 2005 Concord High School graduate, has been named head baseball coach at his alma mater. His hiring was approved Sept. 17, 2018. (Concord High School Photo)

 

Kloosterman shares his passion for baseball with IHSBCA All-Stars

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Greg Kloosterman shared a story of perseverance and belief Friday, July 20 at the 2018 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series banquet.

The former standout at Elkhart Central High School and Bethel College who was a left-handed pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization is now a husband and father of two who works in the gas and oil business and coaches youth baseball in Pennsylvania.

Kloosterman took the audience of about 250 at the Century Center in downtown South Bend through his baseball journey. Many of his remarks were aimed directly at the all-stars — recently-graduated players from across the state who were chosen to play three games (two Saturday and one Sunday) at Four Winds Field.

With wife Megan and sons Grady and Blake in the audience, Kloosterman described what he labeled the four stages of baseball.

It was during Stage 1 that he started to develop his belief in himself.

“In Stage 1, you’re 6 years old, chewing on dandelions, doing cartwheels in the outfield,” said Kloosterman. “I was that kid.”

Though his coach criticized him for his ways, he used to to fuel him.

“I truly, honestly, passionately don’t care what you think about me,” said Kloosterman. “You’re opinion means absolutely nothing. You have no idea what I’m capable of doing.

“I can’t tell you how vital this has been.”

Then emphasized a few points to the all-stars.

“Trust me, gentlemen, there’s going to be a college coach that looks at you and says ‘no.’ Should you quit?,” said Kloosterman. “There’s going to be a D-I coach that looks at you and says you’re not fast enough. Should you quit?

“That tool came in handy not just in T-ball but in pro ball.”

In the second stage, a drive and hunger was developed.

“Do you remember the first time you wanted to beat the living tar out of your opponent?,” said Kloosterman. “The world stopped. You stopped hearing all the crazy parents yell at you, coaches (acting) like they’re trying out for the big leagues and didn’t even notice your friends on the other team.

“It was an uncontrollable, insatiable desire to put a quick foot on their throat and win by 10 in five. I was 12. I became addicted to winning.”

Kloosterman admits that when he didn’t win as a 12-year-old, he completely melted down.

“I cried after every loss until I was 13,” said Kloosterman. “I was icorrigible. I’m glad I got over that because that could have gotten really weird in high school and college.”

Kloosterman credits this drive as a the single most important thing that allowed him to play as long as he did and brought him success in his career.

“Losing stinks,” said Kloosterman. “There’s no justification for it. We can learn from it.

“But make no mistake, winning’s great. Winning’s the reason we train the way we do. It’s why we stay late and don’t go to parties.

“We have laser focus. We don’t do it so we can lose. We do it so we can win.”

Stage 3 is when Kloosterman tasted success, but also learned that there were other talented ballplayers in his world. He saw the nasty stuff of second-round Major League Baseball draftee Eric Good, gave up a home run and was picked off first base in the same game by major league catcher-to-be Rob Bowen and got hit regularly by future major leaguer Hunter Pence.

“I hold that pretty close to my heart because I always wanted to strive to be better,” said Kloosterman. “Look to those people who were that good and so special and fight to be like that. Go beat them. If you can’t do it now, do it tomorrow.”

It’s still a driving factor in his life and he related it to the all-stars in the audience.

“It motivates me to work even harder. Someone, somewhere is better than you,” said Kloosterman. “They throw harder, run faster and hit the ball harder. And, to be honest, they’re probably a freshman.

“Never forget what got you here and you use these times to make you stronger.”

Kloosterman, 36, is now in the fourth stage. He coaches baseball, but he no longer plays it. But he can look back fondly on the people and moments that helped get him to this point.

“I reaped all the benefits while playing this game,” said Kloosterman. “Now, I’m reaping the benefits post-baseball.”

He thanked his family at the beginning of his speech. At the end, he singled out Elkhart Central coach Steve Stutsman and wife Kristie and Central assistant, Concord head coach, Bristol American Legion Post 143 manager and North/South All-Star Series organizer Jim Treadway and his wife Mary Jane for their impact on his life.

“I always call him Coach because he earned it,” said Kloosterman of Steve Stutsman, who is also head coach for the North in this year’s North/South All-Star Series. “He allowed me to play on his team at Elkhart Central from 1997-2000.

“What he might not tell you that he basically allowed me to live with him my whole career because I didn’t have the best home life.

