Saluting the prep baseball Class of 2020

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

It looks like there will be a little bit of Indiana high school baseball this year.

Many programs are planning to play a few games once restrictions are lifted July 1.

Teams will be using this opportunity to recognize the Class of 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the entire IHSAA spring sports season, including baseball.

Regional tournaments would have been played Saturday (June 6).

Following is a sampling of some the salutes across Indiana.

ANGOLA

Hornets head coach Roger Roddy says current plans call for Monday and Thursday practices and Friday intrasquad games the last two weeks in July with senior recognition July 30. 

A family picnic is in the mix. Like many programs, Angola has been giving social media shout-outs via Twitter.

CARMEL

Greyhounds head coach Matt Buczkowski traveled to the homes of his seniors to present a commemorative bat.

DANVILLE

Warriors coach Pat O’Neil made video wrap-ups after every games of a faux season. The Hall of Famer “saw” his team win a virtual state title.

Once the quarantine began but before the season was canceled, O’Neil asked his players to send him a 20-second video of them working on offensive and defensive skills. There was an award for the most dedicated player.

There was a parade of cars at the baseball field.

“One coach gave a letter certificate, one coach gave letters or chevrons, one coach gave new jerseys,” says O’Neil. “They took individual photos in center field with new jerseys. 

“It was good to see them be enthusiastic.”

When July arrives, O’Neil is planning to have practices for junior varsity and varsity players, including seniors.

A scrimmage with a senior recognition that includes souvenir bats and a cookout is slated for July 6. 

A youth camp is also planned at the end of July.

ELKHART MEMORIAL

In the last year of the program before the merger of Elkhart Memorial and Elkhart Central, Crimson Chargers head coach Scott Rost conducted a Twitter tournament and voters selected their favorite jersey. 

Rost was also hired to be head coach of the Elkhart High School Lions in 2020-21.

FISHERS

Tigers head coach Matt Cherry hopes his team will be able to play doubleheaders July 13-14 with seniors being saluted. 

FRANKTON

“It’s the craziest spring I’ve ever been a part of,” says Eagles head coach Brad Douglas. “I’ve tried to reach out to the boys the best we can following all the social distancing protocol.”

Gift baskets with sunflower seeds, Gatorade, bubble gum and a baseball painted by Brian Borumn was taken to the seniors.

Tributes were placed on Twitter and new jerseys were made available for photos.

“At least once, we want to put them on and get a team picture,” says Douglas. “I don’t want these boys to be forgotten just because we didn’t get to play this year.”

GRIFFITH

Panthers head coach Brian Jennings turned on the lights at his field at 9:20 p.m. as a tribute to the Class of 2020.

HIGHLAND

Trojans head coach John Bogner, who counted son Justin among his seniors, has done his best to acknowledge the Class of 2020.

Social media has been part of that.

HUNTINGTON NORTH

Without games to play on what would have been Senior Day for the Vikings, head coach Mark Fluekiger spent 12 hours working on Viking Field.

As the sun was setting, he took photos and recorded a video tribute to seniors.

JIMTOWN

The Jimmies are looking forward to a unique doubleheader on July 11. 

Early in the day comes delayed commencement. At 7:30 p.m., Jimtown plays Bristol Americn Legion Post 143 in a game at Booster Field.

Jimmies coach Cory Stoner says he expects that all 11 of his seniors will be able to play catch with their fathers prior to playing in the contest. 

Stoner, who is also the JHS head football coach, also plans to have baseball practices in July.

LANESVILLE

Drive Main Street in Lanesville, Ind., and you’ll see banners on light poles for senior sports athletes — that includes 11 baseball seniors.

“They’ve meant a lot to our program,” says Swingin’ Eagles head coach Zach Payne. “They’e good kids and good leaders.”

Payne says there may be a joint event with Lanesville softball. There has also been talk about games in late July featuring Corydon Central, North Harrison, South Central (Elizabeth) and Crawford County.

LAPORTE

Slicers head coach Scott Upp had Schreiber Field lit up at 8:20 p.m. as a nod to his seniors.

MISHAWAKA

May 20 was supposed to be Senior Night for Mishawaka.

Cavemen head coach John Huemmer went to Freddie Fitzsimmons Field, hung nine senior jerseys on the backstop and turned on the lights.

A Senior Night dinner was being planned. An engraved gift bat will include the bats of seniors.

Huemmer is hopeful that there will be a few practices and games in July.

NEW PRAIRIE

Bear Tolman Field had the numbers of New Prairie’s eight seniors painted on it and there’s drone photos to prove it.

Cougars head coach Mark Schellinger says its not likely that high school teams will practice or play this summer though his players have connected with their various travel organizations.

“We’re hoping to get together as a team to recognize team and seniors,” says Schellinger, who was the head coach for the North at the 2019 IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series in Madison (the 2020 series in Evansville was canceled). “(Seniors) made very big contributions to our program — on and off the field. They added to the culture and raised the expectations. They set examples for younger players.

“We still spent a lot of time together as a team and a group (in the preseason) — even though games didn’t start.”

NORTHRIDGE

Raiders head coach Andrew Brabender says his team gathered at a player’s house for a senior dinner.

Nothing is set in stone, but Brabender says he’d like to put together an alumni game in late July or early August to be staged at the new turfed athletic complex.

“It’s a little closure for seniors,” says Brabender. “They weren’t going to get to play on that field anyway.”

NORTHVIEW

Knights coach Craig Trout has gotten banners and jerseys to his players for photo opportunities.

Senior numerals have been painted on the field.

Northview is hoping to have a wiffle ball game after July 4.

“It’s hard right now for (the players),” says Trout. “It’s hard for their parents.”

NORTHWOOD

Panthers head coach A.J. Risedorph has filled his time not only with online teaching and helping with Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Zoom meetings, he’s been dressing his diamond.

Senior numbers have been emblazoned on the field.

SOUTH BEND CLAY

Colonials head coach Joel Reinebold saw that uniforms were distributed for photos. 

Twitter appreciation was spread on Twitter. 

Yard signs were made as was a video to the tune of “Centerfield” by John Fogerty.

Clay assistant coach Tony Cruz, who recently was released from the hospital following COVID-19 treatment, has invited players to join his South Bend American Legion Post 151 team this summer.

WESTVIEW

“It’s an unfortunate situation for everybody at all levels,” says Warriors head coach Jason Rahn. “First and foremost, everyone’s health and safety is the top priority.”

Westview lost several top players to graduation in 2019, but there was excitement for 2020.

“We thought we did a good job of re-loading,” says Rahn.

Seniors have been spotlighted on Twitter with vintage-looking baseball cards.

The Class of 2020 has been invited for a July 16 home game against Bristol American Legion Post 143. Westview looks to play at Lakeland July 20 and host another Northeast Corner Conference foe July 22.

While the local recreation season has been canceled with local parks just now opening, travel ball (8U to 14U) is on. 

“We feel like we’re making the best of it,” says Rahn, who indicates a camp is being planned for rec ball players.

ANGOLA HORNETS

CARMEL GREYHOUNDS

Carmel bat presentation (from left): Liz, Logan and Mark Urbanowski and coach Matt Buczkowski.

DANVILLE WARRIORS

Jacob Comer

Brett Poindexter

ELKHART MEMORIAL CRIMSON CHARGERS

The winner in the Twitter tournament of Elkhart Memorial baseball jerseys.

FISHERS TIGERS

Fishers High School when baseball was played.

Fishers High School.

Senior Day at Fishers a few years back.

FRANKTON EAGLES

GRIFFITH PANTHERS

Griifith High School baseball field under the lights.

Griffith High School field is ready, but there were no games in the spring of 2020.

HIGHLAND TROJANS

HUNTINGTON NORTH VIKINGS

Huntington North High School coach Mark Flueckiger

Viking Field, Huntington North High School.

JIMTOWN JIMMIES

The lights go on at Jimtown High School’s Booster Field to honor the baseball Class of 2020.

LANESVILLE EAGLES

Senior spring athletes saluted on Main Street in Lanesville, Ind.

LAPORTE SLICERS

Zane Eskridge

Nick Moser

Matt Parrette

Grant Collins

Connor Stalbaum

Carson Crass

Mason Schroeder

Logan Schroeder

MISHAWAKA CAVEMEN

Mishawaka senior uniforms tops at Freddie Fitzsimmons Field.

Mishawaka Class of 2020 numbers at Freddie Fitzsimmons Field.

NEW PRAIRIE COUGARS

New Prairie’s Class of 2020 in past action. The senior season was canceled.

Aerial view of New Prairie numbers at Bear Tolman Field.

Drone view of New Prairie’s Bear Tolman Field with senior numbers.

