Blog – Page 811 – Diamond Prospects

A Day in the Life of College Coaches

Compiled By: Austin Alexander-October 9, 2008 College Coaches and the Life They Choose: Much is said and has been written about the hours that college baseball coaches work, the miles they travel, the personal sacrifices they make, all to advance the game and the programs they are employed by. We have surveyed a number of them at each level of the game to weigh in on their daily routines and responsibilities across 365 days. This article is very long, but provides you an in-depth look at all of the things that these guys juggle, just to produce a quality product for you and their institution on the field. An ACC pitching coach said: (Day) Thursday before a weekend series at home: 6:00 Wake up 6:30 Breakfast 7:15 In the Office. Things I try to cover are: watching video of the opposing teams, getting our scouting report completed, figuring a plan of attack for the oppositions hitters, making sure I have charts, pencils, pens, stopwatches ready for the Friday game! 10:00 Morning Lift and Run 11:30 Lunch 1:00 Sunday starter’s bullpen – discuss our plan of attack according to his strengths as a pitcher, discuss the things from the previous start that we need to get better at this Sunday. 2:00 Team practice will begin: this will be a very light day for our relievers, the Friday night starter is on his own (under my supervision), this is a light conditioning day for us as well. 4:30 Practice is usually over – I usually sit around the field and relax for a little bit. 5:00 Shower and return to the office to organize my night. 6:00 (ritual meal when at home) I eat at a nice restaurant, nice steak, no bread, no potato, vegetable of the day, sushi appetizer, water to drink. 7:00 Starbucks: 4 shot, venti, non fat, no foam 3 splenda, sugar free hazelnut latte 7:15 Return to the office: quiet time, review my notes on the up and coming weekend, review video if I need to, chew some tobacco and read some form of an educational book. 10:00 Return home, ritual movie selection, crash out and get ready for the weekend. Typical day/week in the Fall: Sunday: 2 hours of office work to organize the up and coming week Monday: Team Lifting groups at 7:00 am, 8:00 am, begin office work – emails to answer, call JUCO coaches, call high school coaches, place kids in summer baseball, talk with parents on the phone, ect. 2:00 Pitchers will Long Toss, Long run in the afternoon. Tuesday: 5:30 am run, 7:30 am in the office, begin office work – emails to answer, call JUCO coaches, call high school coaches, place kids in summer baseball, talk with parents on the phone, ect. 2:00 Pitchers will have Drill Work and PFP, 4:30 we will condition as a staff Wednesday: Office work…same as usual, 2:00 Pitchers will have drill work and PFP, 4:30 we will condition as a staff, 5:00 Team Lift, 7:00-10:00 return to the office for scheduling of the following week and making recruiting calls. Thursday and Friday: Office Work…same as usual, 2:00 Pitchers will begin bullpens, 4:00 PFP, 4:30 Conditioning, 5:00 on Friday is another team lift. Typical day/week in the Summer: 3 Weeks of Atlanta Perfect Game 5:30 Head to the Gym, Lift weights, Run 7:00 Breakfast and Starbucks 8:00 Arrive at a Field somewhere in Atlanta 9:00 Game, 11:30 Game, 2:00 Game, 4:30 Game, 7:00 Game 10:30-11:00 return to the room and organize what you have seen over the day 12:00 Hopefully showered and in bed This is the exact same schedule that myself and the (then) assistant at LSU, along with Vanderbilt kept for 3 straight weeks. A JUCO assistant coach said: Family life – my baseball team is my family. I feel like I’m living through my players and it feels unbelievable to help their development on and off the field. As for my parents and relatives, I never get to see them and I know that it is tough on them. Personal life – well…baseball and female relationships don’t mix. You gotta pick one or the other. I have lost out on some girls that I was truly in love with because of this game. I’ve come to realize that I will never have the classic american family, as long as I’m coaching. Income – I make zero money from baseball. My income stems from a warehouse where I make hydraulic hoses and deal with UPS shipments. I earn $1,200 a month by working 7:30-1:30. Practice starts at 3:00. Daily – This past Monday…I woke up at 5:15 and was in the weight room at 5:50. I handled 3 different groups of players on lower and upper body lifts, as well as agilities and conditioning. I left school at 6:55 and got to work at 7:30. I dealt with about 30 UPS packages and the computer BS that goes with them. Then I made about 60 different types of hoses ranging from 6 inches to 150 feet. When I leave work, I usually eat at McDonald’s and get to the field at 2:25. We practice from 3:00 to 5:30, then I’ll usually have 3 to 5 guys in the cage getting extra BP or drill work. For dinner, I try to sneak in the backdoor of the cafeteria and snatch a free meal. At night, me and our other assistant coach will be on the computer/phone dealing with scouts, recruits, coaches, or parents till about 9:30. The best part about being a junior college coach is that you can take a kid who had zero Division I offers out of high school and watch him transform himself into a legit prospect with hard work and determination. A JUCO assistant coach said: Typical day/week in the Spring… At the moment I am still taking classes and working on getting my teaching degree which I should have by December of next year. So for me, the day begins with about three hours in …

