Entry #36 - 11/23/04

I can’t believe it is almost Thanksgiving. The time is flying by. Before you know it our players will be home for the holidays. I don’t know if it is the same for other coaches but for me, my calendar is predicated by events which take place throughout the year. The days leading up to them are simply a mere countdown until the event. For instance, this week I will travel with my family to Atlanta to spend Thanksgiving with my Mother and Father. I have been counting down the days because it has been a long time since I have seen them. Seeing the faces of my two boys light up when they are in the arms of my parents is a special thing for me.

After I return from Thanksgiving, there will be two more weeks of school and then exams. During those two weeks we will squeeze in as much baseball into our players as we can, hoping it will stick with them over their holidays. We will also be conducting an indoor hitting camp during that time. Once exams get here we will shut it down for the semester. Once our players return from the holiday break it becomes very easy. We will have exactly 31 days until we play our first game. Each of those four weeks will be divided into specifics as to what we want to accomplish as a team for that week. Our master plan will include all phases of the game both physically and mentally. Each week we will strive to improve and make progress for we will be ready on Opening Day. At the end of each week our staff will meet on Sunday evening and prepare for the following week to make sure we are on schedule. I’m sure those 31 days will go by very fast and I will cross them off as they lead up to our Opener. Once the season begins, everyday is just a count down to the next game and before you know it the Conference Tournament is here.

Since my last entry a lot has happened. This time of year is very tough on our staff. Not only because we are in a major recruiting period, but the NCAA has tough limits on the amount of time we can spend with our players. The rule that makes it tough on baseball coaches has to do with individual skill work. This means work involving a bat, ball or glove. A coach can only work with four individuals at a time, no more. Also, if I have four hitters in the cage hitting, this means Coach Mac cannot have four pitchers working in the bullpen at the same time. Only four players can be working at a time. We have twenty players who hit in our program and twelve players who pitch. This means if we work with four hitters at a time for 45 minutes, when group number five is finally finished, we will have spent almost four hours in the cage. Once you mix in defensive work and the pitchers getting their throwing in, it can make for a long day for our staff. The frustrating thing was this rule was put in place to limit basketball coaches from being able to practice with five players at a time. The rule was adapted to baseball and working with four players at a time for baseball does not really make sense. So as you can see with our players in class all day, it is quite a task for us to make sure they get their work in. I give our coaching staff lots of credit during this time of year because they are relentless to make sure our players are improving and getting their sessions completed. I know Coach Goulet and Coach Mac will be excited for next semester to arrive for we can get back on the field again as a team.

Our Fall Season ended on a high note as we had a great turnout for our Fall World Series. I want to thank all the parents, families, and friends who attended. I especially want to thank all the parents who helped with our cookout. It was a great atmosphere and fun to get everyone together. The Blue Team captained by Caleb Moore and Michael Bauer swept the series and earned the crown. Most Valuable Players for the Blue Team were junior Blake Church who went 5 for 8 with a homerun, 2 doubles and 3 runs scored and freshman right handed pitcher, Robbie Campbell who won the deciding game pitching 6 innings while only allowing 2 hits, 0 runs and 7 strikeouts.

Overall I was very pleased with the progress our club made in the fall. We still have a ways to go, but I felt like we improved every day we were on the field. I am hoping we can keep that momentum going into the spring. We had many players who had very solid performances this fall. Our top four position players were Nick Crowe, Stephen Douglas, Blake Church and Caleb Moore. Our top four pitchers were Jeremy Hall, Jonathon Stoudt, Steven Calicutt and Brian Lovett. As far as our winter conditioning program is concerned I have no doubt that every player in our program is stronger than they have ever been in their entire life. I know our players will be as excited as us coaches for January to roll around.

I was very pleased with our recruiting efforts this fall as well. The four young men we signed in the early period are phenomenal young men and will make an immediate impact in our program. Coach Goulet and Coach McClarrinon worked extremely hard and did an outstanding job. Going into the spring we will be looking to only add three more players to our roster. It always amazes me during this time of the year when recruiting classes are announced. Many Division I programs will sign upwards from 12 – 20 players. This just amazes me; especially when we only are allowed 11.7 scholarships. Coaches have gotten away from developing players and it seems they just want the finished product. If a player in the program isn’t getting it done, then rather than developing him and making him better, they just replace him. This is why the number of kids transferring out of Division I programs is at an all time high.

In October we also had our first alumni game since I have been at ETSU. It was a great weekend. I want to thank all of those in attendance. We have laid a foundation and are beginning to build a great tradition in baseball here at ETSU that has been missing for some time. Tradition in a college baseball program or any other athletic program is established when the program remains important in the lives of the players who have played in that particular program. If our baseball alumni don’t have high expectations for our program, or simply don’t have any interest whether we are successful, then tradition will never be established. The future success of an athlete’s alma mater has to be important to them. For sure, winning is also an important piece of that equation. Everyone wants to be around or associated with a winner. I sincerely believe we are close to finding that piece of the puzzle. So as our alumni weekend unfolded, it gave me great satisfaction in seeing how our ETSU Baseball was helpful in shaping the lives of these former players and even more knowing that their baseball program will always be important to them for the rest of their lives. I can’t wait for next year’s game.

As I wrap things up I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. The holidays are such a special time of the year. If your home is like mine, your Thanksgiving holiday will be very busy, either traveling or preparing your home to have others over for the day. Either way, that can be very hectic and emotionally trying, which doesn't lend itself to preparing your heart to be reflective and thankful.

This holiday season I am going to try to do the following things and I ask that you try to do the same. First, I want to give thought to the many blessings I have. In our world today, we live in a “gotta have it” or “don’t have it” society. The people who are the happiest on this earth are that way because they have learned to be happy with what they have. I know at times I take many things which are wonderful in my life for granted. I want to take the time to give thanks for those things. Secondly, this time of the year is also a great time of the year to start being generous toward those with less and not envious of those with more. Generosity is what makes this world go around. For me there is not a better feeling of contentment in my life than when I am generous. And lastly, I am going to tell those I love how thankful I am for having them in my life. Those who are always present in my life, I want them to know how important their presence is. I hope everyone’s Thanksgiving will be blessed with love and cheer.Until next time…

Coach Skole