Anyone know any info about Volunteer State Community College???
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Annually among the best juco baseball programs in the country. Last season's poor record was a very major speed bump for them.
I expect a complete turn-around this season. Baseball is THE sport at Vol State, receiving the full support of the administration.
Typically a few draft & follow players each season. Coaches work hard at getting all their players placed at 4 year schools.
The program has 4 coaches, which should be a gauge on the commitment to the baseball program. (3 full time - 1 G.A.)
Facilities are nice with plans for additional improvement in the next couple of years.
Be fully aware that a player had better be able to really play if they expect to make it on the field at Vol State, or any of the top level jucos.
TennDad's son will be an incoming freshman pitcher this season.
I expect a complete turn-around this season. Baseball is THE sport at Vol State, receiving the full support of the administration.
Typically a few draft & follow players each season. Coaches work hard at getting all their players placed at 4 year schools.
The program has 4 coaches, which should be a gauge on the commitment to the baseball program. (3 full time - 1 G.A.)
Facilities are nice with plans for additional improvement in the next couple of years.
Be fully aware that a player had better be able to really play if they expect to make it on the field at Vol State, or any of the top level jucos.
TennDad's son will be an incoming freshman pitcher this season.
My son's team (ECC) played Volunteer State at their field last spring during ECC's spring break.
I'll echo many of the points that hsbbweb has expressed, good competition/talent, good facilities in a good location (area is growing). They seemed to have a number of coaches and a nice touch with having a mentally challenged assistant who was very vocal about the love of his team! Good program IMO.
I'll echo many of the points that hsbbweb has expressed, good competition/talent, good facilities in a good location (area is growing). They seemed to have a number of coaches and a nice touch with having a mentally challenged assistant who was very vocal about the love of his team! Good program IMO.
We have another Tennessee Webster who has a son going to Vol State this fall and that is our buddy (BNA) out of Nashville. His son and mine will be room mates this year.
My family was highly impressed with the campus and the baseball field had to be one of the nicest in the state at the junior college level. They have a Div I baseball mentality for the game of baseball and the coaching staff is excellent with the head coach Jeff Smith being a former Div I pitching coach. They take there baseball very serious and recruit to win championships. As Bob has stated the school is 100% committed to the baseball program and its success. This meant a lot to me as a baseball dad and the education is as good as you will get anywhere. Some of the classes are video taped so the student can go to the library and go back over the class lectures. The coaching staff has the players meet in the cafeteria every morning and makes sure the players are up and ready for classes.
As BigMW has stated assistant coach Mike Crossland is a very vocal "Gung Ho" coach. We liked him alot.
Gallatin is a very nice clean town and is only 15 minutes from downtown Nashville.
My family was highly impressed with the campus and the baseball field had to be one of the nicest in the state at the junior college level. They have a Div I baseball mentality for the game of baseball and the coaching staff is excellent with the head coach Jeff Smith being a former Div I pitching coach. They take there baseball very serious and recruit to win championships. As Bob has stated the school is 100% committed to the baseball program and its success. This meant a lot to me as a baseball dad and the education is as good as you will get anywhere. Some of the classes are video taped so the student can go to the library and go back over the class lectures. The coaching staff has the players meet in the cafeteria every morning and makes sure the players are up and ready for classes.
As BigMW has stated assistant coach Mike Crossland is a very vocal "Gung Ho" coach. We liked him alot.
Gallatin is a very nice clean town and is only 15 minutes from downtown Nashville.
BigMW,
I finally got up from rolling on the floor laughing.
The "mentally challenged" assistant that I assume you are referring to is "Big Dave." While not an assistant coach he is a fixture at the Vol State games. Big Dave is truly unique, passionate about his "Vollies."
At times the players could stand a little less of Dave, especially when he is offering hitting advice while they are in the on-deck circle, but all-in-all having Dave around is a very positive experience for them.
It is a credit to former head coach Kenny Thomas and now to current head coach Jeff Smith that Dave is allowed to be a part of the team.
TennDad ---- I can't wait until you and Coach Crossland cross paths (soon) and he discusses the fact that you assumed that he and Big Dave are one and the same person! Better warn Dane that he may experience some extra running for his Dad's comments!
I tried to call Mike but he was not in his office, so I sent him an email with a link to this topic. Of course I wouldn't want him to miss this!
Final note -- Robinson Lefty ...... My son played 2 seasons for the Pioneers and it was one of the most positive experiences in his baseball career.
I had the opportunity to see Coaches Crossland and Neighbors this summer, at a tournament, it was so much fun. Back to talking, giving each other a hard time and genuinely enjoying each others company.
My son still tells me that Coach Crossland was the best hitting coach he has ever had.