Coaches Corner: Tom Riginos

Coaches Corner-Tom Riginos: Clemson Associate Head Coach Tom Riginos is in his seventh year as part of the Tiger program. Riginos made his mark as a player, then later as a coach at Stetson University before moving to Tigertown. He spent some time recently with Diamond Prospects to do a Q & A with us to give us a close-up look at him and his life as Clemson’s recruiting coordinator: DP-How many years have you been in coaching? What got you into the business? TR-This is my 18th year of coaching. My senior year of college I started to work baseball camps and throw BP during practice. I decided to go back to my high school and coach for a year. I loved it and that how it all started. DP-What is the most rewarding thing about being a baseball coach? TR-Developing relationships during the recruiting process and then seeing the players develop as players and young men. Maintaining the relationships after their playing days are over. DP-What does the term "coach" mean to you? TR-It means many things to me: Role model, leader, disciplinarian, teacher, a person that can help give direction not only on the field but also in life. DP-What is something you wish everyone knew about your profession? TR-It takes a lot of hard work and long hours to be successful. 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? TR-For the love of the game, I could not see myself behind a desk for 8 hours a day. DP: How do you balance the time demands of coaching and your family? TR-It is very difficult to do. I think you have to have balance in life. There are many coaches out there that don’t have balance and they lose their family. I think first you have to have a wife that understands the time it takes. I think as a coach you have to make sacrifices to make it work. I know for me it is as simple as not answering my phone from 7:00-8:30 pm. That is family time. After 8:30 I can make all my recruiting calls from my home office. DP-When you hear the expression "old school baseball", what does that phrase mean to you? TR-Playing as hard as you can all the time. DP-What is the definition of a "student-athlete"? TR-It a person that has their priorities set both in the classroom and on the field. He puts the same effort in both places. DP-Relocation is synonymous with the coaching profession, tell us how your family dealt with the move to Clemson from the state of Florida: TR-It was harder on the grandparents than my wife and me. Our twin girls were only 18 months old and both sets of grandparents were very close. We love living in Clemson and the change of seasons, but miss family. DP-Describe the Omaha Experience to those who have never been there, much less participate in the College World Series: TR-It is hard to put in words the experience of Omaha. It is the one place every college player and coach dreams of going. Best word UNBELIVABLE. DP-Jack Leggett is a highly-respected college baseball coach, tell us a little bit about him: TR-Coach Leggett is the best Head Coach in the business, with that being said, he probably an even better person. He really cares about you as a person. The day he offered me the job seven years ago, I will never forget that day. He offered me the job on a Saturday morning, by the end of that day he had called me five times just wanting to make sure my family and I were taken care of, what could he do to make the move easier. Right then I knew I would be working for a great person. DP-What is your most memorable experience as a baseball coach? TR-Being in the dugout when my son hit his first college home run for Clemson. Winning the 2006 Super Regional on Tiger Field and going to the CWS. DP-Make your case for why the ACC is the best conference in the country: TR-In the last 3 years, the ACC has had 2 to 3 teams in the CWS. DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a baseball coach and why? TR-My Dad, from an early age we were always at the ballpark. DP-Who are the best three players you have coached against? TR-Justin Verlander, Pat Burrell, Mark Teixeira DP-What does it mean to be a good teammate and is that important? TR-A player that is unselfish, he puts the team before himself. It is vital to have a successful team. DP-Do you have any superstitions? If so, what? TR-I dress the same way if we are on a winning streak. DP-What do you see as the biggest difference in high school-aged players today versus when you played? TR-So many more outside influences. These high school players have Hitting coaches, pitching coaches, Weight trainers, speed trainers, agents, etc. When I played we had our high school coach, Legion coach and that was it. DP-What is your greatest high school thrill? TR-Beating Gary Sheffield in our district playoffs. DP-What is your greatest thrill, or two, beyond high school? TR-Beating FSU in a regional semi-final and putting Stetson University one win from the CWS. DP-Who were the three best players you played against? TR-Jeff Bagwell, Frank Thomas, Mo Vaughn DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a person and why? TR-Pete Dunn – Head Coach Stetson University. He taught me how to play the game as a player, and he believed in me as a coach. He gave me my first full-time job as a coach. He trusted me to be his recruiting coordinator at 24. DP-Who is you favorite athlete outside of baseball? TR-Tiger Woods DP-Who is your favorite MLB team? TR-Boston Red …

