Kinston High Baseball needs help

I saw this thread here a few weeks ago and I know that winning is the key to everything.
Having said that, I found it interesting that the Basketball Vikings are hitting the road this winter!
http://www.newsobserver.com/264/story/146382.html

With a top player on the team, no question that the Vikes are a huge draw and expenses paid for by the tourny. The article says the team has also held fundraisers to help with the costs.

Maybe the basbeball team could take similar action. (they may be...I don't know)

I am well aware of the economic climate everywhere and in Eastern NC in particular. Even so, seems like the Athletic Dept/Booster ciub could help the baseball team get its footing. With successful programs at county schools North Lenior and South Lenior, (and LCC)why all the struggles with basic needs at KHS.
Have the Kinston Indians been contacted about the situation? Perhaps they could help with equipment or even refer the team to Major League Baseball's RBI (returning Baseball to Inner Cities) Program.

Not trying to flame here...just curious.

 

I'll let Coach Wade answer anything that I missed. Kinston is a huge basketball school; the AD also happens to be the basketball coach. The Basketball team takes trips all over the US, including Hawaii (Jerry Stackhouse continues to be a financial contributor.) The concern expressed is with the school being predominantly enrolled by minorities, the interest in baseball is minimal. The AD gives the baseball team 2 dozen baseballs...and that's their budget for the year. There's no booster program to support baseball, there's no real parental support; and the coach walks the halls begging for students to come out for the team---which stems another problem that hopefully we are helping to address. The players come out for workouts with no bats, gloves or cleats. They didn't have enough players to have a JV team, so there is no feeder system to develop talent to be baseball-ready.

Yes, the Kinston Indians have been contacted several times. Their reply, which bordered on rudeness, was of no help. Ryan Morris, a player on the team, was contacted and he was willing to help gathering up equipment and such, but immediately after being contacted, Ryan was injured and relocated to Arizona for rehab. He expressed sorrow in not helping and is willing to help in the future.

The RBI program is unique. One can imagine all the contacts made to them from communities and organizations needing help, but it is not a charity program like United Way. They are it's own organization struggling to gain grants and monies for it's own. MLB is a tremendous resource for them, but it's their only resource and the monies spent is to enhance their program...not to aid others.

Kinston, by far, is not the only school in this situation. I have been contacted by two other schools, after finding out what we have done for Kinston, wanting us to do the same for them.

 

braves pretty much summed it up. we do, however, get to order a season's worth of game balls (5 or 6 dozen) and other things if needed. with the budget issues this year i was told that our order for baseball would be the bare minimum.

we had 20 total kids come out for varsity and jv combined last season. this season i will have 11 players on the varsity, 7 of which are seniors. if i dont get some excitement generated within the school and get some underclassmen to come out for baseball, baseball at kinston high will be non-existant.

 

This is why I continue to support Coach Wade. Many coaches would have looked at their bleak future and cut ties looking for something else....not Coach Wade. He keeps battling everyday to not just improve his players, but to keep the program surviving until it is self supporting. How can you not want to help someone like that?

 

As a former basketball and baseball player at Kinston High, I can't understand why the baseball team isn't at least nominally supported by the athletic deparment, at least with the very basics. Basketball has always ruled at KHS, but this is embarrasing. I wish Coach Paul Jones was still with us. I'd love to get his perspective.

 

Support of baseball programs

I think this problem is fairly wide spread. The same issues apply at schools like Garringer, Barry, Harding, etc... I am sure these schools are not unlike what is going on at many minority schools around the country.

 

Bingo...and I don't believe Berry even has a coach at this time. And that goes back to what I'm saying. Coach Wade is doing everything he possibly can to encourage participation, just so he has an opportunity to teach the young men baseball and life lessons.

 

Kinston High School Baseball:

Coach Wade has some good players at his school. The Wilson Bulldogs have 2 of his guys on our roster:
Cody Heath is one of our starting pitchers, and Reginald Santifer, is a speedy outfielder, who also helps us out. Cody has had a few college scouts come see him throw the past few weeks & I look for him to commit somewhere in the near future. He's done a good job for us. Reginald has alot of potential. Both are seniors. There's certainly a nucleus at Kinston High to field a competitive team. They might surprise teams in their conference.

 

You're absolutely right. He has some talented players. But as Coach Wade mentioned, he has 11 players on the team; 7 graduate this year and no JV team. Now I'm from SC and even I know the 'rithmatic don't add up to a bright future without encouraging new players not currently playing.

 

The Captain......
Obviously you are unaware of the cash flow, parental involvement, etc. in a high school that is 95% minority. I guess you would think Kinston has an excellent golf team, swim team and field hockey team too. Wouldn't you?
You were just trying to stir something up.