“Coach, you loved me and I can’t thank you enough for that. You gave me a place to play baseball and forget how bad things were outside the white lines.”

Jim Treadway introduced Kloosterman and said, “You never know where this road is going to take you guys. But continue to work hard and believe in yourselves when nobody else does.”

Kloosterman expressed his appreciation for Treadway, who he met as a Central freshman and has been close with ever since.

“He was somebody that has the guts to grab a 13-year-old kid and talk some sense into him,” said Kloosterman. “He loved me when I wasn’t good, loved me when I was good and gave me the encouragement to be better than where I came from.

“Jim Treadway, without you I would have failed. I want to thank you for guiding me, discipling me and giving me everything and — above all — love. You will always be a dad to me.”

Kloosterman wrapped up his remarks by encouraging all-stars to thank the people in their lives, especially parents, coaches and trainers and then told them that it’s them that will help grow the game in the future.

“They don’t get thanked enough,” said Kloosterman. “As weird as this may sound to you right now, giving back to the game of baseball is way better than whatever you get from this game

“Take the time to teach you kids the game. Teach them what you know. Remind them how much fun this game is.”

Kloosterman presented himself as evidence that baseball can provide so much — an education, a job, relationship and a family.

“Let a kid hit a bomb off you,” said Kloosterman. “Let a kid strike you out.

“Build this next generation of baseball players better than you.”

Jim and Mary Jane Treadway (left) share a moment with Megan and Greg Kloosterman Friday, July 20 at the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series banquet at Century Center in downtown South Bend. Greg Kloosterman was the keynote speaker. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

Coaches encouraged to nominate seniors for IHSBCA All-Star Series in South Bend

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Plans are coming together for the 2018 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series Friday through Sunday, July 20-22 in South Bend.

The July 20 IHSBCA Junior Showcase and July 21-22 All-Star Series games will be played at Four Winds Field, home of the Class-A South Bend Cubs.

The All-Star banquet is slated for July 20 at the Century Center in Downtown South Bend. Former Elkhart Central High School, Bethel College and Milwaukee Brewers minor league pitcher Greg Kloosterman has agreed to be the keynote speaker.

Selection of the squads, which will include senior players from all four classes (25 from the South and 25 from the North), is scheduled the morning of the IHSAA State Finals on Saturday, June 16 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

North and South committees will review the names sent in from the 16 district meetings held on June 3.

Each head coach, who is an IHSBCA member, will receive notification from the district representative informing him of the time and place of the meeting.

District reps are Bob Glover (Hobart) in A, Mark Schellinger (New Prairie) in B, Jim Treadway (Elkhart Central assistant) in C, Pat McMahon (Fort Wayne Canterbury) in D, Andy McClain (Norwell) in E, Travis Keesling (Pendleton Heights) in F, Jay Malott (South Dearborn) in G, Brad King (New Castle) in H, Ryan Wolfe (Plymouth) in I, Kyle Neal (Attica) in J, Matt Cherry (Fishers) in K, Jeff McKeon (Decatur Central assistant) in L, Kyle Kraemer (Terre Haute South Vigo) in M, Jeremy Richey (Seymour) in N, Brian Kirchoff (Northeast Dubois) in O and Mike Goedde (Evansville Central) in P.

A member MUST be present at the meeting to have a senior player nominated for consideration for the 2018 All-Star squads.

Each school is allowed to nominate up to three senior players for All-Star consideration.

Ricky Romans (Charlestown) will chair the South selection committee. Other members are Goedde, Dick Alter (Indianapolis Lutheran), Steve Bray (Northeastern), Ben McDaniel (Columbus North), Zach Payne (Lanesville), Jeremy Sassanella (Brebeuf Jesuit), Tim Terry (South Vermillion) and Justin Tucker (Batesville).

Kevin Hannon (Knox) will chair the North selection committee and be assisted by Wolfe, Ryan Berryman (Western), Chuck Brimbury (Peru), Jason Garrett (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger), Brian Jennings (Griffith), Justin Keever (Noblesville), Dave Neuenschwander (Adams Central) and Bob Shinkan (Munster).

Brian Abbott is executive director of the IHSBCA.

The 2018 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Series is July 20-22 in South Bend.

 

American Legion Baseball in Indiana experiences more boom than doom

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

In a state teaming with travel teams, Indiana is keeping American Legion Baseball alive.

“It’s getting better,” says Indiana American Legion Baseball chairman and longtime Rockport Post 254 manager Owen Wells of the 19-U program. “We were in a slump for awhile.”