Your Fandom: My Team

By: Austin Alexander-October 5, 2008 Who is your favorite team? Not just in baseball but in all of sports. Maybe it’s a college football team, successful basketball program, an NBA organization or NFL powerhouse. If you are a transplant down here from the north, maybe your team of choice skates on ice. It is conceivable that someone reading this really loves NASCAR and some individual driver. Perhaps you are a big booster or fan of your local high school athletic teams. Whatever the case, most of us have one team that we are emotionally invested in. You know if you are a crazy sports fan toward one team because your general happiness can rise and fall from year to year, week to week, day to day or play to play depending on how they fare in the standings. We invest much of our time watching, daily thoughts thinking and pocketbooks purchasing merchandise or tickets. We have various reasons for choosing that club. It could be because it’s our alma mater, the local team or a childhood memory. Maybe we love them because we know someone on the team, our father always grew up loving them or you just like the way their logo looks! Point being, if you fall into any one of those categories, then you may have some sense of what Chicago Cubs fans experienced in 2008. Best record in the Majors, eight all-stars, the National League’s top offense, a legit pitching staff and ton of come-from-behind victories throughout the season. We all know the history. Black cats, 1908, Billy Goats, Bartman, blah, blah, blah…But man-oh-man, this year just "felt" different. While folks of my generation had seen our share of postseason collapses, there was a general feeling that 2008’s October may present a different fate. Well, after a Game 1 grand slam in the 5th, Game 2 comedy of errors in the 2nd and Game 3’s 2-0 deficit in the 1st and 15 men left on base, actually means that in their biggest series of the year, the Cubs were a factor in a grand total of five innings. Now, when your friends and acquaintances know how much you care about your team, they are very quick to call, email or text you when they fail. But as you know, we are very poor sports when our teams capture our hearts, then fall on their faces…which makes us very angry when asked about the last 100 years and what happened during the past week. (In other words, that means when this article is published, I don’t care to discuss this topic further) You see, it may be sad that a grown man with a family is surrounded with Cubs apparel, pictures, etc. I can understand that. But when your 2-year old just does not know why he has not been allowed to wave the "W" flag following a win for the past week, and won’t be able to for the next six months, it resonates just how disappointing this year wound up being. Not to mention how this particular club added to the lore of past failures, this year has made any such Cubs team in the future deal with even more questions, more pressure, and likely, more lost opportunities. The Los Angeles Dodgers completely out-played Chicago this week, in every single phase of the game. A tip of the cap to them is in order for sure. But a whole lot of people just like me feel the pain of another sizable collapse in Wrigleyville, which makes the many late nights we invested in that group of 25 feel in vain. By the way, Fukodome just corkscrewed into another punch-out after Lou promised we would not have see him again… But as they say, there’s always next year. Unfortunately, fans of the Lovable Losers really believed this was the year to kill the curse. But honestly, what’s another 100 years to wait? So if you have a team, I hope on some level you can understand why I’d just assume go into hibernation until Spring Training when all of "Cubdom" can hope, once again, that ‘this’ will be the year that it all comes together for our favorite team. It’s been noted that the ‘thrill of victory’ and ‘agony of defeat’ is a powerful thing in the world of sports. I experienced both in 2008…and "crazy sport fan guy or gal": you know what I mean!

