Coach Riginos gave us his time a few years agao for a Q&A while an assistant coach at Clemson. He is now the skipper at Winthrop and coming off a breakout season and has high expectations for 2016. We asked and he answered questions all the way back to his Flordia roots, whith a heavy dose of family inquiries too. Enjoy the responses from this well-respected coach:
DP-How many years have you been in coaching? What got you into the business?
TR-The 2016 season will be my 25th year in coaching. I started in the spring of 1991 at Countryside High School. I always knew I wanted to coach. During my senior season in college (Stetson) I had perspective on my ability, I knew I was not going to play in the big leagues, but I wanted to keep in baseball. I started throwing BP and hitting fungos during that year. I talked with Pete Dunn (my college coach) and he helped me get to Eastern Kentucky University as a GA.
DP-What is the most rewarding thing about being a college baseball coach?
TR-The relationship you develop with the players. One of the enjoyments I get is when one of my players asks for a recommendation to graduate school or a job.
DP-What does the term “coach” mean to you?
TR-A mentor, a leader, teacher. It is a person that can make a difference in young person life.
DP-What is something you wish everyone knew about your profession?
TR-That you just don’t work during the season. You always get asked what do you do in the off-season.
DP-You’ve been to Omaha and had success. What is that experience like?
TR-I have had the privilege to go to Omaha twice (2006,2010). In college baseball there is nothing like it. In 2006 I was in awe of the experience. In 2010, I enjoyed the experience so much more. It has been five years since I’ve been back to Omaha, but I can still feel the excitement I felt walking into Rosenblatt Stadium.
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-I never got into Coaching because of the money, my Dad always told me to do something that you loved and you will always be happy. I truly believe that.
DP-How do you balance the time demands of coaching and your family?
TR-That is a great question; it is not easy to do. Family is very important to me, I have never wanted my job to define me. Balance is something I do try to have. When I am with my family I try to give them my full attention and when I am working that gets my full attention. I am fortune that I have been married for 23 years and I have a wife that understands the time it take to be successful.
DP-Family is…
TR-The most important aspect of my life.
DP-What is your most memorable experience as a baseball coach?
TR-I have had 3 very memorable experiences:
1. Was able to be at my son’s (Ben Paulsen) Major League Baseball debut with the Colorado Rockies and saw his first MLB hit.
2. Became the Winthrop University Head Baseball Coach
3. Going to College World Series for the first time in 2006
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?
TR-Rules that I like: 1.Able to make phone calls to juniors; 2.Having three coaches out on the road at once; 3.Transfer rules
Rule that I don’t like: The Scholarship perimeters that the NCAA have put on programs (27 & minimum 25%)
My approach has been altered with the timing of the recruiting process, everything is so much earlier. You have to be on players a lot earlier.
DP-How has using and monitoring social media changed your job?
TR-It has given coaches a way to promote your program, to keep recruits, fans, parents more informed about your program…It has also given coaches more information on recruits and what type of people you are recruiting…There are a lot of positives and negatives with social media.
DP-How has coaching/recruiting changed in the past 10 years?
TR-The biggest changes is the timing of the process
DP-What is your greatest pet peeve in life? During games? In practice?
TR-In Life: people that complain about their situation, you don’t like your situation do something about it.
Game: Egos of umpires. Questioning a close call in a game has been a part of baseball since the game was invented, sometime umpires don’t get that.
Practice: When players do not invest their time correctly in preparation of games and practice. When they go through the motion in practice.
DP-Please list the top 3 selling points of your school? Your baseball program?
TR- 1.Winthrop University as an institution, 2.Our facilities, 3.Coaching staff
DP-We are often asked what a college coach is looking for. Can you answer that question in just a few sentences?
TR-We are looking for players with high character, great students, are tough and want to be coached.
DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a baseball coach and why?
