Coaches Corner: Jeff Whitfield
Diamond Spotlight-Jeff Whitfield: Furman assistant coach Jeff Whitfield is in his second season with the Paladins and recently spent some time with Diamond Prospects to cover topics ranging from family to cheerleading, and from baseball heroes to imparting his thoughts on the different aspects of coaching. The TL Hanna product and Lander University graduate speaks his mind in a series of great responses. Enjoy! DP-How many years have you been in coaching? What got you into the business? JW – I have been a coach for 4 years. Originally, I went to Lander University with the intention of going on to Medical School and becoming a doctor. Later, I decided to teach school and coach baseball. There’s a big difference in pay, but I knew this choice would make me happier in the long run. DP-What is the most rewarding thing about being a baseball coach? JW – The great reward of coaching is to see these young players grow into men over their four years under your leadership. It is also incredible to see them handle and overcome adversity with the challenges they encounter. DP-What does the term "coach" mean to you? JW – To me, "Coach" means someone who can both teach a sport and be a leader for the team. A coach needs to be able to guide players in every aspect of the game both on and off the field. Coaches should strive to help their players be their best on the field, in the classroom and as an individual. DP-What is something you wish everyone knew about your profession? JW – Most people don’t realize that this is a year-long profession… it never stops. I leave my house every morning at 6:30 AM and do not get home until 8 or 8:30 at night. There are frequent road trips and that time away from your family is tough. But, the more time and effort you put into it, the more it pays off in the long run. 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? JW – I started coaching for the love of the game and to keep balance in my life between what I have to do and love to do. Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. After many years of playing and training in order to make it into the big leagues, I could not just turn my back on the sport that helped mold me into the individual I am today. I’ve also had many great coaches that I’ve looked up to and who helped me get started in this profession. I teach Elementary PE as my "day job" to supplement my coaching salary. It’s great to have a career that affords me the flexibility to do both. DP-How do you balance the time demands of coaching and your family? JW – This is very tough!!! At Furman, Monday is our day off so Mondays are "date night". When I get home from school my wife and I go out for dinner and a movie, or we do whatever she wants to do. My family knows that baseball is a huge part of my life. My wife is still number one in my heart (with baseball at a close second). I invite my wife to come on as many recruiting trips with me as possible. She is a nurse and has a lot of flexibility and freedom with her schedule. She is able to go on many summer recruiting trips with me so she can understand the sport better and to spend more time with me as well. DP-When you hear the expression "old school baseball", what does that phrase mean to you? JW – "Old School Baseball" means playing the game hard and playing the game right… the way it is supposed to be played. "Old School Baseball" means not worrying about how you look, but being one with baseball and enjoying the game for the love of the game. DP-What is the definition of a "student-athlete"? JW – A student-athlete is exactly what it implies; a student first and then an athlete. Furman has a tough academic program so we have exceptional student-athletes here who do a wonderful job of making sure they take care of classroom responsibilities before they ever come out to the field. It is tough for our student-athletes because these guys are in labs or classes everyday. This makes scheduling practices everyday quite difficult. We stress getting your degree, first and foremost, and then see where baseball may lead you. A player never knows when it is going to be his last pitch, at bat, or game and it’s important to have a solid education to fall back on. DP-What is your most memorable experience as a baseball coach? JW – It’s tough for me to recall my most memorable experience as a baseball coach. Even as a young coach, I have a lot of great memories that stand out. The most memorable experience so far would have to be the 13-game winning streak we had in conference last year. It started at UNC Greensboro; I remember it started on a crazy play that Jay Jackson made when he was on third with one out in the 8th inning of a tied game. We reviewed everything he was going to do, like we always do with a runner on third, but Jay asked if it goes to the 2nd baseman and he catches it moving, then tag? I told him that if it goes to the 2nd baseman, and he catches it moving away from the plate then tag. What did we have to lose? We won the game by a single run which started the streak. The best thing about the streak was that we played many teams who were more talented than us "on …