BASEBALL COACHES UNPLUGGED
What if you could discover the secrets of the most successful coaches and athletes and become the best in the game. What separates the best coaches and players from the rest? Become the player coaches dream of having on their team. Step inside the dugout with the Baseball Coaches Unplugged, where every episode is a journey of triumph, resilience, and inspiration. Hosted by Ken Carpenter, a 27 year veteran high school baseball coach with a passion for unlocking the secrets of athletic greatness.
Picture this: you're behind the scenes with top athletes and coaches, taking in their stories of victory and defeat, and uncovering the invaluable life lessons hidden within. From heart-pounding game moments to the quiet struggles of training, each episode offers invaluable of wisdom that resonates with baseball coaches, players, devoted parents and fans alike.
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BASEBALL COACHES UNPLUGGED
Refuse To Lose: Strategies for Success with Tom Neubert
This chat isn't just about the thrill of the game; it's an exploration of the deep connections that are forged in the crucible of competition. Coach Neubert recounts a near-catastrophic error that could have spelled disaster for his team, but instead became a lesson in resilience and determination. He opens up about the paramount importance of relationships in coaching, diving into how the dynamics of managing egos can outweigh even the most intricate play-calling strategies. It's a candid look into how high school sports are about much more than just winning games.
As we cover the bases, we also take a swing at understanding the evolving landscape of high school baseball, from the nuances of player recruitment to the impact of travel ball on team dynamics. Coach Neubert doesn't shy away from discussing the challenges of fitting athletics into the educational journey of his players, nor does he ignore the elephant in the stadium—the psychological toll of losing and the ever-present parental pressure. Strap in for a conversation that reveals the soul of high school baseball and the unwavering spirit of those who lead the charge from the dugout.
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Today on the Halfly One podcast, tom Neubert to Sales, high School head baseball coach.
Speaker 2:In the bottom of the seventh and Claymont was up and I remember they had runners on second and third and their best hitter was up. He'd already had to hit a triple and a double on the day and I was talking with my coaches and we were going to put him on and I didn't want to scream out and scare my pitcher so he would balk. So I was like quietly walking out, going, step off, step off, step off, and he throws the pitch and my heart about sank.
Speaker 3:Welcome to the Halfly One podcast. Veteran high school baseball coach Ken Carpenter takes you into life's classroom as experienced through sports. Go behind the scenes with athletes and coaches as they share great stories, life lessons and ways to impact others.
Speaker 1:This episode of the Halfly One podcast is powered by the netting professionals in improving programs one facility at a time. The netting professionals specialized in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for baseball and softball. This includes backstops, batting cages, bp turtles, screens, ball carts and more. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding, windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches and cubbies. The netting pros also work with football, soccer, lacrosse and golf courses. Contact them today at 844-620-2707 or visit them online at wwwnettingproscom, or you can check out netting pros on Twitter, instagram, facebook and LinkedIn for all their latest products and projects. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and listen for new episodes on Wednesdays. Now to my interview with Tom Neubert, two-time state champion at the sales high school baseball in Ohio. Hello and welcome to the Halfly One podcast. I'm your host, ken Carpenter, and I'm excited today to be joined by two-time state champion to sales head baseball coach, tom Neubert. Coach, thanks for taking the time to be on the Halfly One.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I appreciate you reaching out, and anytime we can promote this great game in the state of Ohio, I'm more than happy to help out.
Speaker 1:Well, this is probably my first time. It's opening day, and how excited are you and what's the outlook for the St Francis to sales this coming season?
Speaker 2:Well, I think even over the years, I don't think anything changes as far as how excited we are to get going into the season and get the guys playing games. I'm excited that it's going to be in the 60s today. I'm excited about that. After last week it was pretty brutal. We lost nine seniors. Last year we lost in the district final to Olm Tangy Liberty and love those nine seniors. Seven of them were started and I have two guys coming back that have significant playing time. However, one is they're both injured so they're both out. So I'll have nine fresh new faces in the lineup. That poses some issues early in the year and we're going to make a lot of mistakes and we just got to keep learning from those and keep getting better. I'd imagine who knows what to expect today, but I'd imagine we'll probably, as my teams typically do, we're going to start off a little slow and by the end of April, early May we should be pretty good.