NORTHRIDGE RAIDERS

NORTHVIEW KNIGHTS

This is how the 2016 Indiana high school baseball ended for Northview High School – with an IHSAA Class 3A state title. The 2020 season was wiped out because of COVID-19.

NORTHWOOD PANTHERS

A drone captured this view of NorthWood senior baseball numbers.

Here’s a different look.

SOUTH BEND CLAY COLONIALS

WESTVIEW WARRIORS

Because of COVID-19 everyone was kept at home and there was no IHSAA baseball season in 2020.

Prep baseball coaches try to lift seniors’ spirits

BY JIM PETERS

For http://www.IndianaRBI.com

“We’re all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children’s game, we just don’t … don’t know when that’s gonna be. Some of us are told at 18, some of us are told at 40, but we’re all told.” — Moneyball

One of the famous quotes from the movie about Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane has hit home for many high school seniors whose playing days weren’t ended by the standard baseball career markers — graduation, injury, a roster cut or retirement — but by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I know how big it was for me,” South Bend Clay coach Joel Reinebold said of his last prep game. “I was playing for my dad (Jim Reinebold). I stood out in the outfield and cried that it was over.”

The moment is etched in time for Reinebold, who went on to play at Mississippi College. In retrospect, he hurts for the seniors who are not getting any such closure this spring.

“It’s a tough way to end your career,” he said. “I can’t imagine.”

Reinebold and other coaches across Indiana are doing a variety of things to try to ease the disappointment of the lost 2020 season for their final-year players.

One of Reinebold’s endeavors is having individual signs made for his seniors and placing them on the infield with their jerseys under the lights of the diamond, which is named after his father.

“Just give them a little salute, hey, we’re sorry you don’t get to play, but thank you for everything you’ve done for three years,” he said.

Clay expected to have nine seniors this spring, four of whom are first-year players. Catcher-outfielder Mark Williams and outfielder-pitcher Jackson Jones would have been in their fourth year on varsity and Hunter Aker in his third. Other veterans were Miguel Penaloza and Tyler Williams. Aker, a first baseman-shortstop-pitcher, will go on to play at Manchester University, while Bethel University is looking at Jones, an outfielder-pitcher.

“Some are going on to college, some are done and it’s time to figure out something else to do, and some may realize with time that they’re not ready to get out,” Reinebold said.

The team last met on the final day of February for a conditioning session. After an initial two-week shutdown, there was hope for a return March 15. When it was bumped back again, teams held on to the prospect of an abbreviated season until that glimmer was snuffed out with the state’s shutdown for the rest of the school year.

“We can’t even meet,” said Reinebold, who is doing all correspondence via text. “We can’t do anything as a group. We can’t make them work out. I was trying to think of the last time we were together. It seems like forever.”

***

Hope springs eternal in March, when everybody is 0-0 with aspirations for greatness. With a whopping 11 seniors, Jimtown had high expectations for the season, led by shortstop Dustin Whitman, a four-year starter, three-year catcher Sammy Schwartz and outfielder-pitcher Brandon Coble.

“Most coaches are saying that now, but we really had our eyes set on moving the program forward,” Jimmies coach Cory Stoner said. “They’ve worked hard. They practice on their own. We don’t have to tell them what to do. It’s a tribute to them for taking charge. It’s a really close group that gets along. They’ve spent a lot of time together growing up.”

The day after the season was officially cancelled, assistant coach Jim Fredwell approached Stoner with the suggestion of turning on the stadium lights, piggybacking on a idea that has been done across the country as a symbolic tip of the cap to seniors.

“We both have little kids, so it seemed like a fun thing,” Stoner said. “A couple people stopped by (Booster Field). My college coach (Seth Zartman) lives down the road and he came down. It was pretty cool to see.”

Given the opportunity, Stoner hopes to do something more extensive this summer, kicking around the idea of a mock senior night with a cookout or, should the social distancing restrictions be eased back by then, possibly an intra-squad scrimmage.

“We’ve got a great group of seniors and we want to honor them in the right way,” Stoner said. “It’s just hard right now to plan much of anything.”

Stoner recently organized a virtual team meeting during which he let each of the seniors talk and their words warmed his heart.

“Clay Campbell was talking about how devastating this is, but we have to look at the big picture, that there are people who are hurting far worse,” Stoner said. “We try to preach selfless leadership, putting others first, and he’s one who really gets it. It was cool to hear.”

***

Goshen‘s five-player senior class will always hold a special place for RedHawks coach J.J. DuBois, now even more so due to the circumstances.

“I coached them on JV before varsity,” DuBois said. “This was my first group that I’ve had since they were freshmen. It’s a great group of kids, the perfect program guys. Goshen baseball doesn’t have a great history of success. We haven’t won a sectional since 2008. This was our best shot to sneak up on people like Northridge and Penn. We didn’t have a ton of varsity experience, but we have good talent. It was the perfect team for this year.”

DuBois is going to great lengths to honor his seniors in light of them missing out on the chance to fulfill their on-field aspirations. Among them, pitcher-shortstop Skylar Reyes, last season’s MVP, will play at Manchester, and Tommy Cartagena Garcia, who came to the school from Puerto Rico as a sophomore, is also looking at a couple schools.

“Losing their season, they’re so disappointed they don’t get to wear the RedHawks jersey one more time,” he said. “You want to give them things to remember, not just the wins and losses, but something special, fun things like dinner with the guys.”

It started with 20-minute Zoom interviews with each player in which they answered a variety of questions, both related and not related to baseball. Preview clips were posted on the Goshen baseball Twitter account with the full segments available on YouTube.

“They got to tell some cool stories that got them laughing,” DuBois said. “It was a good time.”

Borrowing an idea from basketball coach Michael Wohlford, who had posters done for his players, DuBois is in the process of having replica jerseys put in frames for each seniors. His hope is to hold a ceremony where they can gather the seniors and their parents to recognize them.

“Who knows with the timing,” he said. “We certainly have the room (to spread out) on a baseball field.”

***

NorthWood coach A.J. Risedorph has five players in his senior class — third-year regulars Jaden Miller and Cooper Davis, Josh Stratford, Jack Wysong and Kyler Germann — all of whom have been in the program since they were freshmen. Among them, only Miller (Danville Area Community College) is signed to play at the collegiate level, though Wysong is headed to DePauw University for tennis.

“We graduated a pretty good class, so I was more excited about the competition, the young guys who were going to step up,” Risedorph said. “That’s what sports is all about. They put in all the time and have been ready from day one. It’s very unfortunate. A lot of guys are struggling. We want to make sure they’re all right.”

With that in mind, Risedorph has a few projects in the works, starting off with social media posts. After doing some online searching, he’s looking into having personalized bats and replica jerseys done as senior gifts.

“My wife (Jenna) was talking about driving around to the homes and dropping them off,” he said.

The school’s baseball field doesn’t have lights, but Risedorph is thinking about getting the site game ready with bases, batter’s boxes and base lines, then painting the players’ numbers on the grass with the stencils used for football.

“Maybe we can do a drone shot,” he said. “We’d like to get them back out again. It kind of all depends on how long we’re shut down, as we get more information from the state.”

The missed season isn’t impactful on the seniors alone. Risedorph shared the story of junior Sergio Lira Ayala, who came to the school from Puerto Rico during his freshman year.

“He lives and breathes baseball, it’s all he cares about,” Risedorph said. “It’s his escape, with everything he’s dealt with. He just wants to be able to compete. I tell the juniors, you’re the seniors now. The standard of expectations is on their shoulders now.”

***

There’s no protocol, no manual, no reference for coaches on how to tell their seniors they don’t get to play their final season.

“There are guys who like to play and guys who love to play,” Fairfield coach Darin Kauffman said. “I have three of them it was really tough for. I felt awful for calling and leaving a message that we were done for the season. How do you do that? As coaches, it stinks, we want to play, too, but next year, we’ll be at it again. For the seniors, they don’t know if they’ll ever be on a field again and play.”

Of his seniors, just one, Felipe Arevalo, has a possibility of playing in college.

“He’d be really good for a JUCO for two years and go (to a four-year school) from there,” Kauffman said. “He called me right after (the season was cancelled). He was crying. He just loves the game. It was devastating to him. I felt bad. We were talking to colleges and they were planning on seeing him. Now they won’t be able to set up something.”

Kauffman has taken to doing social media posts with pictures of his seniors with write-ups that are going up one a day on the team page, as well as on the athletic department account, which is doing the same for the other spring sports.

“I’d like to have a thing, if we’re allowed to do it, on a nice day, in July even, where we could all meet at the field and recognize all the seniors for everything they’ve done, say some final words,” he said. “They worked hard in the winter. The guys were all for it.”

Fairfield didn’t bring back a great deal of experience after graduating 11 seniors last year, so it will now be in the same boat next season.