A decade ago, Legion ball fielded around 65 teams. When the money started moving away from American Legion Baseball and toward travel ball, the number of teams was cut in two.

“It used to be that it seemed the parents thought the more they spent, the better their kids were going to be,” says Wells. “Now, it seems they’re seeing that maybe that’s not true.

“They see a lot better competition than they do in high school or travel ball … You have to go by the rules or you don’t play American Legion ball. It’s as simple as that. We protect our kids, coaches, the program.”

With almost a half century in American Legion Baseball, Wells is quick to sing it’s praises.

“We have a structured program,” says Wells. “We have an eight-team state tournament. The best of that goes to the national regional tournament. The winner of that goes on the Shelby, N.C. for the World Series.

“Once you win your state tournament, national picks up all your fees — your travel, meals, hotel rooms. You get on a travel team and you can go to 10 World Series and each one of them costs parents X amount of dollars.”

Wells is proud of the organization of American Legion Baseball in Indiana. At the end of each season, officials meet to discuss things that went right and things that need to be changed.

“We don’t let things linger on,” says Wells.

American Legion Baseball has a code of sportsmanship: “I will keep the rules; Keep faith with my teammates; keep my temper; Keep myself fit; Keep a stout heart in defeat; Keep my pride under in victory; Keep a sound soul; A clean mind; and and healthy body.”

The 2016 ALB World Series drew well over 100,000 for five days and the last two games were broadcast live by ESPN. This year’s event is scheduled for Aug. 10-15. As is tradition, the ALB World Series winner will be the guest of Major League Baseball for the second game of its World Series.

Wells notes that ALB also provides full-coverage insurance and requires background checks for its coaches. There is also now a pitch count rule — similar to the one now used by the IHSAA.

Players are also eligible to apply for a statewide scholarship.

There are on boundaries or restrictions when recruiting travel ball players. By rule, all ALB teams have to draw their players from high schools that do not exceed a total of 5,000 enrollment. Rockport tends to get its players from South Spencer and a number of other small schools in southern Indiana and the Owensboro, Ky., area.

The first Indiana ALB state champion (Indianapolis) was crowned in 1926. Branford Post 140 reigned as the second kings of Indiana Legion ball in 1928.

Ever since, a state champion has emerged. The 2016 state winner (Rockport Post 254) advanced to the 90th ALB World Series.

There was some coming and going in between seasons. Notably, there is no Muncie Post 19 Chiefs or Plymouth Post 27 Diamond Spyders squads this summer. Both are past state champions.

South Bend Post 50 was Indiana’s only American Legion World Series champion in 1977 and 40-year anniversary festivities are planned in July. But there will be no Post 50 unit on the field this season.

But there are new teams, including Region Legion Expos squads in northwest Indiana. Legion baseball is filling the gap left by the elimination of Little League’s Big League division (18-and-under) in Indiana.

The 2017 slated opened with 44 approved registrants (30 senior, 14 junior).

According to state commander Joe Kusiak, senior teams i(19-and-under) include Attica Post 52, Boonville Post 200, Brazil Clay County Post 2, Bristol Post 143, Cicero Post 341, Clinton Post 140, Crawfordsville Post 72, Evansville Funkhouser Post 8, Evansville Eugene Pate Post 265, Greene County Eagles, Highland Post 180, Jasper Post 147, Kokomo Post 6, Lafayette Post 11, Lake Village Post 375 Spartans, Liberty Post 122 Patriots, Madison Post 9, Mike Miller Post 94/37, Newburgh Kapperman Post 44, Princeton Post 25, Region Legion Expos 1, Region Legion Exposure Expos, Region Legion Expos 3, Rockport Post 254, Rockville Post 48, Seymour Post 89, South Bend Post 357, Sullivan Post 139, Terre Haute Wayne Newton Post 346 and Valparaiso Post 94.

Junior clubs (age 17-and-under) are Boonville Post 200 Juniors, Crawfordsville Post 72, Evansville Funkhouser Post 8, Greene County Eagles, Jasonville Post 172, Kokomo Post 6, Newburgh Kapperman Post 44, Michigan City Post 37 Wolves, Region Legion Expos 4, Richmond Post 65, Rockport Post 254, Rockport Post 254 Cubs, Terre Haute Wayne Newton Post 346 and Valparaiso Post 94 Junior Vikings.

