By STEVE KRAH
Fundamentals are the cornerstone of Eric Isenburg’s baseball coaching style.
“Let’s do the small things right and the big things will take care of themselves,” says Isenburg, who heading into his third year as head coach at Maconaquah High School in Bunker Hill, Ind., in 2023-24 but has coached the sport for a quarter century with stints in Maryland and time as an assistant to Chuck Brimbury or Rob Hileman at Peru (Ind.) High School. He was even head coach at that neighboring school in Miami County.
Isenburg is in his third year as a math teacher at Maconaquah.
The current IHSAA Limited Contact Period goes Aug. 28-Oct. 14 and Isenburg spent the first practice this week with players not involved in fall sports working on fielding fundamentals — footwork and glove movement — and bunting. The plan is to hone skills for two hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays after school for five or six weeks.
When the whole team is together, the coach plans to keep stressing the basics.
“We try to spend 10 to 15 minutes a day on individual position work,” says Isenburg, who also likes most players to be able to be proficient at two positions.
Isenburg is a 1993 graduate of Lewis Cass High School in Walton, Ind. The Kings head baseball coach was and is Greg Marschand, who went into the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2017.
“He’s a very hard worker,” says Isenburg of Marschand. “He loves the kids, loves the game and does everything he can to keep the game going.
“He’s very consistent.”
In the winter of 1998, Isenburg graduated from Indiana State University with degrees in Mathematics and Physical Education. He also holds two masters degrees — Secondary Education and Public Administration.
Maconaquah (enrollment around 650) is a member of the Three Rivers Conference (with Lewis Cass, Manchester, North Miami, Northfield, Peru, Rochester, Southwood, Wabash and Whitko).
The Braves are part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping in 2024 with Bellmont, Mississinewa, Norwell, Oak Hill and Peru. Maconaquah has earned three sectional championships — the last in 1994.
Isenburg’s assistants for 2024 so far are Jason Winegardner, Bryce Ward and Nick Love.
The Braves plan to field varsity and junior varsity teams in the springs and would like to play a C-team schedule.
“With our numbers the last few years we did not have one,” says Isenburg. “This year it will be close. If we have 35 guys I’d feel comfortable with having a C-team.”
While there are no college commits on the current team, Kaleb Shelton (Class of 2024) has been drawing interest. Isenburg says the righty swinging/throwing outfielder/pitcher has been clocked at 6.8 seconds in the 60-yard dash and touched 90 mph on the mound.
The IHSAA adopted a pitch count rule (1 to 35 pitches requires 0 days rest; 36 to 60 requires 1 day; 61 to 80 requires 2 days; 81 to 100 requires 3 days; and 101 to 120 requires 4 days) that went into effect during the 2017 season.
“I think it’s a good thing,” says Isenburg. “I’ve been coaching a long time. I think it will take care of arms better than the innings limit will because not all innings are created equal.”
Maconaquah’s home field is located on the west side of campus next to the football field.
Isenburg said one thing on the wish list is getting short walls to put in front of the dugouts.
Bunker Hill Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth is a feeder for the high school program.
Eric and Abby Isenburg have been married 24 years. The couple has two children. Annie Isenburg (Maconaquah Class of 2022) was in soccer, swimming and tennis in high school and is now a sophomore at Indiana University in Bloomington. Bennett Isenburg (Maconaquah Class of 2025) plays soccer and baseball.
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