“I’m hoping the underclassmen can play at least a couple games,” Kauffman said. “If not, it’ll be almost two years. I don’t know what we’ll do. We won’t have a lot of seniors and it’ll be like really having two freshman classes. We have some young kids who wanted to travel.”

Kauffman has been staying busy with free online clinics and webinars.

“I sent out some things I want them to do, to try to keep their arms in shape,” he said. “Some kids have a back yard big enough to at least go out and do something, but everybody has a different dilemma. We’re all in the same boat on this.”

Follow Jim Peters on Twitter — @JP8185

The lights on Booster Field were illuminated to honor Jimtown High School’s Class of 2020, which did not get to play at senior season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams all over Indiana are finding ways to say thanks to the seniors. (Jimtown Baseball Photo)

 

Indiana baseball teams coping with COVID-19 separation

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

UPDATE: Since this story was published, the spring sports season has been canceled by the Indiana High School Athletic Association. The announcement came shortly after Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb announced that there would be no more in-person classes for the 2019-20 school year.

This was supposed to be the first week of the 2020 Indiana high school baseball regular season.

But the game is on hold while the world deals with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic through social distancing.

In a landscape that is ever-changing, many states have already closed down for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has ruled that all Indiana schools be closed until May 1.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association has stated that there is hope for shortened regular season beginning with five required practices — rather than the usual 10 — after schools are allowed to re-open. The state tournament series would follow.

Right now, sectionals are slated for May 27-June 1 with regionals June 6, semistates June 13 and the State Finals June 19-20 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

The Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Futures Game and North/South All-Star Series is to be the next week in Evansville.

Time will tell if any of that happens.

How are some coaches and teams dealing with the quarantine?

Crawfordsville coach John Froedge has his Athenians working together though they are physically apart.

“Our players have been strongly encouraged to follow all local, state and federal guidelines in helping to not spread the virus,” says Froedge, an IHSBCA Hall of Famer. “We are beginning to ramp back up this week with anticipation of a May 4 start.”

The Athenians, ranked No. 3 in the IHSBCA Class 3A preseason poll, have been communicating via calls, texts and Zoom video conferences and had a meeting scheduled to share team and position workouts through Google Sheets that includes links to instructional and motivational videos, articles etc.

“The workouts are all the things they can do by themselves or with a brother or dad,” says Froedge. “The idea is that we’re all working in the same things remotely. They then long each day what they’ve done and share with teammates in various ways, short videos included.

“Our hope for the players — especially seniors in all spring sports — is that they will get some kind of season, however brief it might be. But even if we don’t have a season, we still have a team and are creating memories and imparting life lessons.”

Jon Gratz coached Columbus East to a 4A state runner-up finish in 2019.

He has communicated with his Olympians, ranked No. 3 IHSBCA 4A preseason poll, through texting. He suggests things players can do as individuals since school and other facilities are now off limits.

“It’s about getting creative,” says Gratz. “It’s tough to know what guys are doing.

The biggest concern is that if we have five days of practice and play games to know that guys are in shape to throw and do all that stuff.”

A math teacher, Gratz has been using a platform called It’s Learning three days a week to lead AP and lower level classes. He has made some videos and shared them with his students.

Remind is a platform that is used for group messages.

Gratz says he is taking advantage of the extra time at home to spend with his family and learn things about baseball that he normally would not have time to learn.

At 4A Lake Central, fourth-year head coach Mike Swartzentruber was a few days from beginning tryouts at a school of 3,300 when the shutdown came.

The Indians were return seven starters from regional finalist squad and is ranked No. 2 in the preseason 4A poll.

“You feel for the kids, especially the seniors who have put in so much time and done what you’ve asked them to do for four years,” says Swartzentruber. “It’s hard trying to find the words to say to kids.

“But, in the grand scheme of things, people’s health is greater than playing a game. The trend is not very good right now. But we’re trying to stay positive.”

Swartzentruber has shared workouts that players can do in their basement, garage or driveway. He asks them all to find regular cardiovascular exercise.

“It’s all up to them,” says Swartzentruber. “We say whatever you do, make sure you do don’t put yourself in jeopardy from a health standpoint.”

Swartzentruber teaches seven classes and is now doing that from home since Lake Central adopted eLearning. Assignments are given through the Canvas platform.

“Its a little tricky,” says Swartzentruber. “I know there’s going to be some things lost in translation when you’re not face-to-face.”

Shane Edwards, head coach at 3A Oak Hill and a member of the IHSBCA executive council, has kept plenty busy fielding questions from other coaches from around the state.

“Coaches are nervous,” says Edwards. “They’re concerned and want to be informed.

“We’re kind of in the dark about where this is going.”

Edwards has stayed connected to his players with weekly emails to suggest workouts they can do on their own or with a parent or sibling. The Golden Eagles coaching staff uses group texts to stay on the same page.

“We still hold out hope that we’re going to play,” says Edwards.

With a late start and an abbreviated season, Edwards says many teams will be doing in May what they normally do in March and April.

“Usually by May, you feel comfortable with your lineup and pitching staff,” says Edwards. “So now do you try to get a lot of games in or make progress for when the tournament comes? It’s a delicate balance we’re all going to have to play.”

Oak Hill typically has in-season hitting sessions a couple of times a week during the season. Edwards says that time might be used to bring his young players up to speed on varsity baseball.

“You can’t replace game situations,” says Edwards. “I would want as much coaching time as I could have in those practice situations.”

Also an assistant high school principal, Edwards says Oak Hill is looking to supply some district students with laptops will begin online learning next week.

IHSBCA Hall of Famer Dave Gandolph is just three career wins shy of 800.

When he’s not home tending to projects ordering puzzles or watching TV with his wife, Gandolph has been going to Indianapolis Scecina Memorial High School two or three times a week to work on the Crusaders’ facility.

“I’m just by my lonesome,” says Gandolph, who has mowed grass and done work on Scecina’s new hitting building in the block house where the old weight room was located.

March 16 was supposed to be the first official day of IHSAA practice. During the Limited Contact Period, the Crusaders got a chance to work out on the grass.

2A No. 3-ranked Scecina’s first game was slated for this Saturday at the end of spring break.

Should the season begin in early May, Gandolph foresees his team hosting a Saturday doubleheader against Providence and then getting in one round of Indiana Crossroads Conference games before the postseason.

“I don’t get too hung up on planning,” says Gandolph. “It’s a day-by-day type thing anyway.”

He takes that same attitude about the milestone victory in his future.

“(No. 800) will come whenever it comes,” says Gandolph, who has been a his alma mater since the 2014 season after years at Center Grove, where he also taught for 40 years.

Gandolph says he has kept in-touch with players through texts and Twitter posts.

“I give suggestions to keep them busy and healthy and, hopefully, keep them positive,” says Gandolph.

While the team has not yet done any Zoom conferences, the Gandolph family has used the technology and is planning to do so this week to celebrate the seventh birthday of one of Dave’s grandsons.

Washington Township was 1A state runner-ups in 2019 with Randy Roberts as coach. The Senators are No. 1 in the IHSBCA preseason rankings.

Like many, Roberts has seen the levels of coronavirus restriction increase. Until the latest constraints were put in place, some players were going to the homes of teammates with batting cages at their homes and conducting their own practices.

“Parents are now following the guidelines that have been set down and keeping their kids at home,” says Roberts. “They’re in that better safe-than-sorry mode.”

Roberts says he has witnessed two extremes on social media regarding COVID-19.

“It’s not that big a deal and no more than flu and older people with prior health issues (are at risk) or on the other side, it’s serious, don’t mess with it,” says Roberts. “We’re expecting the worse and hoping for the best.”

Roberts says many of his players put in plenty of off-season work before the interruption.

“I keep hoping that this thing will level off and we can get back to school,” says Roberts. “Our boys and their parents were pretty devastated when they got sent home from school.

“If theres a glimmer of hope, the boys will start hooking up and getting in their time before I can be with them.”

Roberts has been home with two baseball-playing sons. Max Roberts is a pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. William Roberts is a 2019 Washington Township graduate who sat out a year while getting ready to go the junior college route.

Randy and William went to see Max, who was attending a Mariners “gas” camp in Arizona, when they began to shut things down and send players home as minor league spring training was about to start.

Roberts says some in his area have talked about playing two or three games a week prior to the sectional. If possible, he can see the Senators playing just about everyday leading into the postseason.

A teacher at Washington Township Elementary, Roberts has been instructing via laptop.

Having taken online classes himself, he is convinced of one thing: “Kids need to be in school.”

“You find yourself doing assignments just to get them done,” says Roberts. “Without the interaction, I never thought there was a whole lot of learning getting done.”

Daleville, with Terry Turner at the helm, is ranked No. 2 in the IHSBCA 1A poll.