While watching Coach Smith and his pitchers I gained tremendous respect for his abilities to work with the arms and minds of the "non-athletes."
True story -- A couple of years ago in the regional tournament Vol State was playing rival Walters State. The Vollies had their ace on the hill as did Walters. At just over 100 pitches Coach Smith went and got his ace. Despite the pitcher not being in any trouble and having one out in the inning. (keep in mind this pitcher was/is a max effort guy and had some tenderness in his arm earlier in the season)
Walters went on to win the game and the regional. Later I asked Coach Smith about his decision and he told me that he would not jeopardize a pitcher's arm and future to win a ballgame.
I finally got up from rolling on the floor laughing.
The "mentally challenged" assistant that I assume you are referring to is "Big Dave." While not an assistant coach he is a fixture at the Vol State games. Big Dave is truly unique, passionate about his "Vollies."
At times the players could stand a little less of Dave, especially when he is offering hitting advice while they are in the on-deck circle, but all-in-all having Dave around is a very positive experience for them.
It is a credit to former head coach Kenny Thomas and now to current head coach Jeff Smith that Dave is allowed to be a part of the team.
TennDad ---- I can't wait until you and Coach Crossland cross paths (soon) and he discusses the fact that you assumed that he and Big Dave are one and the same person! Better warn Dane that he may experience some extra running for his Dad's comments!
I tried to call Mike but he was not in his office, so I sent him an email with a link to this topic. Of course I wouldn't want him to miss this!
Final note -- Robinson Lefty ...... My son played 2 seasons for the Pioneers and it was one of the most positive experiences in his baseball career.
I had the opportunity to see Coaches Crossland and Neighbors this summer, at a tournament, it was so much fun. Back to talking, giving each other a hard time and genuinely enjoying each others company.
My son still tells me that Coach Crossland was the best hitting coach he has ever had.
While watching Coach Smith and his pitchers I gained tremendous respect for his abilities to work with the arms and minds of the "non-athletes."
True story -- A couple of years ago in the regional tournament Vol State was playing rival Walters State. The Vollies had their ace on the hill as did Walters. At just over 100 pitches Coach Smith went and got his ace. Despite the pitcher not being in any trouble and having one out in the inning. (keep in mind this pitcher was/is a max effort guy and had some tenderness in his arm earlier in the season)
Walters went on to win the game and the regional. Later I asked Coach Smith about his decision and he told me that he would not jeopardize a pitcher's arm and future to win a ballgame.
hsbbweb,
Ooops, sorry, the proper term probably should be "mentally handicapped"? Help me out here....
Yes I was referring to Big Dave and not an official assistant coach. It does appear Tenndad is in some deep do-do with Coach Crossland!
I really got a kick watching and listening to Big Dave during ECC's game with VSCC. He was a hoot!
I hope ECC's spring trip next season brings us back to your neck of the woods (as well as bringing ECC back to Millington a little later on!). ECC faced some pretty stiff competition, we got to see some relatives (aka kinfolk) and I felt right at home again (I'm originally from Tennessee). My slight southern accent became noticably more prominent during our visit!
Ooops, sorry, the proper term probably should be "mentally handicapped"? Help me out here....
Yes I was referring to Big Dave and not an official assistant coach. It does appear Tenndad is in some deep do-do with Coach Crossland!
I really got a kick watching and listening to Big Dave during ECC's game with VSCC. He was a hoot!
I hope ECC's spring trip next season brings us back to your neck of the woods (as well as bringing ECC back to Millington a little later on!). ECC faced some pretty stiff competition, we got to see some relatives (aka kinfolk) and I felt right at home again (I'm originally from Tennessee). My slight southern accent became noticably more prominent during our visit!
I stand corrected! 
We didn't get a chance to go to Gallatin and watch them play this spring. Mainly due to our high school season, practice schedule and my older sons games at MTSU.
So you can understand I know very little about "Big Dave" and after meeting coach Crossland I could see him as a very intense competitor. I could also tell that Like me, he hated to loose a baseball game and took great pride in his program. I was convinced he was the type of coach we were looking for!
link to Vol State coaches:
http://www2.vscc.cc.tn.us/athletics/new_page_18.htm
We didn't get a chance to go to Gallatin and watch them play this spring. Mainly due to our high school season, practice schedule and my older sons games at MTSU.
