Concord Post 51 looking for help

Story in today's Independent Tribune sports section says Concord Post 51 is looking for someone to take over the baseball program. The cost and aging membership of the group has led to the call for help. Athletic director Bill Collins is also stepping down. Post 51 has sponsored the team here in Concord since 1948.

 

Concord has had one of the best baseball programs around I hope ther legion post will continue to sponsor there team, alot of great teams came out of Concord.

 

yeah i hope so to if not for just the 51/501 rivilery.

 

Post 51 has been in a downward spiral for over 10 years now, since the departure of R. Sweringen and Queen. Scott Goings really screwed up this team, believe me, I played for the team in the mid 90's. Every since Salisbury came back and put us out of the state quarterfinals after being up 3-1, the team has never rebounded. Goings made the worst coaching decisions you could possibly imagine (He would not use Jason Bowers as a pitcher because he thought he wasn't good enough to start for the team, but the Atlanta Braves let Bowers pitch in their organization by drafting him out of high school that same year! I guess being left handed and pushing 90 mph wasn't good enough for Goings). Guess that is what you get when you go to "Dairy Queen" to hire your head coach. It's a shame because the legion does so much for their team!

 

Scott Goins was a hell of a coach and player ,If concord want's to get back where they were they need to Hire Robin swaringer back and get on with it. there is talent in the Concord area. Some young guy needs to step up to the plate and help those old men out and run that team like ken cook used to with a iron fist. This is part of what has happened to legion ball some of these older gentlemen have got out the ones that demanded disipline from it's players and coaches.

 

I agree with you on bringing Swaringen back, he was a great coach and helped coach me when I was young. As for your comment on Goings, I disagree, he was a horrible coach that had great talent land in his lap. If he was so great, how many times did he get past Rowan County in the playoffs? None.

I do miss the days that Concord was a powerhouse. I grew up at Webb field chasing foul balls for those legion guys.......Those guys also took care of their team, after every away game they would take us out to eat and my sophomore year they took us all to the beach when the season ended. These guys need a great coach. Maybe some of the past great players will come back and help coach? I know a lot of the guys that still live in the area................

 

I think Ronnie Bost has done a great job considering where the program was when he took over. Here of late, there just hasn't been that much talent in Cabarrus County. It appears to be getting better, but look at the schools it draws from. Last year, Concord was terrible, JM wasn't much better, Central had a down year, and Mount made the playoffs with a very young team. Add that to the fact that they only had one college player back, I think he did a pretty good job with the team he had. Good coaching can only get you so far. Hopefully, some of these young guys will continue to progress and continue to play legion. I think you will start to see better results then.

 

More pressing needs for Post 51 is with the talent. They are not getting great talent at all. This is a result from a weak rec. league that supports Concord High (They have always been poor). Central and Northwest have always had more support, but it is nowhere near what our counterparts in Rowan County have. Rowan county breathes and sleeps baseball from five years old and up to they hit the legion team. We need to support our legion team by developing our kids more before they get to legion ball. My son is getting ready to play ball and I plan on coaching his teams and developing some talent at an early age........If we could get some of other previous legion players starting with kids, we would become a powerhouse again in Concord.

Anyway, I work in Salisbury and I am so sick of arrogant Rowan County fans and there damn cowbells........

 

you can buy cowbells in in concord .. its not exclusive to rowan county

 

Coach Ronnie Bost has done an excellent job coaching Concord's legion team, and hopefully he will be in your future. Bill Collins & others have also done an excellent job, because as the newspaper article reads, it takes $15,000 a year just to field a team and that may be on the low side.

Many folks don't realize how much money is needed to operate one of these teams with misc.expenses, uniforms, equipment, and seemingly loads of travel costs.

I wish Concord's legion team the very best, and hopefully someone will step forward and help in a way that you need it. Sincerely, tj from Kannapolis