As Monte Lee enters his first campaign as the new skipper in Tigertown, he spent a little time with DP to expand on a myriad of questions. As his crew prepares for their 2016 slate, enjoy getting to know the journey he has taken to his present post – plus much, much more!

DP-How many years have you been in coaching? What got you into the business?

ML-I have been coaching now for 16 years. It’s actually 17 if you count that I was an assistant coach on the American Legion Team after my freshman year of college while I was still playing! I got into the business for one reason. I always wanted to coach. Never thought of doing anything else.

DP-What is the most rewarding thing about being a college baseball coach? 

ML-The most rewarding part is the relationships you develop with the players and the other coaches on your staff. My best friends and memories, besides those I’ve experienced with my wife and children, have come from baseball. I’m really big into relationships, and baseball has given me plenty of great opportunities along the way to develop some special ones.

DP-What does the term “coach” mean to you? 

ML-A coach is a teacher first and foremost. A coach is someone who strives to get the most out of you. A coach knows when to hug you, when to kick you in the butt, and when to just let you play. A coach is a thief who will steal any great ideas that will help make his team and players better! A coach is a great listener and always learning. A coach is a leader, a motivator, a developer, and the best ones are fearless.

DP-What is something you wish everyone knew about your profession? 

ML-How stressful it is. Our success depends on 18-22 year olds. We have to make decisions on kids earlier than ever before, and managing 11.7 scholarships and recruiting is extremely difficult. We are people like anyone else. We make this our way of life. We don’t know what having a weekend is like. There is no ‘thank God it’s Friday’ for a coach. Friday is the beginning of the week. That’s Game 1 of the series! We spend entirely too much time away from our families because we love what we do. If your child has a great coach or teacher, thank that person. They do it because they love it.

DP-You came to Clemson as a highly-decorated head coach at The College of Charleston and assistant at South Carolina. What type of adjustments have you had to make leaving your alma mater for Tigertown? 

ML-Leaving CofC was the hardest thing I’ve had to do as a coach. The biggest adjustment was not being able to coach kids I had recruited and coached at CofC anymore because I loved them. The idea of leaving my alma mater was very hard. I will always love CofC. But change is good, and coming to Clemson has been an unbelievable experience. The amount of support and passion the Clemson family has makes coaching here special. This is a destination job, and I feel like I have one of the best jobs in the country. I feel like Clemson is a special place, a place you can compete for a national championship at. That’s why I came when given the opportunity. The biggest adjustment has been the amount of functions and speaking engagements I have to attend away from coaching and recruiting. Besides that, when I go to the field everyday it’s the same as it was when I started out at Spartanburg Methodist. It’s baseball and kids!

DP-You’ve been to Omaha and had success. What is that experience like? 

ML-It’s unbelievable. Coaching in Omaha is one of the best experiences of my life. The whole journey to that point is special. When you can play in front of 20,000 plus College baseball fans it’s something you’ll never forget. Only eight can go, and there’s 300 Division I baseball programs. It’s an amazing accomplishment.

DP-It has been reported that AA was very astute at backing up bases, can you expand?

ML-I feel like I love baseball, but nobody loves baseball more than my former college teammate Austin Alexander. We also spent two years in the dugout together as coaches. He was really good at backing up third base and home, because he got so much practice doing it! Good thing for him I drove in some runs for him to keep him in the ball game! Just kidding. AA was a fierce competitor and works harder than anyone I know.

DP-We all know there is very little money in getting started in coaching at the college level yet the time involved is mind-boggling, why did you do it?

ML-I never really cared about the money. I did it because I loved it. I coached as a volunteer assistant for two years in JUCO and five in Division I. I don’t regret it all. I coach because I love it.

DP-How do you balance the time demands of coaching and your family? 

ML-I do the best I can do. I’ve always tried to take my kids to school until they could drive. I also try to cook dinner when I have the chance. Just little things that you can do as a coach to spend time with your kids makes a difference. Coaches have a lot of guilt because of the time demands that the job puts on them.

DP-When you hear the expression “old school baseball”, what does that phrase mean to you? 

