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North Carolina Head Coach Mike Fox

T TXSS1210+ posts
Just thought after watching Coach Fox tonight on TV I would share a story about the quality man that he is. We were in North Carolina last summer for a baseball tourney and on our last day after the tourney decided to drive to Chapel Hill to see the campus and the baseball facilities. We walked around the baseball field for awhile before finding the baseball office and we decided to walk in and see if anyone was around. When we walked in we were greeted by Mike Fox who appeared to be doing some paperwork at the time. He was the only person there at the time and after talking to him for awhile he insisted that we follow him on a tour of the facilities. He showed us the weight room, batting cages, computer room, field, and lockerroom and was just an incredible guy to talk to as he was so responsive to all of our questions and he was so passionate about UNC. It shows to the quality coach and great man that he is that he stopped everything he was doing to show us around. (people he did not even know)He could have very well told us that the office was closed for the day but he was a great guy.
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coach2709coach270910,000+ posts
One thing that struck me after watching the UNC and Clemson game was how the UNC players each hugged one another after the game. Usually when a team wins and does the post game high five walk through that is all it is - high fives - which are completely fine. What I found amazing was EVERY player hugged EVERY other player.

I think that just shows how strong a team they have and I am pulling for them now (hard to say that since I am a die hard Duke basketball fan). What TXSS described and seeing that really makes me appreciate the hard work and dedication he and his staff has to be that successful.
Midlo DadMidlo Dad10,000+ posts
What impressed me about watching Fox during these games is his personal behavior. Especially during the CSF game, when it looked like the Tar Heels were trying to give it away but the Titans wouldn't take it, the shots of Fox showed him not blowing a gasket, but just smiling and shaking his head. When his team came to the dugout, he gave positive encouragement, not a screaming fit.

This is the highest level of amateur baseball and the guy behaved like a gentleman. The next time somebody tells us that kids should get used to being yelled at, because that's what it's like at the higher levels, we can all tell them we know better.
rz1rz15,000+ posts
My sons favorite University of all time has been UNC and his dream was a chance to play for that school. To make a long story short he wrote an email to Coach Fox explaining his desire to play baseball for UNC. Being from WI and not NC, or the South, I thought little of the email, and because it was the height of the recruiting season expected if anything only a computer generated "Dear John" letter in the US mail from the baseball office. The very next week Ryan recieved a reply email from Coach Fox wishing him the best of luck and explaining in detail that UNC had already earmarked many in-state pitchers for that recruiting class. That impressed me.
Last edited by rz1
CM Coach May1,000+ posts
What else can be said that hasnt already been said about Coach Fox here. I will add that when you go to a camp at UNC Coach Fox always gives a speech after the camp is over. It has nothing to do with baseball. He spends several minutes talking to the kids about the importance of making good decisions in life. About character and respect. My son has dreamed his whole life about wearing the Tarheel uniform one day. Maybe it will work out maybe it wont we will see. But to me Coach Fox has become the face of UNC baseball. His calm demeanor and his true love of the university are obvious. The way he met Tim (the catcher) after that inning in the dugout was a lesson in coaching that many should learn. He knew that Tim needed to know that it was OK and he was still in his corner. Then the kid goes out and delivers an rbi single to add the insurance. Class nothing but class Coach Fox.
L lafmom5,000+ posts
Coach May - That was very touching when he rubbed the kid on the head and greeted him with a smile.

As Midlo Dad says, people often refer to college coaches that behave poorly as "that's just the way it is in college". Well, it doesn't have to be and it's not that way everywhere. I think the guys like Fox teach many more lessons than just baseball to their young men.
Infield08Infield081,000+ posts
I remember seeing a Dallas Baptist Univ. game earlier this year. When the ump's calls weren't going DBU's way, the DBU head coach's response was an animated "Goodness gracious!" That's as "heated" as it got. Contrast that with a head coach at another D1 program in Texas. I talked with a player who recently transferred out of that school and he said it was hard for him and his teammates to drag themselves out of bed each morning. He said their first waking thought was, "How's he going to insult me today?" Needless to say, that program is not even on the radar screen of schools our son is considering.
FutureBack.MomFutureBack.Mom1,000+ posts
Ditto everything that has been said ... a most impressive display of class on the field and am sure there is more of that off the field. Not many players would have wanted a hands on experience with the coach after the inning where the freshman catcher struggled but Coach Fox treated the player as we would all love to have our sons treated ... I am sure that catcher learned more from that caring gesture than all the insults and profanity some coaches would use. I remember one CWS game very clearly several years ago where the camera actually caught the coach yelling at his pitcher in the dugout after a bad inning ... it was too painful to watch ... but there was none of that from Coach Fox. Very admirable indeed.

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