“My heart goes out to all these high school seniors in all spring sports if they don’t have an opportunity to participate,” says Turner. “It’s just an awful feeling.

“I guess I’m being selfish here, but in the last four years I’ve won two (1A) state titles (in 2016 and 2018). We have the possibility of a third one (with six players, including five starters, from the 2018 team). I was really excited about it. We have right group of kids with the right mentality.

“I have my doubts we’ll even get to see what would happen.”

Turner has had little contact with his players since the lockdown began and has been doing his best to teach online to his pupils at Anderson High School.

“I’m bored out of mind,” says Turner. “I can’t get out to talk to these kids. That’s the worst part.

“Some of the kids have texted me. I have great senior leadership. They’ve gotten together a few times to go throw and stuff. I tell them to do the best they can to stay in baseball shape.”

Daleville was fundraising to pay for its overnight trip to Jasper, but for safety-sake, Turner put an end to that.

Turner had beefed up the Broncos schedule to get them ready for the state tournament.

“I wouldn’t have done that unless I felt like I had a team that could compete,” says Turner. “I said, ‘let’s have a challenge.’”

Regardless of what happens this year, Turner says he has decided that 2021 is going to be his last spring as a coach and teacher.

“I have grandkids I want to spend some time with,” says Turner. “I have a bucket list I want to do.”

At 4A Terre Haute South Vigo, the Braves were hoping to dedicate a full season to Brian Pickens, a 25-year assistant coach who died of throat cancer Jan. 28.

“I still think about him everyday,” says South Vigo head coach Kyle Kraemer. “It’s all perspective.

“The biggest thing is the fear of the unknown. There are so many what-ifs and unknowns. It’s just crazy.

“We are living through history. You’re talking about fighting something you can’t see.”

The Braves spent to winter building up a library of Hudl videos of themselves hitting and pitching that can now be used as references for at-home workouts.

“I’m trying to be prepared,” says Kraemer, who is hopeful that South Vigo might be able to play Conference Indiana opponents and some others prior to the postseason — if there is one.

When the IHSAA ruled this past winter that teams can have 10 summer practices with four contest dates, Kraemer says he didn’t think much about it.

“Now I think a lot of coaches are going to take advantage of that if possible,” says Kraemer.

Also a teacher, Kraemer says eLearning is to kick in Vigo County on April 6. This is spring break. There were eight waiver days prior to that.

Mark Schellinger, head coach at 3A New Prairie, has spent part of his days tending to eLearning — either from home or at the school — and has joined with his assistants in working on Harry “Bear” Tolmen Field.

“It was weird, knowing (players) could not be out there with us,” says Schellinger, whose Cougars are No. 10 in the 3A preseason rankings. (It’s tough for everybody, but it’s really tough for the kids.

“But we have to take a step back and see there is a bigger picture.”

Schellinger says safety and health are the first priority for players, followed by staying on top of their eLearning and then staying in shape, especially with throwing.

“We’re hoping to be proactive so we have a plan in place,” says Schellinger. “But it’s hard to make those decisions or make those plans.

“There’s just so much unknown right now.”

Should the season get started in early May, Schellinger says he favors playing as many regular-season games as possible.

“The kids want to play, especially in a short time span,” says Schellinger. “Hopefully our pitchers are ready for that.”

New Prairie does have pitching depth, though Schellinger hardly expects 100 from anyone out of the gate.

IHSBCA RANKINGS

(2020 Preseason)

4A

1. Penn

2. Lake Central

3. Columbus East

4. Crown Point

5. Hamilton Southeastern

6. Andrean

7. Columbus North

8. Center Grove

9. Carmel

10. Noblesville

Receiving votes: Avon, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Fishers, Homestead, Jasper, Jeffersonville, Munster, New Albany, Northridge, Westfield.

3A

1. Edgewood

2. South Bend St. Joseph

3. Crawfordsville

4. Western

5. Silver Creek

6. Brebeuf Jesuit

7. West Vigo

7. Yorktown

9. Lebanon

10. New Prairie

Receiving votes: Danville, Evansville Memorial, Griffith, Guerin Catholic, Hanover Central, Heritage Hills, Indian Creek, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, Kankakee Valley, NorthWood, Norwell, Providence, South Dearborn, South Vermillion, Southridge.

2A

1. Alexandria-Monroe

2. Lafayette Central Catholic

3. Indianapolis Scecina Memorial

4. Lewis Cass

4. North Posey

4. Speedway

7. Wapahani

8. Delphi

9. University

10. Linton-Stockton

Receiving votes: Blackford, Boone Grove, Covenant Christian, LaVille, Monroe Central, South Adams, Wheeler.

1A

1. Washington Township

2. Daleville

3. Tecumseh

4. Lanesville

5. North Miami

6. Shakamak

7. Rossville

8. Riverton Parke

9. Barr-Reeve

10. Kouts

Receiving votes: Clinton Central, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, Fremont, Hauser, Loogootee, North Daviesss, North White, Rising Sun, South Central (Union Mills), Trinity Lutheran, Wes-Del.

Cancer, other health issues can’t keep NorthWood’s Dillion Weldy from serving others

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Dillion Weldy has faced physical challenges throughout his young life.

At two weeks old, he went to Riley Hospital of Children in Indianapolis to repair a heart defect (coarctation of the aorta).

He also has a heart murmur and an abnormally-shaped bicuspid aortic valve.

These conditions restricted his activity, but he was able to play some T-ball and coach pitch baseball in Wakarusa, Ind.

At 7, second grader Dillion found out he had cancer in his lower back.

He collapsed in the hallway at school with back pain in the fall of 2008. That was two days after mother Cindy married Tom Lamb. It took two months to figure out Dillion’s issue. At first it was believed the boy had a kidney stone so he went to see a urologist.

Then came total body bone scans, X-rays and CAT scans. He was scheduled for an MRI when a doctor who had been reviewing his tests called and advised the family to take Dillion to Riley immediately. He was airlifted from Plymouth to Indianapolis.

That was Oct. 1, 2008. Three days later, he was diagnosed and received his first treatment for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

A golf ball-sized tumor was found on Dillion’s spine. It was around his spinal cord, spine and nerve endings. One vertebrae was fractured and another one was removed.

All of the tumor was successfully removed with surgery. After two years of treatment, he was declared to be in remission in October 2010.

Because of his condition, he was not allowed him to engage in strenuous activities which limited what he could do around the farm and kept him out of sports for fear of causing more damage.

“Once cancer hit, doctors told me I couldn’t play any more,” says Dillion. “Throughout elementary and middle school, I didn’t do any sports.

“My freshman year, my mom told me, ‘you need to get more involved in activities.’ At first, I said, ‘I might not like this.’ It turns out, I really did.”

What Dillion did was become a boys basketball manager at NorthWood High School in Nappanee.

“When basketball season was all over, it was ‘what am I going to do next?,’” says Dillion. “Let’s do baseball because I’m pretty familiar with baseball.”

Former Panthers head baseball coach Jay Sheets was very welcoming to his new manager.

“He treated me like I was part of the team, which I really loved,” says Dillion.

Weldy did his part for a basketball program led by Aaron Wolfe.

A.J. Risedorph, a basketball assistant, took over NorthWood baseball for 2018-19 and Dillion continued to be a key part of the squad.

“He’s bought into our motto of being relentless and the next pitch mentality,” says Risedorph. “He shows up everyday and puts his work in.

“He’s a constant reminder of how precious life is considering his background.”

Dillion will represent NorthWood one more time as a manager at the 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series June 21-23 in Madison.

Risedorph reached out to district representative Ryan Wolfe (Plymouth) who pitched the idea of Weldy managing the all-stars to executive director Brian Abbott and the IHSBCA leadership.

“I wanted to give Dillion that opportunity for everything he’s done for us,” says Risedorph. “It’s a selfless job and you don’t get many thank you’s.”

Matt Dutkowski, who will represent NorthWood and the North as an all-star first baseman and also played basketball at NWHS, noticed Dillion’s contribution to both sports.

“Anything you need him to to do, he’s going to do it,” says Dutkowski. “For eight seasons, he was was always the first one out to practice with the bases or basketballs. He was always putting something away or getting something if it was needed during practice.”

Dillion monitored the clock at basketball workouts and got to know the plan as well — if not better — than Coach Wolfe. He kept the scorebook during baseball games.

“He was always ready,” says Dutkowski, who is headed to Taylor University to study and play baseball.

Weldy is appreciative of being included at the all-star series.

“I applaud (the IHSBCA) for letting me do it,” says Dillion. “I’m super-excited to find out what I’m going to be doing.”