Diamond Spotlight: Matthew Van Laan

My name is Matthew Van Laan and I was born in Royal Oak, Michigan in 1991. My parents and I moved to South Carolina when I was three. I started playing baseball and soccer at the age of four. I made it to the State playoffs in Dixie Youth when I was in the minors and in the majors. I laid down all other sports after the eighth grade so I could focu… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well. Username Password Remember Me Forgot Password

Al’s View: Playoff Preview

By: Al Hudson-October 1, 2008 Isn’t it amazing that every year in all sports we are faced with a controversy of some sorts. The Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox finished the regular season in a tie for first place in the American League Central Division. The White Sox won a coin flip to determine home field for the playoff. Why was a coin flip necessary? During the regular season the Twins and White Sox met eighteen times. The Twins prevailed 10-8 in their head-to-head competition. Shouldn’t the Twins have been awarded home field for the play-in regular season games? If they had finished 9-9 in head to head, then, a coin flip would be necessary, but suppose the Twins had won 15-3, where is the fairness in that? Head-to-head competition is part of the playoff format. If for example, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox had finished in a tie for first place, the Rays would have been awarded first place, because they had won more games in head-to-head against the Red Sox. Why? Because the Red Sox received a bid as the Wild Card team, allowing both to compete in the playoffs. But, the Rays would receive a home field advantage against their opponent because they were a division winner. It appears to me that the same rule was misapplied in the Twins and White Sox decision. I am not saying the Twins would have won the game in Minneapolis, but they should have had the chance. The White Sox and the Rays are a very intriguing matchup. It is probably the hardest to predict. I like the hot team coming into the playoffs. Momentum should carry the White Sox past what I believe will be a "happy to be there" Tampa Bay team. I have been wrong on the Rays all year, but I just can’t pick them. They have to sweep the first two games to win this series. The Red Sox enter the 2008 post season as the defending World Series Champion. Starting on the road at Anaheim against the Angels will favor the Angels, who won 100 games this year. However, recent history has shown the Red Sox seem to rise to the occasion in the playoffs. In 2008, the Angels won eight out of nine from the Red Sox. Even though they play in a weaker division, the Angels seemed to relish a chance to beat Boston. The key points to look at are: (1) As good as Josh Beckett has been in the playoffs, is his oblique injury going to hamper his performance? (2) How effective will Mike Lowell and JD Drew be with their nagging injuries? (3) Will Jason Bay’s lack of playoff experience actually replace Manny as an offensive threat? (4) If the Angels can get a lead, their bullpen can finish the deal (5) Will Mark Teixeira make the Angels a better offensive machine than the Red Sox? My heart says Boston in four, but my pick is the Angels to displace the monkey, and win this series in four. The Dodgers and Cubs series comes down to pitching. Both teams have a pitching advantage in this series. The Cubs have better depth on the mound, but the Dodgers strength is from the right side and the Cubs are a right-handed hitting team. What about Manny? Granted, he has changed the atmosphere in Los Angeles, it is too much to ask of one hitter to dominate a series? The key to this series is Carlos Zambrano. If he wins, the Cubs win. I hope this is the magical year for the Cubs. Can you imagine if Harry Caray was still alive to call a CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! In the Beefeater Bowl, the Phillies and the Brewers have the potential to play a very entertaining offensive series. With CC Sabathia, Prince Fielder, and Ryan Howard, this could be the makings of a six-man tag event, or a formidable team to enter against Joey Chestnut, Kobayashi, and the Black Widow in a beer and brats eating contest. This should be the easiest to pick. The Phillies will only have to face Sabathia one time. The Phillies have one of the best bullpens in the National League, while the Brewers have the worst. I think management put Dale Sveum in a tough position. They fired manager Ned Yost with 12 games to play, but Sabathia was the reason they made the playoffs. It takes a team effort to win in the post-season, and I am afraid the Brewers are fragmented. Sorry the Atlanta Braves are not in the playoffs again this year, but it is a small price to pay when the Yankees and the Mets are both playing golf today. Questions and comments should be sent: [email protected]

Recap: Mid-Fall Classic

By: DP Staff-September 27-28, 2008 A number of in-state traveling clubs were in the Port City this weekend for the Mid-Fall Classic. After an off-shore storm presented some last second adjustments, sunny skies and comfortable temperatures made for perfect weather…and a perfect weekend for baseball! DP had coverage throughout Charleston on bo… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.

Recap: September 15-22 Fall Baseball

By: Nick Nickles-September 23, 2008 DP was out chasing fall baseball games this past week and stopped in this weekend to peek the USC Fall Tournament Saturday in Columbia. Now, we will get right to the skinny on who was on the dirt during the past week in the Palmetto State. Chris Owings- Senior, USC commit, Gilbert, SS: Owings (left) is th… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.

