Coach Labeots,
I don't think or believe that any one person has an absolute effect on a program especially long term because you can't make everyone involved conform to your standards. I personally believe that you are only as good as your last season and what goals were achieved during the season. The quality of athleticism will change from year to year. Players and parents willingness or ability to learn or accept your methods will vary from season to season. A coach's own abilities and willingness to adapt to the level of talent that he has available or upcoming will dictate what kind of season or program he or she will have. As a coach my personal goal is to try and have as many kids learn fundamentals as early as possible and also to learn to make decisions on the field as early as possible. This makes my job easier and it makes the game a lot more fun for the kids.
Several years ago I was working as a pitching coach and our ballclub had finished the regular season undefeated. The head coach decided to leave, who he felt was the weak link ,off of the playoff roster. All the hard work that went into making it a successful campaign almost went out the window when the rest of the team found out. We went into the postseason as the top seed and we floundered and were out at 1-2. Statistically the season was successful, what it did to the program the following year was a disaster.
What I learned from that point on was to become as consistent as I possibly could be as a coach and a person. What I feel has made our program effective over the years since then is making sure that I am never to busy to talk with or help any of my players or other coaches about not only baseball but other concerns or desires that they may have. I may not have the answer that they are looking for but hopefully I can help steer them in the right direction.
My bottom line measure for how successful my program is when a former player or parent comes back or calls and tells me that I had a positive impact on his or their childs life. It's even more gratifying when I learn that a former player is now coaching partly because of how he was impacted by what he learned from me and my assistants.
Don't get me wrong, I love to win as much as the next coach but I also know that the players in my charge may not remember what they were taught but they will not forget how I made them feel as a person.
