Best Coaches In the State

Chris Ledbetter @ OPRF Wayne Wente @OPRF. Bob Stevens @ Holy Cross Ray Kondracki @ Holy Cross Jared Folley @ Waubonsee Valley Lindemann @ Rolling Meadows Gentile @ Driscoll

BEST COACHES In the state
1. Bob Simmonds Triton
2. Jim Hall LockPort hs.
3. Tom Doyle Prarie Gravel
4. Gary Johnson BLAZE.
5. Frank Ganser Andrew
6. Joe Roderhero Providence
7. Rich Peldis Norwood
8. Bill O'Brien Lombard Lightning
9. Jeff Bonebrake Benet
10. Jim Fornacari Glenbard West
11. Tony DelGado St.Francis
12. ED Mathey NIU
13. DEE UIC
14. Chris Ledbetter Oak Park
15. Napoleon New Trier
16. Jack Perconte Express
17. Jared Voss Jca
18. Davenport Kiswaukee
19. Stevens Nothwestern
20. Ithcy Jones Illinois

This is a tough topic and will no doubt generate a lot of great discussion. I would like to take the time to say that I think my former high school coach at Glenbrook South Dave Lindley (pre-GBS he was head coach at Hinsdale South) is one of the best coaches in the state. Just to qiuckly make my case he is a member of the IHSBCA hall of fame, so that speaks for itself, I know he hates it when people talk about his record, but simply put he has won a lot of games. Also I think the fact that players enjoy playing for him should speak for itself with the agressive style of play he coaches it is always a lot of fun to be on base. Also his teams seem to get big wins in the post-season both in his time at GBS (2002) and at Hinsdale South. Also I believe he won state at Hinsdale South in the 80s and that is a great acophlishment since many coaches never win a title. Still I think his best work was done with teams that I was on that should not even have been .500 teams and were able to pull off key post-season wins and give high seeded teams a run for their money. After all if you talk to most coaches they will admit that it is a lot easier to win if you have D1 pitchers and players up and down the lineup.

talent...interesting that you mixed the high school coaches with the travel coaches. also interesting that you have the Triton coach at the top of the list. Yes, he is a great coach and gets players drafted, signed to 4-year schools. funny thing is that Triton is nowhere on the radar this year. I saw the pre-season polls and they are not even mentioned, although some other Illinois JUCO's are.

back to the subject...what are some of the reasons for these rankings? why do you think some of these guys should be on the list?

Itchy Jones 20th? SURE NO IDEA!

I nominate myself to be on the travel coaches list for the wonderful 1 hour talk that I gave the Upper Deck Cougars and their parents before the start of our season in 2002; and, the simplicity of my signs.

I was also a little overweight and had a nice hat!

It helped, of course, that I had top notch national-caliber talent. That really makes for a good coach!

One time, when I was coaching some 10 year olds, I successfully pulled off a suicide squeeze to win the game. Based on this near miraculous feat, I believe my name should be included on the list.

HSDad...great job. I'll put you on my list any day. Miracles do happen.

Len Asquini- from St. Charles East is one of the best around. I would love if my son would play for him. I hope he is back next year.

Todd Genke and Jim Smedley at St. Charles North, Upstate 8 champs in their first year with seniors. Thats something not many coaches can say!

John Smedly is the absolute worse coach i have seen. I dont know if thats my right to say that but i said it. I have 3 close friends that have quit STC north baseball because of him. Look up the personal stuff on him and then see him coach a game. The game i saw was absolutely disturbing, made me sick.

is Smedley the varsity assistant there or on the lower levels?

Jim Smedley is the Head Coach at STN. Also, I am proud that my son is under coach Smedley. I'm sorry that your friends just suck.

Coach Hall - Hands down is one of the Best Coaches if not the Best

St Charles, harsh.. it is my opinion, and no they didnt suck. I am probably even friends with your son. I remember one game i was at in the summer time .. he goes out to the mound and totally embarasses the pitcher, then walks back into the dugout throws the water bottle and punches the wall. I guess there are different styles of coaching ...