Coaches Corner: Charles Assey

Charleston Southern recruiting coordinator Charles Assey is in his first year at the Big South program after stints at his alma mater Presbyterian and St. Edwards in Texas. Assey grew up in the Palmetto State and the son of a coach, in his DP Spotlight he tells us how he got where he is, some influential people along the way and provides us some very good responses on some of his coaching philosophies. Enjoy getting to know Coach Assey. DP-How many years have you been in coaching? What got you into the business? CA-I am entering my 4th year. I have always wanted to get into coaching as I grew up in a coach’s house with my dad being a Head Baseball and Football Offensive Coordinator. Just have it in my blood I guess, never known anything but sports, especially baseball. I also enjoy helping young people get a chance to further their baseball careers as well as educational careers. I believe it is fun watching boys come into your program and hopefully develop and leave as young men/adults. DP-What is the most rewarding thing about being a baseball coach? CA-Knowing that you can dictate and develop a young person’s life (obviously and hopefully in a positive way). Building relationships with these young men that hopefully they will pick up the phone 5-10 years down the road when they have graduated and moved on to call you and say hello. I think it is awesome to see young people develop over a certain period of time on the field, in the classroom, and as overall people. DP-What does the term "coach" mean to you? CA-It means to "teach". I believe coaches are teachers on a field. I believe no one knows everything, even us coaches. You can always learn and never be satisfied. I feel like the day you wake up and are satisfied, you lose that hunger and should just hang it up. "Coach" ….means to teach the game, about life, develop young people, motivate, and discipline, but also care/love the men you coach. It is more than just on the field. DP-What is something you wish everyone knew about your profession? CA-The hours we put in as collegiate coaches. It is not just done at practice in the afternoons from 2-5 PM. It is sincerely a year-around job that can be any hour of the day or night. 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? CA-As mentioned before I do it because for one, it is all I have ever known, and all I know to do. Two, I do it because I like the opportunity to teach and develop or motivate young players to do things maybe I couldn’t do or was never taught, and not just things I haven’t done or been taught, but also carry on things I have been taught to young players. I honestly also do it for the chance to be in Omaha, Nebraska and share that with my TEAM. I believe as coaches, we have to have goals as well or why do we ask our players to do so. DP-When you hear the expression "old school baseball", what does that phrase mean to you? CA-This expression really just means playing the game hard, respecting the game. Myself or any player current did not invent this game nor were one of the first people to play this game. This game has been around a long time and will be around a long time going forward. Old school baseball really just means to respect the game, play the game the right way, and play the game hard by hustling every time the ball is in play. Getting on and off the field, playing for the TEAM concept over your own personal stats. DP-What is the definition of a "student-athlete"? CA-Student-athlete is exactly what it says. I believe any coach would answer this the same way, and do not think it is a scientific question. It means to be a student first in the classroom, handling your grades then fulfilling the athletic part as well as any extra academic or community events that come along DP-What is your most memorable experience as a baseball coach? CA-I would have to say as of now it was last season with Presbyterian. We were at #5 South Carolina and took them to 10 innings. We did end up losing the game, but to see our guys in their first year of Division I baseball play in that atmosphere and play fairly well against a team like USC, of which the majority of our guys grew up watching, was pretty awesome. It was a great collegiate atmosphere and baseball game. DP-Your father was a very successful baseball coach, what was that like growing up and how has that helped you today? CA-That is a question I get a lot. Asking me now…it was awesome experience, wouldn’t replace it and the things he instilled in me back then are now coming into light as I am coaching. Don’t get me wrong, when I was playing for him we definitely had our times and butted heads a few times, especially at home in the living room after a loss. But, as mentioned, the things he tried to teach us and work habits of "small things" he preached to us…definitely has paid off and made me person/coach that I am today. DP-You spent some time coaching in Texas before returning to the Palmetto State. What took you there and what were some differences in recruiting a larger state? CA-Well, Coach Jeremy Farber who was the assistant at PC when I played, received the Head Job at St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX. When I graduated from PC, he gave me the opportunity to get my foot into collegiate coaching as well as a chance to pay for my Graduate …

Diamond Spotlight: Madison Younginer

Mauldin two-way sensation Madison Younginer has rapidly vaulted up the draft boards in the past year, as a result he faced a very busy slate full of some great opportunities this summer. The RHP/OF has committed to play at Clemson and is poised for a big 2009. In his Diamond Spotlight, he discusses with DP everything from his recent showcase c… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well.