His managing days will not be over after Madison. Offered a role by multiple schools, Dillion will attend Indiana University East in Richmond and be a men’s basketball manager. Family friend Tyler Rigby is an assistant coach for the Red Wolves. Weldy will receive a partial scholarship and plans to major in Marketing with minor in Sports Management.

He says can see himself becoming an athletic director like NorthWood’s Norm Sellers, who until the family moved recently to a Weldy farm north of Wakarusa and Nappanee lived across the street.

“You can go the education route or the business route,” says Dillion. “(Norm) told me it takes a lot of dedication. I can always talk to him and he can be a mentor.”

Chad Sellers, one of Norm’s sons, took time off from DePauw University when his mother and Norm’s wife (Kim) was diagnosed with cancer and helped coach boys basketball at NorthWood.

Chad, who is three years older than Dillion, used to stand at the bus stop together. Sellers played basketball and baseball as a senior on teams managed by Weldy. He drove him to and from practice and made sure he was included in team dinners.

“We wanted to make him feel like he’s important and a part of the team. He’s not just there for the dirty work.

“He’s a great kid and means a lot to us,” says Sellers. “He always has a big grin and says, “Hi neighbor, how are you?. He never calls me or my dad by our name.”

Chad Sellers notes that when NorthWood was going to play Fairfield in the first round of the 2019 Class 3A Wawasee Sectional basketball tournament, it fell on the same day as Dillion’s annual check-up at Riley.

Knowing he might miss the game, Weldy stayed late the day before and got everything ready to go. Sellers says that shows his courage and character.

Dillion led the team onto the floor on basketball senior night and threw out a first pitch on baseball senior night.

“Coach Rise said it was an ‘all-day strike’,” says Dillion. “To me, it looked more like a ball.

“I think of (Risedorph) as a father figure. He’s really inspiring to me.”

Weldy was also recognized during the second Strike Out Cancer Game. NorthWood baseball has teamed with the Jason Motte Foundation the past two years to raise money and awareness to fight the disease.

“We had multiple moms dealing with cancer,” says Risedorph, noting that they had their names along with others connected to NorthWood and Bremen players signed on a banner.

With a heart for service and dedication to the job, Weldy served both basketball and baseball teams for four years and graduated from NorthWood on June 7.

On June 13, Dillion completed another graduation. He went to Camp Watcha-Wanna-Do (a free program for children with cancer and their family and friends at YMCA Camp Potawotami in LaGrange County) as a camper. He plans to return as a counselor.

Dillion, 18, has been released from the neurosurgeon, endocrinologist and oncologist and now follows up with his primary care physician. In February, he saw an adult cardiologist at Riley that said he can do pretty much anything that he wants short of powerlifting.

He was able to be more active during the baseball season, taking throws and feeding the ball to coaches during infield/outfield practice and playing catch.

Dillion was a 10-year 4-H member. His twin brother, Garrett Weldy, was the NorthWood student advisor for Future Farmers of America this past year and was the District 2 sentinel. He is now running for statewide FFA office and plans to attend Purdue University to study Agriculture/Animal Science. Younger sister Kaitlin Lamb just finished the fifth grade.

NorthWood High School varsity baseball award winners (from left): Matt Dutkowski (MVP), Trey Allman (Most Improved), Dillion Weldy (Roberto Clemente Service), Jaden Miller (Rickey Henderson Baserunning), Alec Holcomb (Cy Young Pitching), Jack Wysong (Hank Aaron Batting), Nate Newcoerm (Gold Glove Defensive), Kyler Germann (Mental Attitude), Cooper Davis (Mariano Rivera Reliever).

Great grandchildren surround Anna Belle and the late Dale Weldy. In the front (from left): Nathan Rush, Tanner Rush and Kaitlin Lamb. In the back, Garrett Weldy, Dillion Weldy and Wesley Rush.

Don Weldy (second from left) enjoys time with grandchildren (from left): Dillion Weldy, Kaitlin Lamb and Garrett Weldy.

NorthWood High School baseball manager Dillion Weldy (left) shares a moment with Brant Mast.

Chad Sellers (left) and Dillion Weldy have formed a strong friendship. They used to be neighbors and Sellers was on NorthWood basketball and baseball teams that were managed by Weldy. Sellers later coached basketball at NWHS with Weldy managing.

Dillion Weldy (left) and mother Cindy Lamb are recognized at baseball senior night at NorthWood High School in Nappanee, Ind.

A banner was signed by high school baseball players from NorthWood and Bremen at the 2019 Strike Out Cancer Game for the Jason Motte Foundation.

Aaron Wolfe (left) is the head boys basketball coach at NorthWood High School. For the past four years, Dillion Weldy (right) has been a student manager.

Student manager Dillion Weldy got to help cut down the nets when NorthWood High School won a boys basketball sectional title his freshmen year.

Boys basketball assistant and head baseball coach A.J. Risedorph (left) points to a valuable member of both NorthWood High School programs the past four years in manager Dillion Weldy. The 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in Madison will have Weldy as a manager.

 

IHSBCA North/South All-Stars revealed for 2019

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Madison Consolidated High School and Hanover College will be the site of activities for the 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series.

All-stars chosen from around the state will meet have workouts at the high school and a banquet at the college Friday, June 21. The keynote speaker will be Indiana University head baseball coach Jeff Mercer.

Players will be housed at Hanover.

A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday, June 22 with a single game Sunday, June 23 at Madison’s Gary O’Neal Field.

The North coaching staff will be led by New Prairie’s Mark Schellinger with assistance from South Adams’ Brad Buckingham and Alexandria’s Jeff Closser and Jeff Sells. Jac-Cen-Del’s Dave Bradshaw is the South head coach. His assistants are South Dearbon’s Jay Malott and South Vermillion’s Tim Terry and T.J. Terry.

Madison, located in southeast Indiana along the Ohio River, is in the Eastern time zone.

IHSBCA NORTH/SOUTH ALL-STAR SERIES

Friday, June 21

10 a.m. — South All-Star Coaches report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.

• Will go over the rosters, playing rules, practice plans, etc.
• This will be an organization time with coaches and IHSBCA Leadership.
10:30 a.m. — South All-Star Players report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.
• Please report on time.
• All-Star uniforms issued for pictures. Visit Madison Welcome Bags will be issued.
• After the workout, players and coaches will take their vehicles to the High School Parking
Lot for check-in. At this time all players will check their car keys in with the coaching staff and they will be returned Sunday morning at the park. All players will leave from the park after the Sunday game to return home.
11 a.m. — South All-Stars Pictures.
• Wear your All-Star uniform for individual and group pictures.
• Bring your practice clothes and gear with you for the workout to follow.
• Baseball pants, spikes, bat, glove, etc.
11:30 a.m. — South All-Star workout begins.

1:15 p.m. — South workout concludes.

11 a.m. — North All-Star Coaches report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.

• Will go over the rosters, playing rules, practice plans, etc.
• This will be an organization time with coaches and IHSBCA Leadership.
11:30 a.m. — North All-Star Players report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.
• Please report on time.
• All-Star uniforms issued for pictures. Visit Madison Welcome Bags will be issued.
• After the workout, players and coaches will take their vehicles to the High School Parking
Lot for check-in. At this time all players will check their car keys in with the coaching staff and they will be returned Sunday morning at the park. All players will leave from the park after the Sunday game to return home.
Noon — North All-Stars Pictures.
• Wear your All-Star uniform for individual and group pictures.

• Bring your practice clothes and gear with you for the workout to follow.
• Baseball pants, spikes, bat, glove, etc.
1:15 p.m. — North All-Star workout begins.

3 p.m. — North workout concludes.

3:15 p.m. — Home Run Derby.

5:15 p.m. — Leave from HS Parking Lot for Hanover College. Players will leave cars at Madison HS and coaches will collect the keys for return on Sunday. Players will be transported by busses throughout the weekend.

6:30 p.m. — Transition from Dorms to the Hanover College Brown Campus Event Center for the Banquet.

7 p.m. — 2019 North-South All-Star Banquet – Hanover College Brown Campus Event Center

• Player attire is dress shirt and dress pants.
• A tie is NOT required, but also not discouraged.
• All-Stars will be recognized and the Indiana Baseball Player of the Year Award will be
given.
• Coach Jeff Mercer will be the Keynote Speaker.
11 p.m. — All-Stars can spend time with parents after the banquet, but every player needs to return to the Hanover College Dormitory by 11:00 PM for a team meeting. After the meeting, players are required to stay at the Hanover College Dormitory or in their rooms for the evening. Leaving the premises will not be tolerated. Activity Center will be open at Hanover College for all players … MIDNIGHT CURFEW (every player in their own room).

Saturday, June 22

8 a.m. — Breakfast in dining area (Campus Center) at Hanover College.

9 a.m. — South All-Stars depart for batting practice (Players will be transported from Hanover College to the field).