Speaker 1:Well, you're a Hall of Fame coach here in the state of Ohio and you've put together an unbelievable career. What motivates you, year after year, to keep showing up?
Speaker 2:You know, when I originally got into high school coaching, I was coaching in college for three or four years and realized that I think one of the most important things to me with coaching was having an impact on kids' lives and I didn't feel like college. I had that opportunity. I mean, if a kid wasn't feeling well or wasn't playing well, it was just like see you later, let's move on to the next guy. With these kids that I've been able to work with, starting at, I was at Euclid for a year and then I was at Cardington for six or seven years and then moved to the sales in 2007.
Speaker 2:I think what keeps me going is the kids. Every day, the best part of my day and I'm also the athletic director, so the best part of my day is going to the ball field at 3.0 Sticks and saying hello to all my players and talking with them a little bit. And, like this past week and I was just up at Eastern Michigan watching one of my kids play and going to, now, weddings. As you know, ken, we get to this age, we start going to weddings of our former players and you know them sending me pictures of their babies and you know that kind of stuff is. What really keeps you going day in and day out is the relationship you're building with these kids and turning them into young men and being so proud of them and watching them grow up and become dads and husbands and you know people, you know working and just being productive members of society.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, you kind of lays in my next question. You know you're also the athletic director and talk about the challenges of coaching in season and handling the day to day athletic director responsibilities.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, when I first started the athletic director job I didn't really have any help. So I was. I was covering lacrosse games while my baseball games were going on, technically and opening the gates and shutting them down and locking up the press box, and you know, we all know as coaches, when that game's over we're about ready to just lay down and pass out and we're exhausted. So it was. It was quite a challenge early on and I've been very fortunate. I have an awesome assistant who now basically over the years, I've just kind of passed off spring sport. He covers all the events. I feel for him, but I did it for a long time and I'm getting too old. He's young and he's energetic, so he's fantastic and he knows in the spring that I'll deal with the stuff during the day. But once three o'clock hit, I'm moving on and I'm now just a baseball coach and he can handle things. So I'm very blessed to have him by my side as well.
Speaker 1:Well, you're in. You're in a challenging league and you have a what I would think Waterston has to be your biggest rival. So a little bit about that and what makes it special, and is there a memory that stands out in your 17 years being involved in this rivalry?
Speaker 2:Well, you know, to be honest with you, that it's. It's a fantastic rivalry filled with just hard nose games and also a respect level where sometimes you can get with your rival and it gets a little chippy and it's never been like that. And I think my favorite part over the years and unfortunately he's now at a capital with coaching again Another Hall of Famer in Scott Manahan and that really made the rivalry something special for me right away. When I first came here, scott had just left Waterston and Tony Cleveland took over and it did a fantastic job and then Scott decided to come back and so I had gotten to know him a little bit and then he came back and at Waterston and it made the game special, you know, and you talk about the respect level like they did his retirement ceremony before our game, just because I would be there and I actually gave the speech and I proceeded to go out there and kick his ass that day, which really made it even better for his Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2:But he always brings that up because he gave me a speech and made him cry and then I came out there and kicked his ass, as he says. But you know, you know, even even last year, and right now you're right, I mean, they are, they're set up very well for our league with, with their, they have, they have a dynamite one and two pitchers on the mound and they're, they're, they're the best in our league right now, for sure. And you know, last year we were playing each other three times this year in the league because our league is so small. And you know, last year we were able to beat them in the last league game of the year. I think they lost a couple games before, but they'd only had one loss at the time.
Speaker 2:But you know, there's been so many games over the years and you know, it's just, it's always seems to be a one run ball game or a two run and just the intensity and along with that in baseball we don't really see it a lot. But the crowd that shows up for those games, you know, you get my. The fence lines are just lined with former players and parents that want to come out and see the sales waters in game. I think that's fun for the kids as well. But you know it's it's. It's been a fantastic rivalry and it's it started long, long before you and me, but it's still going, and still stronger than ever.