There will be no sectionals, but eight regionals leading to the eight-team state tournament in Terre Haute July 21-25 (Terre Haute North Vigo and Terre Haute South Vigo will serve as host sites). The state tournament rotates north and south above and below I-70. The 2016 event was staged in Kokomo.

Tim Hayes is in his second season of leading Terre Haute Post 346 after taking over for his brother John. In 31 seasons, John Hayes amassed a record of 930-390 with 28 sectionals, 12 regionals, seven state championships, one Great Lakes Regional title and three regional runner-up finishes. The 2006 team placed second at the ALB World Series.

The local aspect of Legion ball is attractive to Tim Hayes.

“You can still have competitive teams that are community-based in my opinion,” says Hayes, who draws his 2017 roster from Terre Haute North, Terre Haute South, West Vigo and Marshall, Ill. (one player) and plans to play 35-40 games with trips to Missouri and Tennessee. “There are still kids and parents out there that are believers. We’ve been fortunate here that we’ve been able to keep the largest percent of our A and B level players (Post 346 alums include big leaguers like Josh Phegley and A.J. Reed). Our program is rich in tradition. (Players) want to represent our community and our veterans. How long it will last is hard to say.”

A 501 (c) 3 organization raises money for the Post 346 program.

Dave Shinn is in his second year as manager of Mike Miller Post 34-97, a Michigan City-based team. His father, Al Shinn, was involved with ALB, Michiana Amateur Baseball League and Connie Mack Baseball League teams for decades and had played and managed in the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers organizations. Al Shinn died in 2016.

The younger Shinn expects his team to play about 25 regular-season games (with no overnight trips) plus the postseason. He likes the quality of baseball and the pace.

“Once I got into it, I really enjoyed the competition,” says Dave Shinn. “Five or six games in a weekend is too much baseball. You can’t learn that much when you’re playing that much.”

Post 34/97 draws its players from Michigan City, Marquette Catholic, LaPorte, Chesterton, Westville and South Central (Union Mills), plays home games at Marquette with about a dozen players active for each contest.

“We try to keep all the kids active,” says Shinn.

To raise money for Valparaiso Post 94, general manager Kusiak has sold commemorative Chicago Cubs World Series bats made by Valpo-based Hoosier Bat Co.

Bristol Post 143 manager Jim Treadway has brought his team back to Elkhart Central for home games after moving around Elkhart County for home fields. Like many Indiana ALB teams, Bristol has produced many players who went on to play college or pro baseball. Ryan Strausborger made his MLB debut in 2015.

Owen Wells is a longtime manager of Rockpost American Legion Post 254’s baseball team and is the Indiana baseball chairman. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

On the occasion of his 300th win, Elkhart Central’s Stutsman reflects on his career

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Steve Stutsman had a sweet moment Saturday, May 6.

Elkhart Central beat visiting Angola 5-0 in the second game of a high school baseball doubleheader, giving Stutsman the 300th victory of his coaching career.

Stutsman and his team enjoyed cake and cupcakes to mark the moment then the man reflected on the “program” that brought him this special day.

“I’ve had great players, great coaches and great parents,” says Stutsman. “It’s an honor to get to 300 victories and someone helped in every one of those along the way.”

That includes former assistants like Scott Rost (now head coach at Elkhart Memorial), Andrew Brabender (head coach at Northridge who picked up his 200th career win earlier this season), Jim Treadway (former head coach at Concord and the long-time Bristol American Legion Post 143 manager) plus solid baseball men like Dave Hicks, Jimmy Malcom, Mike Doherty and Pat Doherty and on and on.

“Being part of the program. That’s what it’s all about,” says Stutsman. “It’s not me. Kids come and go. Parents come and go. You’ve got to have one thing and that’s the program. That’s what I’ve tried to build here.”

After serving two years as assistant to Randy Miller as he was ending his second head coaching stint with the Blue Blazers, Stutsman took over in 1996.

“I thought I had a good 20 years in me,” says Stutsman, 64. “I got the job kind of late in life in my late 30’s, early 40’s.

“I’m in my 22nd year and I feel better than when I first started.”

Stutsman, a 1971 Concord High School graduate, leads a 2017 team full of veterans players.

“They’re just a great group of kids,” says Stutsman. “They are young men who really play well together. They listen to you. They try to correct the things we ask them to correct.”

Stutsman sees a collection of young athletes that genuinely like each other and play loose.

“I said to them a couple of weeks ago that I’d rather have a team that has great team chemistry than two or three superstars on the team,” says Stutsman. “I really believe that.”