10-10:30 a.m. — South Batting Practice.

10 a.m. — North All-Stars depart for batting practice (Players will be transported from Hanover College to the field).

10:30-11 a.m. — North Batting Practice.

Note: Players should bring a change of clothes. You will not be returning to the dorm following the games. Towels will be provided to shower at Madison HS.

11 a.m. — South Pregame.

11:15 a.m. — North Pregame.

11:30 a.m. — Field Prep.

11:35 a.m. — Mayor of Madison will welcome the fans and players.

11:40 a.m. — Player Introductions.
11:53 a.m. — National Anthem.
11:57 a.m. — Ceremonial First Pitch and Tributes.

Noon — Game 1.

• North will occupy the 3B dugout and be home team for games 1 and 3.
• Food will be provided between games.
• All games are 9 innings.
• Game 2 will begin approximately 45 minutes after the completion of Game 1.
Game 2 (All-Star pants will be collected after Game 2) (Players will keep their jerseys)
6-6:30 p.m. — Players will shower and change in the HS Locker Rooms.
6:30-9:30 p.m. — Roundtrip Transportation will be provided for all players from the HS field to Bicentennial Park Area along the banks of the Ohio River. Visit Madison is providing entertainment and meal at Bicentennial Park area in downtown Madison.

All Star Players will be treated to a boat ride along the Ohio River.

Players and Coaches will be given meal tickets.

There will be three food trucks, lawn games, and music.

General public is invited.

Boys and Girls Club members will be invited and autographs from All-Star Players will be available.

Families are welcome to attend.
11:30 p.m. — Team Meetings for both North and South All-Stars. After the meeting all players will remain at Hanover College Dormitory…. MIDNIGHT CURFEW (every player in their own room).

Sunday, June 23

8:30 a.m. — Breakfast served in dining area at Hanover College.

10 a.m. — South departs for Madison HS —  Wear High School Uniform.

10:30 a.m. — North departs for Madison HS – Wear High School Uniform.

10:30-11 a.m. — South Batting Practice (cages) (Car Keys Returned).

11-11:30 a.m. — North Batting Practice (cages) (Car Keys Returned).

11:10 a.m. — South Pregame.

11:25 a.m. — North Pregame.

11:40 a.m. — Field Prep.
11:53 a.m. — National Anthem.

11:57 a.m. — Ceremonial First Pitch.

Noon – Wood Bat Game — Wearing High School Uniforms (Players are dismissed immediately following the game).

NORTH ROSTER

Pitchers

Grant Besser (South Adams)

Ryan Fender (Crown Point)

Wyatt Geesaman (Jay County)

Ben Harris (Northwestern)

Kyle Iwinski (Griffith)

Grant Jablonski (Mishawaka)

Hunter Robinson (New Prairie)

Reece Rodabaugh (Lewis Cass)

Gavin White (Western)

Flex

Connor Ayers (McCutcheon)

Catchers

Corbin Beard (Rossville)

Angel DiFederico (New Haven)

Liam Patton (Warsaw)

First Basemen

Matt Dutkowski (NorthWood)

Charlie Howe (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger)

Middle Infielders

Garrison Brege (Norwell)

Josh Dippold (Fort Wayne Bishop Luers)

Chase Franz (Eastside)

Trey Stokes (Alexandria)

Third Basemen

Tucker Platt (Logansport)

Kyle Schmack (South Central-Union Mills)

Outfielders

Brock Boynton (Penn)

Patrick Farrisee (South Bend St. Joseph)

Garrett Manous (Munster)

Kyle Pepiot (Westfield)

Head coach

Mark Schellinger (New Prairie)

Assistants

Brad Buckingham (South Adams)

Jeff Closser (Alexandria)

Jeff Sells (Alexandria)

Manager

Dillion Weldy (NorthWood)

SOUTH ROSTER

Pitchers

Drew Buhr (Austin)

Michael Dillon (Hamilton Southeastern)

Luke Helton (Whiteland)

Parker Maddox (Columbus North)

Lane Oesterling (Batesville)

Cam Saunders (Crawfordsville)

Avery Short (Southport)

Cody Swimm (Hagerstown)

Damien Wallace (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter)

Flex

Cooper Terry (South Vermillion)

Catchers

Kiel Brenczewski (Fishers)

Tyler Kapust (Silver Creek)

Brian Keeney (Roncalli)

First Basemen

Brodey Heaton (Castle)

Jack Walker (New Palestine)

Middle Infielders

Mark Broderick (Danville)

Ethan Getz (South Dearborn)

Blayden McMahel (Jeffersonville)

Chris Wilson (Park Tudor)

Third Basemen

Denton Shepler (Union County)

Austin Weimer (Lawrenceburg)

Outfielders

Julian Greenwell (Columbus East)

Steven Molinet (Tecumseh)

Tucker Schank (Southridge)

Ethan Vecrumba (Edgewood)

Head coach

Dave Bradshaw (Jac-Cen-Del)

Assistants

Jay Malott (South Dearborn)

Tim Terry (South Vermillion)

T.J. Terry (South Vermillion)

Manes wants Warsaw Tigers to play with sense of urgency

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Andy Manes says he wants his Warsaw (Ind.) Community High School baseball team to “play with a purpose.”

That’s what Manes says after being hired as the program’s head coach. He spent the past four seasons as a volunteer varsity assistant.

“We want to play with effort and sense of urgency,” says Manes. “We can’t be afraid to fail.”

While Drake Graham and Liam Patton are expected to return and make college baseball commitment, Manes also looks for underclassmen to fight for some playing sports in the spring.

“I don’t care if you’re a ninth grader. I don’t care if you’re a senior,” says Manes. “If you can play, you can play. I want the best.

“There’s no reason Warsaw — year in and year out — can’t be a program others look up to.”

Being with the team that past four years, Manes comes in with a sense of familiarity.

“In know all the guys,” says Manes. “We’ve definitely laid a foundation.”

Looking to build a relationship with younger baseball players in the community, Manes has made it a point to be visible at Warsaw Little League’s fall session.

“We want to a strong relationship,” says Manes of the league that plays near Boggs Industrial Park. “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much your care. We want to be visible.

“We want to teach them how we do it at the high school level.”

This past summer, the Little League had Junior League for ages 13 and 14, but lacked enough 15- and 16-year-olds for a Senior League.

Manes says if he can instill the “Tiger Way” to players before they get to high school, he will not have to spend as much time re-teaching them certain things.

His opportunity to join the high school staff came from Mike Hepler and Manes is grateful.

Hepler coached the Tigers the past 13 seasons, for bringing him on to his staff. The two knew each other from playing adult baseball together years ago with the Warsaw Indians.

Warsaw belongs to the Northern Lakes Conference (along with Concord, Elkhart Memorial, Goshen, Northridge, NorthWood, Plymouth and Wawasee).

The NLC plays 14 double round-robin games to establish its champion.

Warsaw, coming off a 2018 season in which it was 7-17 overall and 3-11 in the conference, is in a seven-team 4A sectional grouping with Concord, Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial, Goshen, Northridge and Penn. The Tigers last won sectional titles in 2006 and 2010.

Warsaw expects to play non-conference contests against Columbia City, Elkhart Central, Fort Wayne Carroll, Huntington North, Kokomo, Mishawaka, Penn, South Bend Riley and Tippecanoe Valley.

Three players from the Warsaw Class of 2018 — Jared Hawley, Mike Nunez and Matt Shapiro — planned to play college baseball.

A new sprinkler system went in this fall at Tiger Field. On the wish list is lights.

“We’re the only athletic facility on-campus without lights,” says Manes. “It prevents us from hosting sectional. But I know you can’t have everything at once.”

Manes works as a financial advisor at 1st Source Bank in Warsaw.

His Tigers assistants are John Edwards and Adam Augustine with the varsity as well as Eric Lane and Aaron Christenberry with the junior varsity.

Augustine played at Warsaw and was an NCAA Division III All-American at Manchester University in 2005. Christenberrry played at WCHS and Grace College in Winona Lake, which is adjacent to Warsaw.

Manes (pronounced MAN-us) played for four seasons (1997-2000) at Grace College. As a catcher, first baseman and designated hitter, he made his way onto Lancers Top 10 lists for career hits (140), career runs batted in (110), career doubles (30), career home runs (11), single-season runs (33 in 1999), single-season RBIs (38 in 1998) and single-season doubles (11 in 1999).

After his college playing days, 2000 Grace graduate Manes turned down an offer to try out with the independent Lincoln (Neb.) Saltdogs.

Glenn Johnson, who was then the Grace head coach, drove 10 hours to recruit Manes out of Lincoln. He convinced the 1996 Lincoln Christian High School graduate to come to northern Indiana.