Coaches Corner: Scott Forbes

University of North Carolina pitching coach Scott Forbes has made his name in the Tar Heel state but also has roots in our state after a three-year stint as an assistant at Winthrop. He has recently tutored his share of 1st Round arms over the past three seasons at Chapel Hill that narrowly saw them fall short for a National Championship during each trip out west…but they sure were close. In his chat with DP, he talks about the College World Series, the route he took to his current post and baseball in general. DP-How many years have you been in coaching? What got you into the business? SF-This will be my 12th season coaching, kind of hard to believe. I started coaching as a student assistant in 1998 at North Carolina Wesleyan just to see if I would like it. I really enjoyed that year and came to UNC with Coach Fox in 1998-1999 and have been coaching ever since then. DP-What is the most rewarding thing about being a baseball coach? SF-The most rewarding thing for me is trying to help young men develop as players and as people. The relationships you make in coaching last a lifetime. DP-What does the term "coach" mean to you? SF- ‘Coach’ to me would mean leadership and development. DP-What is something you wish everyone knew about your profession? SF-The time that all of us put in behind the scenes that no one sees. 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? SF-Man- I know exactly what you are saying- especially after being a volunteer coach for 4 years. I did it because I love the game of baseball and wanted to stay involved in the game as much as I could. DP: How do you balance the time demands of coaching and your family? SF-I don’t sleep much- HAHA-but you do have to make sacrifices and give some things up. With two little girls I don’t have time for golf like I used to. Basically I try to get up early before my family wakes up and do some work at my home office-spend some time with the fam than head to work. When I get home at night, I do my best to spend time with them and do more work after they go to bed. I also have the best wife in the World, which really helps when you are a coach!! DP-When you hear the expression "old school baseball", what does that phrase mean to you? SF-Hustle and playing hard at all times. DP-What is the definition of a "student-athlete"? SF-An athlete who goes to college to compete in his or her sport and pursue a college degree. DP-You are no stranger to Omaha! Describe the experience to us and what it feels like to play for a National Championship: SF-Omaha is an unbelievable place. I grew up watching the CWS and always dreamed what it would be like to be there. The passion for baseball out there is unreal and to coach and watch our guys compete on that National stage is so rewarding because I know how much time the players put in to get to Omaha. Playing for a National Championship was such a thrill, and although we did not win it I still appreciate the fact that we got there 2 years in a row. I also realize how hard it is to get there and how much we should enjoy the experience. DP-You played for Mike Fox and now coach with him. Tell us a little bit about him and talk about the relationship you guys share: SF-I loved every minute of my time at North Carolina Wesleyan playing for Coach Fox. It has been neat to go from player to coach in our relationship. We have a great relationship and we both take great pride in working hard every day to help UNC Baseball get better in any way possible. DP-You serve as the Tar Heels pitching coach and your pupils have certainly excelled, but you were not always a pitching coach. Tell us how you have evolved as a coach and who you drew from to learn your niche. SF-I have been very fortunate to work with so many great coaches. My High School Coach Charlie Spivey was and is a great coach and mentor. Every coach I have worked for or worked with have been great friends and people (Joe Hudak, Mike Fox, Chad Holbrook,Roger Williams, Jason Howell, Matt McCay, Scott Jackson, Kyle DiEduardo) and I gathered so much knowledge from all of them. I really learned a lot from Roger Williams about the pitching side of things during my 4 years of being the volunteer at UNC. Roger really knows the game and was very good at paying attention to detail. I still try to learn as much as I can at Coaching Clinics and Conventions. I firmly believe that there is no one certain way when it comes to pitching, I think you take what an individual kid has and go from there-there is way too much over-coaching and ‘guru’ coaches out there for me. DP-What is your most memorable experience as a baseball coach? SF-Well I have two that really stick out. Flack’s HR to send us to Omaha against Alabama at Alabama, and winning our last game at the Old Boshamer Stadium which sent us to Omaha 2 years in a row before they tore it down to build our new stadium-to send the ‘Old Bosh’ out like that in front of our home crowd was very special. DP-What has it been like to deal with the building of a new stadium and not have a "home field" for a season? SF-It has been tough and has presented many challenges, but we were very fortunate to have the USA complex in Cary and East Chapel Hill …