I know there are a lot of youth coaches out there who do a good job. I’ve seen coaches who’s sole desire is to win, win, win. I have seen some who volunteer to do their best when they aren’t real coaches. I wanted to take this time, to post here as well as in the Georgia section to thank a “Coach”.
It was my please to meet Carlos Vazquez when my son was 7. This man is one of the few men I have know in which the teaching the kids was more important than winning. Don’t get me wrong, he played to win, but winning was the result of teaching proper techniques and practicing. From 7 to 14 my son had the pleasure of learning from Carlos. Not just baseball but life.
Through out the years, the Tyrone Thunder may have won around 60 to 70% of their games. If they were playing an inferior team, all efforts were taking to put kids in positions they wanted to learn and all efforts were made not to embarrass the other kids and parents.
Tyrone is in Fayette County Georgia. The Thunder over time attracted players from that county as well as few from surrounding areas. Tyrone, for most of this time was so small that the town had 1 flashing light. There were several teams in the county who I’d refer to as Big Time programs who were able to “recruit” the best players from teams. SO he lost one or two here and there.
The core group of kids played for Carlos the entire years my son did. A few moved on to other teams, some because they felt the other team would win more, some because the parents wanted to win more. Most stayed because it was about learning and playing ball with their friends. Carlos’ son was in high demand and recruited many years to other high profile teams, but he stayed with his friends. He knew there was plenty of time to play in the highest level of ball. There was a time when we decided to cut one kid because we thought it was for the best. It bothered Carlos so bad that he decided it wasn’t worth it, that wasn’t what the Thunder was about.
Some of you will say, isn’t that nice. A coach for whom winning wasn’t everything and teaching the proper way to play was foremost. Let me tell you how well this man taught baseball:
These are some of the guys I have stayed in contact with and where baseball has and is taking them:
Duncan Midkiff Chiploa College
Heine Rivera Middle Georgia College (MLB draft prospect)
Blake Brewer Kentucky
Brandon Miller Georgia Tech (MLB draft prospect)
Eric Weiss Berry college
Cameron Rich Berry College
James Kimsey Mercer University
Craig Carroll Southern Union
Christopher Vazquez Wingate College (MLB draft prospect)
Ethan Simantel Faulkner State College
Guys who are good enough to play, but haven’t heard yet:
Tom Bohrer
Ben Hornsby
Greg Fisher
And a few kids I’ve lost contact with:
Sam Peavy (I expect he is playing college ball)
Paul Vogel
Stewart Ellis
Corey Crump (probably on a golf scholarship)
Desmond Stafford
Ben Stell
Jeremy Gunter
Trenton Turner (playing football at Georgia)
Kevin Dunn
Justin Farmer
Stephen Tarkenton
David Witucki (another footballer)
This is pretty much a complete list of the guys who played for Carlos. So again I say thanks Carlos, A quality coach and friend.
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