Speaker 1:And it's probably the same for football and basketball and all the other sports that that you guys have to do.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. And I mean then you know it does make a fun. I mean basketball. It's gotten so big that when we play each other, when it's their home game, we play at Ohio Domenican, when it's our home game, we play at Otterbine, and it allows a lot more people to show up. As everyone knows, our, our gymnasiums aren't, aren't what the OCC gymnasiums are like. So you know we want to get as many people in there and a lot of people don't come because they know the seating situation in there and so by moving it off there, but that just shows you what that, that rivalry means, and a look up in the stands at a football game, and you know you can always tell when you get the alums and the amount of emails about can I get on the sideline? Can I get on the sideline? Hey, can I be on their ass list? Well, I was like no, pay your seven bucks and sit in the stands. But you know it is, it's it's every sport, top to bottom, and that's that's our, that's our main rival and it's always been.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, I I try to do the research best as I can and prior to recording here, I I placed a phone call and you kind of you know you're, it's almost like you're reading my mind in a way and I made a friend. I called a good friend of yours and he wanted me to ask you a question, and his question is about the ground rules, meetings before games with Watterson and what. What are some of your favorite memories from that?
Speaker 2:Well as anyone that knows us. You know Scott and I are. You know he's just about one of my best friends, even though he's our rival coach, which every other sport here at the sales doesn't understand how baseball coaches get along. You know we get along with Coach Wenjieman as well at St Charles and we just seem to be a good tight knit group in the league. But I think that's. Everywhere I've been I've been good friends with the coaches in the league and even the rival coaches.
Speaker 2:There's never been any hatred there, where you know. You see that in football it's an ego thing, or basketball, and I think baseball coaches are a little bit more laid back and what's the game start. But to tell you about our home plate meet, I mean, those umpires don't know what to think when Scott and I are out there and you know just just stupid stuff. We'll just start talking about all these random things and I'll walk out and be like, oh my God, do you guys know that? You know Coach Manahan, my goodness, he's in three Hall of Fame's and, man, you guys know what presence you're in front of and the umpires are just trying to get through ground rules and it's just. Over the years it's been something else to be there at home plate and to just hear the banter because they don't. They don't know that we're friends and it sounds like we're just being jerks to each other, but it's just. Uh, those are some of my favorite times there, with him at the home plate and then doing ground rules.
Speaker 1:Yes, I've had some, uh, some great interactions with him over the years and, uh, he's a piece of work. He went very entertaining, very entertaining, to say the least, and he's always stirred.
Speaker 2:I hadn't heard him on the podcast early. Oh, always during the pot.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, you, you pulled off the rare feat of winning back to back state championships. Uh, tell me how difficult that was. And there were. Were there any times during those tournament runs that were, something may have happened and you're like, wow, it's going our way, we're going to end up winning this thing.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, the first state championship, honestly, and you remember you were around coaching we were down to Canal Winchester by seven runs in the fifth inning in the district semi-final, came back, tied that game up in the seventh inning, won it in the 11th inning. The district final we're down by two runs to Big Walnut in the seventh inning, scored two runs to tie it up, won that game in the tenth inning. So we played 21 innings just in the district games just to get through. You know, at that point our team, we were just slightly above 500. We didn't really have that great of a year and those kids just knew how to win games in some way. And then, and I remember, after we won that district final, I looked at my coach and I'm like holy crap, I got to go scout a regional. So me and my assistant, bill Cobble, jumped in a car and drove to Steubenville immediately after the game to go down and watch them play. And that was when Steubenville was number one in the state and they had the player of the year and they were loaded. And you know, at that point you were just playing with house money and okay, so we'll go to the regionals. And we won the first game.
Speaker 2:The first year was unbelievable. The first game of the regional semis. We're up one run in the bottom of the seventh and playmont was up and I remember they had runners on second and third and their best hitter was up. He'd already had to hit a triple and a double on the day and I was talking with my coaches and we were going to put him on and I didn't want to scream out and scare my pitcher so he would bough. So I was like quietly walking out, going step off, step off, step off, and he throws the pitch and my heart about sank and that kid popped it up to center field and that was the end of the game. So it was. That was amazing.