In 2013, Stutsman was part of an IHSAA Class 4A state championship celebration with a squad that beat Indianapolis Cathedral 1-0.

Those Blazers featured Indiana Mr. Baseball Tanner Tully (the left-hander homered and fanned 13 batters to the title game and is now at Low Class-A in the Cleveland Indians organization) plus L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award winner Matt Eppers (now a senior center fielder at Ball State), Cory Malcom (a successful senior right-handed starting pitcher at Arkansas-Little Rock) and Riley Futterknecht (who is wrapping up a strong college career as a left-handed hurler at DePauw).

“That was a great group, too,” says Stutsman. “They liked each other and played well together.

“Championships are awesome and people ask me, ‘why didn’t you retire after you won (in 2013)?’ and I said, “Because I’m still having fun. I still enjoy what I’m doing. I still enjoy watching them go on after high school to college or into a profession and be successful citizens. That — for me — is what coaching is all about.”

Since 1996, Central has won four sectionals (2001, 2011, 2012, 2013) with the one regionals semistate and one state title in 2013.

Stutsman’s “associate head coach” is Steve Asbury, who is in his 14th season on the Blazers staff.

“It’s scary because he knows what I’m thinking and I know what he’s thinking,” says Stutsman. “He has his responsibilities and he does them really well. It’s like I don’t have to tell him what to do.”

Lonnie Weatherholt and Chad O’Brien been with Stutsman for a decade. Brandon Squibb joined the cohesive varsity staff a few seasons ago. The junior varsity is led by Bodie Bender and longtime assistant Paul Bates (son Devin Prater played for the ’13 state champions).

“It’s nice to have your friends for your assistant coaches,” says Stutsman. “We really work well together.

“I feel like I’m just the head of the whole program and I let my assistants go and do their own thing.”

Stutsman has accomplished much of what he has without the feeder program that many Indiana schools enjoy. There is no junior high baseball in Elkhart and the local Little League parks send players on to various high schools.

Travel baseball is firmly established in the area and Stutsman knows it and accepts it — with a caveat.

“As long as they’re playing baseball and as long as I can trust the travel ball coach to make sure their arms are taken care of, I have no problem,” says Stutsman. “I think it’s good they play under different coaching philosophies.

“But when they hit high school, they know from January until the end of May they are Central ballplayers. I take great pride in making sure that the boys know that.”

Going back to the split of Elkhart High School into Central and Memorial, beginning in 1972-73, there have only been three head baseball coaches at Central — Miller (twice), Mike Lutz and Stutsman.

“I’m really proud of that,” Stutsman said. “If I could, if there’s a merger (and one is planned in 2020-21), I want to hang on until the merger and be the last Central baseball coach.”

Talk about the split has been on the lips of many Elkhartans for the past 44 years. Stutsman is no different.

“Selfishly, I’d like to see what we could do with one school,” says Stutsman. “There have been numerous years that had Central and Memorial been combined we could have went down to State. I don’t know if we could have won it all, but we could have been down there quite often.

“But that’s not why I coach. I coach for the kids and seeing them improve and making them into young adults.”

Stutsman also takes took him up on his invitation in the ‘90s to resurrect the Bristol American Legion Post 143 baseball program that was dormant for a short time after being originally started by Lutz.

“(Treadway) has done a great job and he’s taken a lot of our Central boys with the Bristol Legion,” says Stutsman.

Post 143 played its home game at Rice Field (the former varsity and current Central JV field) before moving around to various facilities and returns to that diamond in 2017.

A former Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association president, Stutsman sees two highlights of his time in a leadership role.

“There’s better communication with coaches throughout the state (mostly via email and newsletters),” says Stutsman. “The pitch count (rule) that we’re doing now was needed. I know it’s a struggle with the smaller schools to find pitchers, but its good to limit the pitches.

“(The IHSBCA) does a great job. I only joined one union and that’s it.”

Steve Stutsman celebrates his 300th career coaching victory with his 2017 Elkhart Central High School baseball team after the Blue Blazers beat visiting Angola 5-0 in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday, May 6. Stutsman’s first season as ECHS head coach was 1996. (Steve Krah Photo)

Discipline, structure part of Nielsen’s Concord program

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Regimented and respectful.

Those are concepts Eric Nielsen is establishing in his second season as Concord High School head baseball coach.