A small school, Lincoln Christian plays American Legion baseball in the summer. Manes played Legion ball from his eighth grade through senior years and was a part of district championship teams each year and two state runner-up finishes. Andy’s father, Mike Manes, was his head coach.

Andy is the oldest of Mike and Connie Manes’ four children. All of them went to Lincoln Christian and then to college athletics.

Second son Tony Manes played baseball at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, and is now a chiropractor.

Daughter Michelle Manes played volleyball at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark.

Third son Aaron played baseball at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill. By this time, Mike Manes had become head coach of the Trojans. Since the 2008 season, he has been leading the baseball program at Cedarville (Ohio) University.

Andy and wife Jennifer Manes celebrated two years of marriage in 2018. Their large blended family includes Jacob Rios (Trinity International freshman football player), Braden Rios (Lakeview Middle School eighth grader), Michael Manes (Lincoln Elementary sixth grader), Sophia Rios (Jefferson Elementary third grader) and Luca Manes (Washington Elementary third grader).

After four years as a volunteer varsity assistant, Andy Manes is now head baseball coach at Warsaw (Ind.) Community High School. He played at Grace College in nearby Winona Lake, Ind. (Warsaw Community High School Photo)

 

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)

 

Doty sees buying into the program key for Wawasee baseball

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

With clear communication as a priority and continuity on the coaching staff, Wawasee High School baseball is looking forward to the 2019 season.

Brent Doty, a 2002 Wawasee graduate, is entering his sixth season as head coach at his alma mater, which is located in Syracuse, Ind.

Primarily a catcher, Doty was a four-year player for head coach John Blunk at Wawasee. He played two seasons for Mitch Hannahs (now head coach at Indiana State University) at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill., and two seasons at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne (now Purdue Fort Wayne) for Billy Gernon (now head coach at Western Michigan University).

“I was very fortunate to have those three great baseball coaches,” says Doty. “I was able to pick the nuances that they were really, really good at and try to influence the players in our program with those things.”

With Blunk, it was his knowledge of the game and his drive.

“His passion for it was huge,” says Doty. “Coach Hannahs was just so detailed in everything he did. He always wanted things done correctly. He would show you specifically how it needs to be done.”

Gernon was also very organized.

“We had a schedule we followed every day to a T,” says Doty of Gernon. “It was timed out — 15 minutes here, 30 there. It’s the detail they go into at the college level because they have to, they have such limited time each day and each season.

“I thought that would transition nicely with us to get as much accomplished in a day’s practice as we can.

Wawasee players know what to expect when they come out to practice.

“It’s never, ‘Hey, coach! What are we doing today?’,” says Doty. “They know the expectation and it makes practice run a lot smoother. Hopefully that’s going to turn into success as we continue to go down the road.”

An IHSAA rule change allows for a limited coach-athlete contact period. Coaches can work with an unlimited number of players for two two-hour practice slots per week during a window in the fall.

Doty and his staff, which includes associate head coach Vince Rhodes, Scott Beasley and volunteer Kent Doty (his father) at the varsity level and a to-be-named head coach and assistant Brett Carson with the junior varsity, have been leading outdoor practices for a few weeks.

“That’s nice for us,” says Doty. “We can get live swings, grounders and fly balls.”

Team concepts — like bunt coverages — can be drilled outside and give them a true look as opposed to doing it indoors.

“It’s been nice to implement some of those things,” says Doty. “But you don’t have your full team so you’re not gong to go so in-depth.”

With fall sports going on, there have been 10 to 12 at most sessions.

“A lot of our guys play multiple sports,” says Doty. “At a school of our size (around 950 students) they have to. We can’t just rely on single-sport athletes.

“We want you to get in as many sports as you can.”

The IHSAA-adopted pitch count rules (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) has now been on the scene for two seasons.

What does Doty think of it?

“It’s definitely good for the kids,” says Doty. “Player safety is always going to be No. 1.

“The 120 max is good, too. I can’t see myself going farther than that.”

Doty says one change in 2019 is that the JV will be on the same regimen as the varsity.

“It’s good,” says Doty of the switch. “Why does a sophomore playing on varsity get to throw more than a sophomore throwing on JV?”

One way that Doty and company build pitching depth is by giving many players an opportunity to see what they can do on the mound, especially at the JV level.

“If you’ve got a healthy arm, you’re probably going to pitch at some point,” says Doty.

A year ago, Wawasee had more than three dozen players for varsity and JV squads. Being very senior-laden, the varsity carried 21 players.

The number depends largely on the number of potential pitchers and those who can play multiple positions.

It’s important for each player to know how they can contribute to the program.

“We talk with each player individually and say this is where we see this as your role for the year,” says Doty. “It doesn’t mean it’s going to stay there or written in stone. But this is what we expect of you or as a varsity or JV player or a swing guy (that could see playing time on both).

“If they start to develop into something we didn’t foresee at the start of the year, we transition them into that. We allow them to have ownership of their role because once they buy into their role, it’s only going to make us better as a program.”

Staff stability also translates to a consistent message.

Doty began his post-college career as a teacher and an assistant baseball coach at Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville, N.C. When he took over the program for the 2014 season, he was the third head coach in three years for that junior class.

“Building that continuity and having that same staff year after year is only going to help us be successful going forward,” says Doty.

The 2018 season saw Wawasee go 8-16 with some growing pains.

“We also saw some bright spots that we can build on,” says Doty, who identifies juniors Levi Brown and Carter Woody and sophomores Kameron Salazar and Parker Young as being among the top returning Warriors.

Recent Wawasee graduates on college baseball rosters are Jake Garcia (Goshen), Blaine Greer (Ivy Tech Northeast), Aaron Voirol (Grace).

Buildings and grounds personnel have talked about adding more bleachers down the foul lines past the dugouts at Warrior Field.

Wawasee softball added a windscreen last year. Doty says the same might be coming for baseball along with the addition of a batter’s eye. Right now, the backdrop is a water tower.

Getting lights has also been the part of discussions, which would aid in hosting tournaments.

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

The conference will again employ a double-round robin schedule with each team meeting each other home and away in two rotations.

“The coaches in the NLC talk often and we like it,” says Doty. “You don’t always see the same team at the end of the year as you do at the beginning. It allows for you to grow.

“We get to see teams progress as they get a little deeper into the season.”

Wawasee played in the IHSAA Class 3A Lakeland Sectional (along with Angola, Fairfield, Lakeland, NorthWood, Tippecanoe Valley and West Noble) in 2018.

After teaching at Wawasee Middle School, Doty has moved to the high school where he serves as both physical education/health teacher and assistant athletic director.

Brent and Ashley Doty have three children — Luke (5), Logan (3) and Emma (1).

Brent Doty, a 2002 Wawasee High School graduate, is entering his sixth season as head baseball coach at the school in Syracuse, Ind., in 2019. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

Baseball coach and instructor Christiansen developing leaders at Culver Military Academy

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Teaching baseball and other skills in a college preparatory school is what Kurt Christiansen does in his roles as head baseball coach and humanities senior instructor at Culver (Ind.) Military Academy.

Christiansen has been at the school since the fall of 2008 and has led the Eagles baseball program since 2009 in all but one season, when he was finishing graduate school.

A 1997 graduate of Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Ind., Christiansen played for Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Dave Gandolph and was a top-notch football receiver.

His diamond teammates included two players selected in the 1996 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft — A.J. Zapp (in the first round to the Atlanta Braves) and Nick Jamison (in the 31st round to the Detroit Tigers).

After earning his undergraduate degree at Indiana University, where he did not play sports, Christiansen did some student teaching in Australia. He then was a teacher and coached baseball and football for two years at Carmel (Ind.) High School.

Pamela Christiansen, Kurt’s wife went to law school at Valparaiso University, and got a job in South Bend, bringing the family to northern Indiana. Kurt was a teacher and coached baseball and football at NorthWood High School for four years before pursuing the opportunity to teach at CMA.

Christiansen describes the humanities as a combination of Language Arts and Social Studies in a traditional school.

“It’s pretty wonderful,” says Christiansen. “The kids are learning to read and write and think in a pretty interdisciplinary setting.”

Culver Military Academy offers what its website calls “a leadership approach that develops young men into leaders of character who are poised for global success in any career path.”

There is also a Culver Girls Academy. Together with CMA for boys, they form what is known as the Culver Academies.

Students come from far and wide.

While seven players had hometowns in Indiana, Culver’s 2018 roster featured athletes from Alaska, California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Washington as well as Korea.

Hayden Schott, an outfielder from Newport Beach, Calif., participated in the 2018 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in South Bend.

Schott plans to attend Cypress (Calif.) College. The junior college has a tradition of sending players on to NCAA Division I and professional baseball. Among those are former closer extraordinaire Trevor Hoffman (who will be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown this weekend) and former big league third baseman Brandon Laird.

