A letter to the 18U Sparks from Mike Steele. Coach Steele was going to coach this team before he was hired to be a minor league pitching coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates at High A Lynchburg in Virginia. Say what you want about the Sparks and Bill Copp but know that when you look behind the smoke and lies, Bill is what is right about amateur baseball and all of you high school coaches should all hope that your kids would have the chance to interact with him if you really cared about their development as young men.
Coach Steele sent this to the kids on that team:
Sparks,
I just wanted to tell you guys how proud I am of you and trust that you had a summer that was filled with memories that will last forever. When we thought about how to build a team that would be a great baseball team, it took picking guys that not only had talent but were made up of great “baseball” players. You guys all fit that billing. One of the toughest things about taking this job was I had to deal with the fact that I would miss out coaching you this summer. I see that it would have been great to be with you guys but I hope you understand that I had to take this job because it was what I am supposed to do and the next step for me in my life. I knew that your were in great hands with Bill and that he is man of integrity and cares about you as individuals. He will be there for you for the rest of your lives and I hope that you thank him for his hard work and the time and money he sacrifices for you guys and for the Sparks organization.
I know that the season ended a bit shorter than you would have liked but I want you to make sure that if you take anything from this experience it is this, do not let outcomes determine your success. As you guys go off to college and get ready to compete for spots on their roster, know that it is your process by which you prepare and play this game that marks what kind of player you are. When it comes down to it, your talent alone will not suffice, but yet the ability to play baseball the way it is supposed to be played and to set yourself apart by your work ethic and attitude. If you want to play as a freshman and succeed in college, you need to make yourself a player that your coach will know exactly what he will get out of you and that you will never quit or back down.
I am so excited to watch you guys take your next step in your careers and hope that somewhere down the line I can see you in pro ball. But remember that no matter where you guys are, I am always here for you in anything that I can do. I know that the Sparks feel the same way, that is why I wanted to connect myself so close to the Sparks organization. Because inside of the politics, the skewed motivations of other coaches and people involved in amateur athletics, and seeing the stupid battles waged by folks wanting to exploit young men, the Sparks organization acts with integrity and only in the best interest for the players in their organization.
I will be living back in the Chicago area this fall and winter and urge you to get a hold of me when you get back for Christmas break so we can get some workouts in.
Don’t whine, don’t complain, don’t make excuses. Be able to go home every night during this fall knowing that you gave everything you could to school, baseball and yourself to give you best chance to succeed.
Mike Steele
Pittsburgh Pirates
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