“I’m very structured,” says Nielsen, who followed the retiring Jim Treadway as leader of the Minutemen. “All our practices are planned out. We have times and we stick to those times. Guys hustle everywhere they go. We’re very disciplined and are going to play the game the right way. I teach them to respect the game. There’s no trash talking at all. I’m big on body language.”

It’s taken some time, but players are starting to come around to Nielsen’s way of doing things.

“You are starting to see people buying into that,” says Nielsen. “They know what’s expected. Seniors will get on guys if they are not doing things the right way. That’s less that I have to do because that expectation is there.”

Nielsen was an all-state catcher at Elkhart Memorial High School, graduating in 2004. He went to be a regular behind the plate at Purdue University. His first high school head coaching stops came at Mt. Vernon (Fortville) and Knightstown before he moved back to north central Indiana.

Along the way, he has learned how to read his young athletes.

“I’ve learned really well how to manage the players,” says Nielsen. “I think that’s why (Chicago Cubs manager) Joe Maddon is so good at what he does. He’s not managing baseball, he’s managing people. In the olden days with (LaPorte coach) Ken Schreiber, it was this is the way it is and if you don’t like it ‘see ya!’ It was hard-nosed and it was tough.”

And while Nielsen considers himself a traditional, hard-nosed guy, he knows he has to motivate in a different way and keep his players engaged.

“If you know the game of baseball and you can build relationships, you’re going to be very successful, pending you have the talent,” says Nielsen. “I’ve seen teams that have the talent but they never go anywhere because they are so done with the season by the time the state tournament comes around. They’re cashed out.”

A syndrome that baseball and other spring sports face is a loss of focus because it’s the end of the school year. For 12th graders, they call it “senioritis.” But other grades — and even coaches — can get it, too.

Nielsen insists on holding out a carrot for his players.

“You’ve got to have them chasing something,” says Nielsen. “If you don’t, they’re going let up.

“How do you intrinisically motivate the player to want to compete? I tell them to get caught up in the process, don’t get caught up in the results.

“If I can get the process important to them then the results will come. If the process is not important to them, they don’t want to compete and there’s no reason for them to put in everything they have, you’re going to get that apathy.”

Nielsen looks at his 2017 team and sees pitching depth. At least nine of 12 varsity players can take the mound.

“The hard part is finding out who is my No. 1 and No. 2, who’s my best reliever,” says Nielsen. “We’re still in the process of finding that out.”

Along with pitching coach Mike McGregor, Nielsen looks at pitchers not only in terms of physical talent but what’s happening between the ears.

“We’re trying to teach mental toughness on the mound,” says Nielsen. “If we can have guys that will compete, saying ‘I’m going to strike this guy out.’ Even if they don’t, they are going to distinguish themselves from the rest of the players.”

What about the new pitch count rule?

“I thought it was going to be a bigger issue than it has been,” says Nielsen. “I traditionally don’t have guys throw that much anyway. I don’t push the 120 spot. As long as they’re under 80, I know how many days they need off.

“I thought I’d be juggling a lot. It hasn’t been too bad.”

Nielsen said the pitch count rule will likely be more of an issue during the IHSAA tournament series than the regular season.

“People are going to watch that really close,” says Nielsen.

Concord spends plenty of time at its regimented practices on “small ball.” The Minutemen work on moving runners with the bunt.

“We don’t have anybody on the team we can rely on to hit the long ball yet,” says Nielsen.

Something that Nielsen established in his first season at Concord was an Armed Forces Day (Concord Baseball Armed Forces Day on Facebook). It was such a hit, the Minutemen will be pay tribute to those who have served Saturday, May 6 when South Bend Adams visits for a 10 a.m. game.

Father Scott Nielsen (Army during Vietnam era) and grandfather Bob Burns (Air Force during World War II) and assistant coach Jason Paulson (Marines) are all people close to Nielsen with military ties.

As a social studies teacher at CHS, he also gets a chance to tell students about the importance of the military.

“It’s good to show the kids what these guys are doing day in and day out for our country and show them appreciation for the sacrifices that they make and have made for our freedom,” says Nielsen, whose other assistants are Sean Sears and Nic Minder.

The Minutemen compete in the Northern Lakes Conference (along with Elkhart Memorial, Goshen, Northridge, NorthWood, Plymouth, Warsaw and Wawasee). The double round robin NLC race began this week.

Eric Nielsen, a 2004 Elkhart Memorial High School graduate, is in his second season as head baseball coach at Concord High School. He was a catcher at Purdue University.