Giving Props to your Coaches

Let's use this thread to honor the coach that was most influential in your son's career. That one coach you would like to thank. And please give details why.

 

Great idea Braves. Hard to single out just one though.

Ronnie Powell, "Cary Bulls" Cary Post 67 JR Legion - Coach Powell taught me how and why things were done on a baseball field. "Baseball is the vehicle, not the destination." My playing days have come to an end but baseball is still my driving force. I go to Coach Powell more now than I ever did as a player to get advice on coaching, development, life, etc.

Jim Hourigan, Former Cary HS Baseball Coach - Coach Hourigan's picture is beside old school high school baseball coach. He was hard and demanding. He expected your best. I was a knucklehead when I played for him but I appreciate all he taught me. His one rule was "Do Right" which covered a ton of things.

Last but not least..
My dad - I grew up being the batboy for his Legion teams back in the mid-90's. I wasn't old enough to understand his coaching method until I became a coach myself. He taught me that it's ok to be reserved and a "players coach". He showed me you don't have to yell and argue to get your points across. He taught me how to be comfortable with my coaching approach and to do things my way, not "by the book" coaching. He made sure I understood that it's ok to go with your gut. I'm very lucky he is still just a text, e-mail, or phone call away to get those by the game coaching tips and obviously life tips in general on how to be a better person, son, brother, and husband.

I've taken a little bit from all three of these men and I am forever thankful to them.

 

Didn't coach my son but...

Dale Ijames, formerly of Glenn High school.
Currently coaches Kernersville Bulldogs collegiate team.

The main thing, WORK.
No one ever has or ever will out work the man.
He can (and tries to) do baseball sun-up to well past sun-down.
The methods seemed mad.
The drills crazy and never-ending at times.
But he could and can make more chicken salad than anyone I've ever seen.

Always at a clinic.
Always picking someone's brain.
Always learning and adapting.
Always talking about the game.
Knew the name of every 12 year-old "might be" within 20 miles.

Most importantly, he raised two of the finest young people you'll ever meet in his own son Dustin and daughter Dacia. (OK - and much props to his wife Debbie because she put up with his craziness all these years!)


The foothills have Bobby Dale. Down East has RV. In the triad, it's Ijames.

In KVegas, he is simply The Legend.

 

Monte Davis

My Head Coach at Southern Durham High School - Football. No one ever pushed me in my life like he did. No one ever demanded so much of me in my life. I never hated anyone as much as I hated him "at times." No one ever inspired me to work any harder than he did. I would have ran through a brick wall for him. And I still would.

Monte was the kind of coach that you wanted to bash in the face all week long. And then you couldn't wait to bash someone else in the face for him on Friday night. I think you old football guys will understand what I am talking about. If not no problem I have always been a little crazy anyway.

A man of integrity that is unmatched. He would never back down from what he knew was right. One year we had one of the top players in the state if not in the nation. A 6'5 240 lb TE would ran a 4'6 who everyone was recruiting. He dogged it one day running sprints. Monte said run hard like everyone else or go home. The kid walked off the field. A few days later the kid came back wanting to rejoin the team. Monte said not this year you quit. But if you want to try out next year come on back. Monte treated everyone the same way. He taught me a lot about football but even more about life. I am not ashamed to say I love him like a father and there are not many days I dont think about him. He is a truly special man that will always be my coach.

 

Honor and Character

Braves, if I understand the thread topic correctly, you are asking which coach had the greatest impact on my son - the one I want to thank.

No doubt there are many who could fit that description. I will never be able to thank them enough. All have had profound impact on my son. The names will be well-known enough to command the respect they deserve - Koch, Seager, Hutchins, and Bagwell - all outstanding men who have given more to others than they ever expect from those to whom they give. I'll write more about them later. My story dates back farther and is a testimony to a man who my son considered more than a coach - he was truly the most influential man in my son's life - and to this day my son would tell anyone who asks the same.

He had four sons of his own, all great athletes, but he coached many more who all loved him dearly. He himself was a great athlete - he was a pitcher for Baylor University. His work ethic was amazing. His motor ran full throttle all of the time. He knew baseball and he knew kids.