In recent years, CMA graduates Connor Bartelman (University of Chicago), Kyle Bartelman (Columbia University in New York), Shane Comiskey (Grinnell College in Iowa), Zach Moffett (Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind.) and Perley Provost (Denison University in Granville, Ohio) have gone on to play college baseball.

Culver Academies has a college advising office, which helps students make connections at the university level.

“Ideally, a Culver kid is using baseball to help them find the best academic fit for them,” says Christiansen. “Baseball is part of what got them to the school. The end benefit is a world-class education.”

Christiansen knows that college coaches have often seen players through video, scouting or camps and they are calling him to fish out the story.

“One of the big benefits about being at Culver is that I know my players,” says Christiansen. “I see them on and off the field quite a bit. I have a pretty good sense of who they are.”

Christiansen says Culver Academies students are attractive to colleges not only because they are strong academically, but they’ve also learned to develop independence.

“They’re at a boarding school far from home and they’re figuring out how to take care of themselves,” says Christiansen. “All of that’s done before these colleges get them and that’s a real big bonus.”

It’s not a cookie-cutter approach taken by Christiansen and his fellow instructors.

“Like any school, kids are kids,” says Christiansen. “Each kid is a little bit different. So you’ve got to find ways to connect with them and teach them. But it helps that we’ve got kids who are committed to the mission of the school.

“How do I leverage baseball to deliver on that mission? That’s a question that the staff constantly asks of ourselves — not just to put kids in a position to compete and win baseball games and develop as athletes but develop dispositions and mindsets that will serve them in life.”

With no feeder program, Christiansen often does not know who he will have on his baseball team until school starts in the fall, though he does sometimes find out who has a baseball background during the admissions process.

“In almost 100 percent of the cases I’ve never seen them throw or hit,” says Christiansen. “I have to work pretty hard to recruit our own campus because there’s so many interesting and wonderful opportunities. Kids grow up playing Little League and they get to Culver and decide they want to try crew or lacrosse.

“I have to identify the baseball players and make sure they still want to come out and be part of the program.”

The school’s mission includes a wellness component and students not in a sport must do something to get exercise.

“Not all of our kids are premier athletes,” says Christiansen. “Hockey and lacrosse programs are elite. They’re really, really good — some of the best in the country.”

Baseball, which plays on Wilkins Field, is restricted by school policy from playing more than a couple of games during the school week with other contests on Saturdays. This means CMA schedules around 20 to 23 games or less than the 28 regular-season contests allowed by the IHSAA.

The Eagles went 10-9 and played in the IHSAA Class 3A Mishawaka Marian Sectional (along with Jimtown, John Glenn, New Prairie, South Bend St. Joseph and South Bend Washington) in 2018.

“We want to make sure our kids have plenty of time to study and they’re not out until 9 or 10 o’clock at night four or five nights in a row,” says Christiansen.

Being an independent, CMA often gets bumped when other schools must make up conference games.

Christiansen’s coaching staff includes three other senior humanities instructors — J.D. Uebler with the varsity and John Rogers and Andy Strati leading the junior varsity.

Kurt and Pamela Christiansen have three children — Jack (11), Sarah (10) and Joey (5).

Culver (Ind.) Military Academy head baseball coach Kurt Christiansen with Hayden Schott at the 2018 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in South Bend.

Kurt Christiansen is the head baseball coach and a humanities senior instructor at Culver (Ind.) Military Academy. He played high school baseball for Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Dave Gandolph at Center Grove. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

DuBois eager to get going as new Goshen RedHawks baseball head coach

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

There are many educators in the family of J.J. DuBois.

So even though his career path started out toward business administration, he found himself transitioning toward the classroom.

Around athletics throughout his life, DuBois also felt the full of coaching and added that professional role.

DuBois, who teaches business at Goshen (Ind.) High School, now finds himself as the RedHawks head baseball coach. His hiring was approved this week.

“I truly can’t wait to get started,” says DuBois, 28. “(Former Goshen head coach) Josh (Keister) made unbelievable strides in a short time.

“I want to keep the momentum going.”

While J.J. says the fast pace of basketball got much of his attention growing up, he came to enjoy the strategy and nuances of baseball. He appreciates the life lessons that it can help impart.

“It teaches you how to bounce back from failure,” says DuBois. “You get humbled real quick in baseball.

“Coaching — in any sport — can make a huge impact on kids.”

While roles could change, J.J. DuBois says he expects to have the same men return to coach Goshen baseball in 2018-19, including Aaron Keister, Clay Norris, Troy Pickard, Tracy Farmwald, Chad Collins and Daniel Liechty.

Aaron Keister was the RedHawks pitching coach and Norris a varsity assistant in 2018. Pickard helped DuBois at the junior varsity level. Liechty served as elementary coordinator and a liaison to Goshen Little League.

After years at Rogers Park, the JV was moved to the Little League. DuBois says he wants to conduct camps for Goshen’s youth players.

The varsity plays on Phend Field, located across U.S. 33 from Goshen High School.

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

DuBois coached junior varsity baseball at Goshen the past two seasons and now gets to educate young people in his first job as a head coach.

“There’s nothing better than helping kids find out what they want to pursue and get the most out of them as an athlete and turn that into some wins,” says DuBois, who played baseball and tennis for four years and basketball for one at Jimtown High School in Elkhart, Ind., graduating in 2008.

DuBois was a first baseman and pitcher on the diamond for coach Mike Stout and a singles player on the court for coach Steve Fledderman.

“Coach Stout was the most calm anybody could ever ask for,” says DuBois of Stout, who spent in 25 seasons leading the Jimmies. “He never got in your face and screamed at you. I was never afraid to make a mistake. All he did was instill confidence in guys.

“He never let his emotions get the best of him. He respected you as a player and a person and cared for every single guy. He got a lot out of us because he let us be ourselves.”

Jimtown won a sectional baseball title when DuBois was a junior (2007) and were very good his senior year.

DuBois credits Fledderman for instilling discipline and self control. There was a certain way to act and “Fled” insisted upon it or there would be extra running or push-ups.

“In tennis, you have to have self control,” says DuBois. “I could not lose my mind out on the court.”

DuBois continued to learn about the X’s and O’s of baseball in four seasons (concluding with graduation in 2012) as a pitcher at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Ind., where he played for head coach Seth Zartman and assistant Dick Siler (an Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer).

While at Bethel, DuBois did an internship in the athletic department at the University of Notre Dame. He enjoyed the experience, but missed interacting with athletes.

When wife Holly, who was an NAIA All-American softball player at Bethel, went to Hazelhurst, Miss., as part of the Teach for America program, J.J. enrolled in graduate school at Belhaven University in nearby Jackson, Miss., where he gained experience in game day operations and marketing. He also volunteered for the Blazers baseball staff, watching Belhaven go 37-21 in 2013 and 42-21 in 2014.

Belhaven is where DuBois encountered head baseball coach Hill Denson.

“He had the biggest influence in making me want to pursue coaching,” says DuBois of Denson, who made such an impact in his time at the University of Southern Mississippi that baseball field is called Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.

After a season as an assistant coach at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., DuBois came to Goshen to teach and spent one season with wife Holly on the softball coaching staff led by Brent Kulp.

Holly (Weaver) DuBois is a teacher at West Goshen Elementary and will guide first graders in 2018-19. The couple have a daughter (Hope) and will soon welcome a son (Owen).

Just part of the “family business” of education includes J.J.’s father Jim DuBois (superintendent of Baugo Community Schools in Elkhart, Ind.), uncle Mike Dubois (teacher at Concord High School in Elkhart, Ind.), aunt Jennifer Cobb (teacher at Discovery Middle School in Granger, Ind.) and uncle Mike Cobb (educator in Edwardsburg, Mich.).

Jim and Laurie DuBois (who worked for many years at Elkhart General Hospital) have four children — Zach, J.J., Sarah and Jessica.

Zach DuBois, 11 months older than J.J. and a Notre Dame graduate, is a country music artist (wife Katy performs with the trio Maybe April).

Sarah (DuBois) McMahon is a nurse at Memorial Hospital in South Bend. Her husband, Kevin McMahon, is a teacher at Jimtown Elementary and has been an assistant baseball coach for Jimtown High School.

Jessica DuBois is a recent Indiana University graduate who has been active in theater with Premier Arts in Elkhart.

J.J. DuBois teaches business at Goshen (Ind.) High School, where he was just named head baseball coach. (Goshen High School Photo)

J.J. DuBois, a Jimtown High School and Bethel College graduate, is now the head baseball coach at Goshen (Ind.) High School. J.J. and wife Holly have a daughter Hope (shown above) and are expecting a son (Owen).