ML-Simple. Play hard all the time. You can control two things. Your attitude and your effort. Give your best in those two each day and you’ll play the game the way it’s supposed to. Nobody remembers your stats but you and your parents, so play unselfish team baseball and help your team win. Old school baseball is playing hard, sacrificing your body to help your team win.

DP-What is your most memorable experience as a baseball coach?  

ML-I’ve had quite a few. I’ve been to Grand Junction with SMC in 2001, Omaha with USC in 2003, 2004. Winning the regional in Gainesville as a #4 seed in 2014 at CofC. We had a tough team. A group of true competitors and leaders who just found ways to win. Only #4 seed to sweep a regional in the history of the NCAA… Getting the calls that I would be the next head coach at CofC, and now at Clemson are days I will always cherish. I remember the journeys at all those places. The people.

DP-Quite a few rules have changed the recruiting game over the past 10 years. Which rule changes do you like, not like and how has it altered your approach to recruiting?

ML- I think the transfer rule has solved most of the problems college baseball faced 7-8 years ago. I am not a fan of the 25 percent rule, or the 27 man limit on scholarship. We only get 11.7 scholarships. I also believe a kid not on scholarship should be able to transfer without sitting out. With 11.7, we should be able to spend the money however we want. I’m okay with the 35 man roster. I don’t think it’s altered how we recruit. The biggest difference is kids that used to be able to get a book scholarship or small scholarship now have to walk-on, and that’s tough. The limited scholarship spots due to the 27 rule is very difficult to manage.

DP-How has using and monitoring social media changed your job?

ML-I use twitter a great deal to simply market our program. I use it in recruiting as well, and follow many guys that we are recruiting and all the guys I coach. I think kids today need to be very careful about what they put on twitter, because any red flag can cost you an opportunity to play at the next level. In athletics perception is reality, so be mindful of how you present yourself.

DP-How has coaching/recruiting changed in the past 10 years?

ML-It’s earlier and earlier. I liked it better 10 years ago, simply because coaches waited until the summer before a kids senior year to offer them for the most part, and kids weren’t deciding so early. This gave coaches more time to evaluate kids, and kids more time to make educated decisions. We are all guilty of recruiting kids too early, but if you don’t, the top prospects are gone for the most part by their junior year… Coaching hasn’t changed a lot for me outside of most kids play way more than they practice by the time they get here and are one sport guys. Play two sports in high school. Swinging a bat year round in a cage will not make you a better athlete. That needs to change. We need kids to understand how to play the game, not just worrying about showcasing yourself also. When you get to school, no one cares what your ranking in HS was. Can you play or not? Can you situational hit and pitch, can you hold runners? Do you throw the ball to the right base? Focus on fundamentals and skill instruction. Not what your pop time, 60 time, or velo is. Be a guy that can execute pitches, execute your swing to the situation. Be a baseball player. Be a great competitor!

DP-What is your greatest pet peeve in life? During games? In practice?

ML-Read the practice itinerary before practice. Don’t ask me where am I going, what are we doing, what group am I in, etc. Read the itinerary and understand what we are doing that day. Coaches put a lot of effort into practice planning. I like guys that are in the moment pitch-by-pitch, rep-by-rep in games and practice. Be on every pitch with your full focus. Give your best effort. We never workout or practice, we train! Take that type of approach. Play hard, play fast. Practice that way!

DP-Please list the top 3 selling points of your school? Your baseball program?

ML-1. Top-rated state-supported school in SC; 2. 40 NCAA Tourney appearances, 12 trips to Omaha, 53 big leaguers; 3. Top 10 in attendance in the country

DP-We are often asked what a college coach is looking for. Can you answer that question in just a few sentences?

ML-Pitchers: good delivery, athletic, projection, can execute pitches. Position players: athletic, projectible, batspeed, can hit to all fields, can defend, run, throw, has versatility in the field. Competitors!

DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a baseball coach and why? 

ML-Tim Wallace and Ray Tanner who I worked under. Great people and great coaches who taught me a ton about how to work with young men and run a competitive program. Both Hall of Famers!

DP-If you were not a baseball coach, what would your occupation be?

ML-No clue. All I’ve ever thought about is coaching!

DP-Who are the best three players you have coached against? 