My son learned that baseball is a game that you play with your HEAD, HEART and HANDS - absent any one of the three and you have trouble. My son learned that talent comes from GOD and it is up to the individual to live a life of honor to GOD and family. My son learned the meaning of team. My son learned to love him and love his family and he felt like David's fifth son.

And that was OK by me - because David was my friend too. And he deserved all of the credit he never asked for nor wanted.

Our family moved from Texas to North Carolina in 2005 - we drove from Little Rock, Arkansas to Charlotte the night after our team, the Texas Thunder, won the Super Series 11U World Series arriving "home" in Charlotte at 5:30 A.M. We were missing our friends, family and Coach David.

Preston referred to David often and called him frequently. When he was struggling and I knew I was not much help - I'd just say "Call Coach David" and he was ALWAYS there for us.

Last February I got a call from a friend that our beloved Coach David had died of a heart attack skiing down a mountain in Winter Park, Colorado. Coach David Parker was 48 years young. He literally skied into the arms of GOD -

I was in Miami on business when the call came in. My son, back home in Charlotte, was devestated. God Bless Coach Bagwell - he was there for Preston and spent about an hour consoling him and helping him try to deal with the loss. Coach Bagwell understands - he gets it.

At David's funeral I realized that while I thought I was one of David's best friends - all 2,000 plus people at the funeral all thought they were one of David's best friends too. All over the sanctuary stood David's prize possessions - baseball mementos and memories - and a 20 x 24 poster of the 2004 Super Series World Series champion Texas Thunder team with my son's picture alongside his Coach.

You'll have to find Preston and look under the bill of his hat, or read his sweat band, to find out what David truly meant to him. RIP Coach Parker, Joshua 1:9.

 

True, but one can post whatever they wish. I know, in many cases, there are quite a few coaches that have impacted a player's life...and if one chooses to mention multiple, that's fine. I'm sure the coaches mentioned appreciate it.

However, your post is great! What a terrific way to honor a most deserving man. Well said!!! Thank you for sharing it. It's what I hope to have posted.

 

Gary Hinkle- LONG time coach at Ledford. Coached Football, basketball and baseball forever (35+ years) was a very hard nosed coach. everyone was scared of him or didn't like him until you graduated. Once you got out you appreciated the life lessons that he taught you. He believed that working hard and doing the right thing would take you far in life. One of the best compiments my wife ever gave me was when i first got into coaching. " I can see alot of Hinkle in you when you are coaching" he is now a good friend, but i still cant bring myself to call him anything but "Coach Hinkle"

 

I'm going to go back a bit further and give thanks ( and props ) to my Babe Ruth coach in 1975 & 1976. While it's not my son's coach, it is a man who helped form me into who I am today. I played high school, legion and some amatuer ball, but this guy is the one I remember and appreciate most. He helped me understand what teamwork, dedication, and heart really meant. I can give you all the stats and the descriptions, of the great wins we had, but that's not it. This man (and his family) helped me learn how to be a man and a leader. In the past 10 years his son, and our second baseman, passed away at the age of 39. And most recently, his wife (and my second mom back in the day) also passed this August. The reason I bring all of this up is because tonight, as I go through a tough time in my life, I reach out to Coach Harvey for the first time in many, many, many years. And through all of his sorrow, all he wanted to talk about was our time back in the 70's and how me and my son were doing today. My son plays for a great coach at Cox Mill as well as some really quality coaches in showcase, my hope is when he is almost 50, he'll remember what it's like today as I do tonight......Thank you Jack Harvey !

 

this is easy

For me and I'm sure I speak for many in the southern part of Johnston County, it is my HS coach from the 70's, Bruce Coats.
Concerning Mr. Coats, I could basically repeat what Coach27 & catcoach posted so well. An old school coach, but also was ahead of his time back then and made the effort to stay ahead on latest trends, practice routines, game strategies, etc. Simply a great baseball guy that believed in hard work.

Thank goodness he's still with us and such an icon in our community. I make a point to go by and visit him fairly often. He has a room at his home filled with HS baseball scrapbooks and memories of all those teams. He's just simply a grand ole gentleman I have the utmost respect for to this day, and I was not even a regular starter most of my HS years. That doesn't matter at all to me when I think about him and appreciate all he taught me.