So you can understand I know very little about "Big Dave" and after meeting coach Crossland I could see him as a very intense competitor. I could also tell that Like me, he hated to loose a baseball game and took great pride in his program. I was convinced he was the type of coach we were looking for!
link to Vol State coaches:
http://www2.vscc.cc.tn.us/athletics/new_page_18.htm
i used to play at vol state with andy, back a few years ago. while i think the program is sound, i dont think the coaching staf is as amazing as the way everyone here is talking about. they have gotten one new coach since i left. coach crossland should be the head coach at vol state. coach smith is holding the program back from going to the next level. since all you are parents, you dont know how coach smith really works. first off he is a two faced person. he is one way around parents and totally a different person around the players. the team was at a high calibar when kenny thomas was there. we had a game where the AD left to go home but he was listening to the game on the radio, to his surprise he heard someone flipping out by an umpires call. the person flippin out was coach smith, the AD came back to the field to find out what was going on. He told us that all he had heard on the radio was someone, saying a cuss word everyother word. I think walters state is way ahead of vol state in calibar of baseball.
Im just lookin for somewhere to potentialy play. So Im not a parent. I live in Illinois and my parents want me to stay close. I'd like to play in the Nashville area of Tennessee because my Grandfather lives down in the Madison suburb of Nashville and I love it there. The only problem is if I play out of the state of Illinois its gunna potentially put a cash strain on my parents and I would have to get a scholarship which I dont think JUCO's give out.
Lefty:
Juco's give scholorships just like the big schools!
Juco's give scholorships just like the big schools!
Or not, also just like the big schools!
Robinson Lefty,
I believe VSCC is a DII junior college, which means they can offer tuition scholarships. Also, I don't know the residency rules for Tennessee JUCO's but you may be able to establish residency with your Grandfather which would help lower the cost of any tuition fees you may have to pay. It's definately worth checking into. Good luck!
I believe VSCC is a DII junior college, which means they can offer tuition scholarships. Also, I don't know the residency rules for Tennessee JUCO's but you may be able to establish residency with your Grandfather which would help lower the cost of any tuition fees you may have to pay. It's definately worth checking into. Good luck!
Vol State is a Division I junior college. The school does not have dormitories.
They also have a few "out of state" exemptions that they can use to give the right student-athletes economic relief. Their roster typically will have several out-of-state players. There were seven (7) last season.
Keep in mind that Vol State recruits like most of the upper level jucos, very much like the top 4 year programs .... If they have not seen you in person or if you do not have the recommendation of a trusted professional scout, no scholarship will be offered.
Scholarship monies at Vol are divided up much like the DI programs. Some players on full rides others on partial.
They also have a few "out of state" exemptions that they can use to give the right student-athletes economic relief. Their roster typically will have several out-of-state players. There were seven (7) last season.
Keep in mind that Vol State recruits like most of the upper level jucos, very much like the top 4 year programs .... If they have not seen you in person or if you do not have the recommendation of a trusted professional scout, no scholarship will be offered.
Scholarship monies at Vol are divided up much like the DI programs. Some players on full rides others on partial.
hsbbweb and others,
Sorry for the mis-information (DII vs. DI), I knew I should have checked....
Sorry for the mis-information (DII vs. DI), I knew I should have checked....
BigMW,
No problem with your post. Since only one of the Tennessee jucos even has dormitories I have often wondered why they did not (as a group) change affiliation to NJCAA DII.
This would also give a Tennessee juco a home field advantage each year at the DII World Series, in Millington.
Maybe it's not that clear when you are on the inside looking out?
No problem with your post. Since only one of the Tennessee jucos even has dormitories I have often wondered why they did not (as a group) change affiliation to NJCAA DII.
This would also give a Tennessee juco a home field advantage each year at the DII World Series, in Millington.
Maybe it's not that clear when you are on the inside looking out?
In a phone call with TennDad, he mentioned the reference on this board to a mentally challenged "Big Dave", and the fact he had mistakenly assumed they were talking about Mike Crossland. Also funny -- I told TennDad they were probably referring to Big Dave Neighbours. I look forward to seeing the "real" Big Dave in action.
As for Vol State -- excellent JUCO college and baseball program. The baseball program is noted as one of the best in the country -- last year a major exception. Traditionally you'll find they've been rated in the JUCO Top 25.
Excellent coaches, very competitive program looking for post season play and success. Many injuries last season probably responsible for the under acheiving 2003 season. Excellent recruiting success with freshman class beginning this fall. Future prospects are excellent! Expect them to return to their prominance.
As for Vol State -- excellent JUCO college and baseball program. The baseball program is noted as one of the best in the country -- last year a major exception. Traditionally you'll find they've been rated in the JUCO Top 25.
Excellent coaches, very competitive program looking for post season play and success. Many injuries last season probably responsible for the under acheiving 2003 season. Excellent recruiting success with freshman class beginning this fall. Future prospects are excellent! Expect them to return to their prominance.
Bump...
I was told that the Athletic Director and the Head Coach, Jeff Smith, were under investigation for embezzlement for funds. It was reported on a Local Nashville News station.