Hey this is a great website. I just wanted to toss my two cents in here. I agree with GBS12 that Lindley is a fine coach, any one that has the guts to steal home two pitchers in a row and have it works gets my respect. I also like Mike Napoleon from New Trier I know he has loads of talent, but you still have to coach it. Also Evanston assistant coach Brain Rosinski, nobody knows hitting like this guy.

Sorry Mr. Smalls if I was too harsh, but until you actually coach, please shut up. Heck I was there when he "embarassed" the pitcher. Do you know what the kid on the mound said? Do you know the history of what the kid usually says? Have you listened to all of the excuses the kid gives for everytime he fails? Are you there when he blames other teammates and points fingers. Actually the kid on the mound should feel **** lucky, because Smedley keeps on giving the young man a chance to grow up on the mound. Most coaches would have given up on him a year ago after the 32nd excuse. Not Jim Smedley, so until you actually coach high school kids and put up with there stupid excuses for failing, shut it.

Two sides to every story there young man. Also, coach Jim has done everything to help my son with all the problems that occur off the field, that you have no clue about! Do you? Again, your "disturbing" view of coach Smedley is not the same view that I have and I have only missed two games in three years that my son has played for coach Smedley. I'm sure everything you do is accepted by everyone. Yeah right!

Hall #2? Do we really need to feed his ego anymore?

...Smalls...Sounds like....

All you have to do is go to the mound and tell the kid to go sit on the bus and turn in his uniform after the game. What is the coach? A babysitter.

It is his (The coach) team, not some 15-16-17-18 year olds team...or "daddy's team".

The kid mouths off once, shame on him. Second time...SEE YAA!!!!!

I just think they should be somewhat of a role model, does anyone agree? Walking to the dugout and having a hissy fit doesnt make him a role model to anyone. What would a college coach do if he saw a player do that?

Kenny,

Your totally right about a coach being a role model. But again, I was not there and I don't know what was said on the mound. In my several years of pro baseball I have seen some tantrums, both by players and coaches. I've also seen high school coaches recently allow their players to throw tantrums at umpires without any consquences. That is a shame! I can tell you that coach Smedley does not allow his kids to do that. He is sometimes off the wall, but I have alot of respect for the way he coaches his team.

jarthur, did you play pro baseball, scout, coach? where?

My degree in sportsmedicine landed me a job with the Florida Marlins right out of college. I did not play pro ball! But I have done everything from, play, scout, train, babysit, to the front office at all levels of ball. Plus was an extra for the movie, The Babe.

An extra, that should open some doors. Just kidding. Sounds like you have made the rounds. Congrats.

jarthur - do you know Orrin Freeman from the Marlins?

I think when a topic such as this is brought up, many northern posters don't have any idea about coaches in the South. It is also true of the opposite. I have coached agaist many of the legends from the north including Jack Kaiser. Last year, I had the pleasure of coaching against Coach Ganser from Tinley Park Andrew. He is a class guy and legendary coach. In the South I coached with the legendary Coach Tom Pile while at Edwardsville. Therefore, any list of top coaches needs to include southern coaches as well. Coach Blumberg at Freeburg in Class A has to be mentioned in any category. He is a great baseball man. Coach Jay Thompson at Harrisburg should also be mentioned from Class A. In AA, there are tons of great coaches. Look at the programs and you will see. Coach Portz at O'Fallon, Coach Funkhauser at Edwardsville and Coach Blomberg at Belleville East are 3 great young coaches. As for us old timers, there are many great ones that you guys will never hear about. Then again, ...

"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen

CoachB25- Thanks for the info about Southern portion of state. You're right, we hear very little if anything regarding baseball down that way, much more coverage w/football & basketball.
I know from looking at various college rosters that there is great baseball down South - keep us informed.