ML-Jess Todd from Arkansas. RHP that struck out 17 in 7 innings against us! Struck out 9 consecutive to start the game all swinging! David Price at Vandy, Josh Donaldson at Auburn. They speak for themselves!

DP-What does it mean to be a good teammate and is that important?

ML-Being a good teammate requires you being comfortable being uncomfortable. A true teammate leads by example, and isn’t afraid to call a teammate out for lack of effort. Hold each other accountable! The championship level teams police themselves. Pick each other up when you’re down, and push each other. They’re selfless!

DP-Do you have any superstitions? If so, what? 

ML-Not really, I did as a player. I had the same ‘on deck’ my whole playing career. Besides that, no.

DP-What is your greatest high school thrill? 

ML-1993 state champion Lugoff-Elgin HS. Never forget it!

DP-What is your greatest thrill, or two, beyond high school? 

ML-Playing college baseball at CofC as a whole was a thrill. Getting drafted and continuing my career was a blast as well.

DP-What accomplishment are you most proud of?

ML-Being able to do what I truly love. Waking up every day and coaching at a place like Clemson is beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined when I started.

DP-What are your strengths/weaknesses as a coach? As a person?

ML-You’d have to ask my players that! I think my strengths are that I am honest with my players and team at all times. I coach from the heart, and try to be the best communicator I can. I try my best to get kids to compete with confidence. My weakness would be I tend to get frustrated and show my emotions too much. I think that’s common if you care. All-in-all I’m a player’s coach. I want my guys to look forward to coming to the field every day. I want my players to know I care.

DP-I wish I had more time for…

ML-My family

DP-Who were the three best players you played against? 

ML-Kip Bouknight, Josh Hamilton, Carl Crawford

DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a person and why?

ML-My mom. Hardest worker and toughest person I know. Always does the right thing, and always does it right. Never a short cut, attention to detail with everything.

DP-What MLB feat in history do you wish you’d been inside the stadium to witness and why? 

ML-I’m a Braves fan. I wish I could’ve been there in 1995 when they won the World Series. I watched every pitch on television in my apartment my freshman year at CofC. I wish I could’ve been there!

DP-Who is you favorite athlete outside of baseball?

ML-Peyton Manning. Great player, and leader. Does everything with class.

DP-Who is your favorite MLB pitcher and position player to watch and why?

ML-My favorite player as a kid was Dale Murphy, and favorite pitcher was Greg Maddux. Currently I’m a huge fan of anyone I’ve coached that’s up there and following all seven of our guys from Clemson that are in the big leagues.

DP-Who is your favorite MLB team? 

ML-Atlanta Braves

DP-What is your favorite sport to play other than baseball? 

ML-Football

DP-What is your favorite sport to watch other than baseball? 

ML-Football, especially college football. Watching Clemson football this year has been amazing!

DP-What are some of your hobbies?

ML-I like to spend time with my family, lift weights, hunt, and fish.

DP-During your “off-season”, where might we find you?

ML-I still come to the office daily. If I’m not coaching or recruiting I enjoy going hunting or going to the weightroom.

DP-What is your twitter account? Do you enjoy twitter or is it a necessary evil?

ML-@ MonteLeeCU and I actually enjoy it. You can get information instantly on twitter.

DP-What is your favorite movie, Classic? Recently?

ML-My favorite non-baseball movies are Goodfellas, Good Will Hunting, Forrest Gump. Bull Durham and The Natural are my favorite baseball movies. Classic is Cool Hand Luke

DP-Who is your favorite actor? Actress? 

ML-Actor-Robert DeNiro, Actress-Robin Wright  (House of Cards, Forrest Gump)

DP-What is your favorite meal? 

ML-Lasagna

DP-What is something people don’t know about you? 

ML-I’m a pretty good impersonator

DP-If you could have dinner with three people in history, who would they be and why?    

ML-Babe Ruth, Teddy Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson. All great icons who changed history and had major impacts on society.

DP-Where do you see yourself in ten years?

ML-Right here at Clemson!

DP-Give a high school player who is reading this article one piece of advice. 

ML-Play hard, play pitch-by-pitch and don’t be afraid to fail!

DP-Thank you for your time and candid responses to our baseball and personal questions. Good luck in 2016!