Great baseball Relationships ( now this is upbeat !)
01--I think back to my LL and Legion Coach John Gentile, God rest his soul--not only was he a great teacher of the game in my youth but 40 years later he drove up to see and evaluate my son as a senior in HS. One of the greatest men both off and on the field that I have ever met. He played with Jackie Robinson on the Dodgers minor league teams---talk about stories in the dugout
02--I recall the morning I got a phone call from a NY HS AD regarding one of his students---he was talking about "IT'S" son who was a freshman in HS at that time---The AD , who had been my sons AD at another HS, told me I had to have this kid on my team---he was a clone of my son---all fire and brimstone--spit and dirty uniforms every game---thus was born the relationship with a great young man whom I term my "Adopted Son" and we all know how "D" is doing right now---he has adjusted to "AA" baseball and hitting like never before and hit the 70 stolen base mark the other nite.
03-- The highly positive aspect of this baseball thing is the when the kids you coached come back to you---we have continually have our ex-players returning to coach with us after thie college and/or pro days ---additionally many call us to ask permission to use them as references for jobs after they graduate from college
04-- Another great aspect is all the fine coaches we meet in our travels---they more than offset the bummers you run into--we truly have made some great baseball relationships in our travels--folks there are a lot great coaches/men out there if you look hard enough
05-- the great young men we have met at the college level--the assistant coaches as well as the head coaches---ran into one two weekends ago who had been at Asst Coach at NMSU when my son was a frosh back in the mid 90's---he is now a Division I Head Coach--first words out of his mouth were " how is your son doing?"---nice to see they remember after all these years
great stuff is baseball
06-- Last but not least are the Great Parents that we have been involved with and are still involved with---we have the younger brothers of the original relationship now playing with us-- we have players with us whom parents from previous teams have sent us---this all tells me something-- we are doing something right
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