TR-Jack Leggett has had the greatest impression on me as a coach. I had the privilege of being a part of Coach Leggett’s staff for eight years. There are so many reasons why. He taught me how to treat your players and how to run a program the correct way. How to prepare your players in way that they are ready to play hard everyday. He gave me a blue print on how to run a program at a high level everyday.
DP-If you were not a baseball coach, what would your occupation be?
TR-Chef
DP-Who are the best three players you have coached against?
TR- 1.Mark Teixeira (GA Tech), 2.Buster Posey (FSU), 3.Pat Burrell (Miami)
DP-What does it mean to be a good teammate and is that important?
TR-It is a person that is selfless, they care more about the team than themselves. I have found the players that are good teammates have their teammates pulling for them to have success then they get their chance to perform.
DP-Do you have any superstitions? If so, what?
TR-Yes, if we are winning, I wear the same under gear (ie. Under shirt, sliders, socks, turfs)
DP-What is your greatest high school thrill?
TR-Beating Gary Sheffield in a regional game in 1986
DP-What is your greatest thrill, or two, beyond high school?
TR-Played in 3 consecutive regionals (1988,1989,1990) at Stetson; Beating FSU in 1988 Atlantic regional semi final game
DP-What accomplishment are you most proud of?
TR-Winning the 2014 Big South Conference Southern Division; Winning 40 games in 2015; Coaching in 2 College World Series
DP-What are your strengths/weaknesses as a coach? As a person?
TR-Strength: Communication skills, Organizational skills, Work Ethic, Caring about people, Treating people right, Listening, Understanding, Compassion.
Weaknesses: Very demanding of my players and Assistant Coaches, Writing/Grammar/Spelling
DP-I wish I had more time for…
TR-A hobby
DP-Who were the three best players you played against?
TR-Gary Sheffield (Hillsborough HS), Alex Fernandez (Miami), Todd Greene (Georgia Southern)
DP-Who has made the greatest impression on you as a person and why?
TR-My Father, He was a very compassionate man. He cared about people, especially young people. He was a very principled person.
DP-What MLB feat in history do you wish you’d been inside the stadium to witness and why?
TR-Cal Ripken Jr breaking Lou Gehrig consecutive games played record.
DP-Who is you favorite athlete outside of baseball?
TR-Peyton Manning
DP-Who is your favorite MLB pitcher and position player to watch and why?
TR-Pitcher: David Price – He pitches with great emotion; Position: Ben Paulsen – Watching your son reach his goal of playing the Big Leagues, as a baseball coach/father is an unbelievable feeling
DP-Who is your favorite MLB team?
TR-Red Sox/Rockies
DP-What is your favorite sport to play other than baseball?
TR-Golf
DP-What is your favorite sport to watch other than baseball?
TR-College Football
DP-What are some of your hobbies?
TR-Really don’t have any
DP-During your “off-season”, where might we find you?
TR-Home with my Family
DP-What is your twitter account? Do you enjoy twitter or is it a necessary evil?
TR-@TomRiginos and @Winthropbasebal – I really don’t mind twitter, I do think if gives your program good exposure to what your players/program is doing.
DP-What is your favorite movie, Classic? Recently?
TR-Classic – Brian’s Song
Recently – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
DP-Who is your favorite actor? Actress?
TR-Harrison Ford / Diane Keaton
DP-What is your favorite meal?
TR-Anything Italian
DP-What is something people don’t know about you?
TR-Very much of a home body, my wife and I enjoy staying home and cooking a nice meal
DP-If you could have dinner with three people in history, who would they be and why?
TR- 1.John F Kennedy – great leader, 2.Jackie Robinson – talk with him of all his experiences, 3.Vince Lombardi – One of the greatest coaches of all time
DP-Where do you see yourself in ten years?
TR-Still Coaching at Winthrop
DP-Give a high school player who is reading this article one piece of advice.
TR-Be great at what you are doing at that point in time, you never know who is watching and what type of impression you will be making.
DP-Thank you for your time and candid responses to our baseball and personal questions. Good luck in 2016!