Welcome coachb25. please stay with us as much as you can during the season. i would really enjoy hearing how things shape up down there.

John Sarna (wherever he is at this year) as well as Bob Esposito at Bremen.

Coach Jay Thompson from Harrisburg retired this past year and his brother Joe has taken over for him and is a great coach in his own right.

Illinoishighschoolsports.com

SIBullits, I knew that but had heard that he was assisting at the Illinois Baseball Camp this past weekend and so, I was hoping he had changed his mind. I have know Coach Thompson for a long time and have always know him to be a great guy and someone who is interested in the kids first.

"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen

1. Itchy Jones
2. Dusty Baker
3. Jim Hendry (he did a hell of a job with that 94 Elmira Club)
4. Nathan Durst
5. Mike Dee
6. Jim Hall

let me stop there I'm sure no one will agree with me, anyways.

St....

Itchy hasn't done anything at Illinois for 15 years...His rep is from his days at SIU and that was 35+ years ago!

Dusty Baker with the Cubs had a completely different team than Don Baylor did.

Hendry's best job was leading Creighton in 1991 to the CWS.

I thought Durst was a scout?

Dee is fine and will be better.

Hall belongs.

I vividly recall Charlie Lau, remember him beenowhere, said, "No one knows or can teach hitting like Itchy Jones. Ask Carlton Fisk and he will tell you the same thing. So, if someone is going to rank Itchy at #1, then I will respect that.

Yes, I remember Charlie Lau--the guy that couldn't hit!

The guy that ruined the White Sox hitters!

CoachB, I actually have heard that it will be a temporary retirement and that after his son finishes his high school or college playing days he would come back to take over where he left off. Jay is a great guy and class act, he has given more recognition to downstate baseball than anybody else than I can think of.

Hitting is timing and pitching is messing up timing.

I just wanted to add to my list of coaches from the CSL/MSL etc. area that I think are excellent baseball men. I really think these guys are as good as any coaches in the south/west suburban area, and they are the guys that I have seen in my years of watching high school baseball. I offer them in a ranked list, but of course this is entirely based on what I have seen, other posters can of course disargee. So anyway the top 5 coaches in the north suburban area as I see it (please note I am only ranking high school coaches):

1. Mike Napoleon -New Trier
2. Dave Lindley -Glenbrook South
3. Paul Groot -Schaumburg
4. Tom Myers -Lake Forest
5. Bill Milano -Maine South

SIBullits, if Coach Thompson comes back, it will be great news. You are right, he has done so much for baseball in this state. I try and stop by down there when I go visit my family in Kentucky. I typically have found Coach Thompson out at the ball diamond.

BeenthereIL, I take it you don't like Charlie Lau. I have and use both of his books when coaching our kids. The results have been great. In talking with Tony Gwinn one day, he said that Lau had more influence on his approach to hitting than anyone else. Also, I believe I am correct that he mentions Coach Lau in the foreword in his book. Really, don't you agree that hitting or the coaching of hitting goes in circles. At least, it seems that way to me. BTW, I have been accused of coaching "Cookie Cutter Hitters." We "Cookie Cuttered" to a team average of .378 last year and so it wasn't too bad. Thoughts?

"There comes a time when you have to stop dreaming of the man you want to be and start being the man you have become." Bruce Springsteen

Coach...I don't have a problem with Cahrlie Lau teaching hitting and writing books.

There are tons of coaching books out there.

Lots of people like his style. Plenty of others don't like his style.

I'm a Bobby Bonds, Mickey Mantle type...punch and judy hitting is fine for others. Although I know that TG is going to go into the Hall of Fame as a hitter, he's not my kind of hitter. I like to see guys DRIVE the ball and not just drop the head of their bat on it to get a flare to left center, center or right center....

Ask Ozzie Guillen what he thought of Charlie Lau...when Lau was "forced" on the team by the management. Ozzie was a "hamburger" hitter and he hated Lau.