Speaker 2:Then you go on to the regional final. We play Steubenville and we go up eight runs in the third inning. I mean we put a seven spot up in the third and again going against one of the best pitchers in the state with the player of the year that was their shortstop or first baseman, and we're up eight runs on like this ain't even close to being over and sure enough we gave up eight right back in the fifth and ended up winning that game by two runs, you know. Then you go into a state semi final against Jonathan Alder, who was also loaded and it already destroyed us earlier in the year beat us by like seven or eight runs and you know they I can't remember the kid's name on the mound, but he was really good and you know, somehow some way we end up being Jonathan Alder four to two in the state semi final, which you know, craig and I talked before and I said I wish this could be the state championship because we're the two best teams here and you hope, and had beaten Walsh already in the regional. So we got hoping in the state finals give up five runs in the top of the first inning in the state championship game, came back, scored five more, tied it up, took the lead. They tied it up and and my number four hitters act to camp with two outs in the top of the seventh. We just smoked a two run home run that landed on top of that hill and left center at Huntington Park and it was just a bomb. And they came right back and scored one in the bottom of the seventh, had bases loaded, two outs and you know, a ball goes off my pitchers glove, my shortstop picks it, throws it the first in the dirt, he picks it ball game. I mean it was amazing, so fast forward moving into that next year.
Speaker 2:We didn't have any seniors on that team, so now it was like it was an expectation and and we started out the season feeling that pressure I felt like, and after first few games we sat down and talked and said, hey, we don't, you know, you don't have to be state champs every day, we just have to play our game. And it's like they were trying so hard and there was so much pressure. But one last story from that 12 team. And that 12 team blew through that tournament with just methodical and business like, except one game in the regional semi files were playing bell fountain and again we found ourselves down about three runs in the sixth inning and my picture, nick Ellsrath, who had a great career at Ohio Northern, had a struggle day. I mean he was hitting a lot of guys, he walked a few and he had been so solid all year and so we were starting to warm somebody up and I'll never forget this moment.
Speaker 2:So as in the ending we finally took a lead back and now we went up four runs and I had and I was going to leave Nick in and he was going to have to throw the ninth inning. We were in extra inning and we took him out to run and, as my first base coach tells me, he's like, hey, let's run for him. Okay, we run for him as he's jogging path home plate. I realized that's the second time I took him out of the game, so I right. So we had to scramble and get a picture ready. Now he would have been our shortstop, so I had to move my third.
Speaker 2:Here we are in the regional semi-finals. I take my third baseman. He has to play shortstop, never played there before in his life. And this is in the regional semi-final and I swore up and down If we lost this game, I'm quitting. I've got to like I screwed these kids over and you know, god bless my kids, even though the kids that I put in there after we took a four run league gave up four runs and we won in about a half of a night or something. But I'll never forget that like that was by far the biggest coaching mistake I've ever made in my life. And here I am with guys that are returning state champs and but God bless them and what an awesome group of kids and we just had our 10 year reunion last year and every one of them was there. It was just fantastic and what a tight bond you have with a group like that, you know.
Speaker 1:Well, let me ask you this. I mean, do you credit playing a tough, difficult schedule to get you ready, and or is it just you had players that were like we're not going to?
Speaker 2:lose Both. I mean, I think we play a pretty tough schedule and you know, then we were in division two and now we've moved up to division one. We will be division three next year. But you know, our schedule is always pretty tough and we're always playing.
Speaker 2:You know, I think anyone that knows my roster knows that if you get me in a non league game, my number five versus Gahanah's number five is not the same thing. So we're seeing good pitching throughout and when we get in that division two tournament I think you know can, you can attest to that. You know, being at that Buckeye Valley or being at another school where you're playing a lot of smaller schools and maybe not seeing the pitching that you're going to see or the competitiveness that you see, and I think most people, when, when we put our name on the bracket, that opens some eyes quickly or drop some heads and people go, oh crap, and they know what they're going to get. They're going to get a good, hard nose team that's going to play tough and they're going to compete with you for seven innings whether we win or lose.
Speaker 2:But the schedule helps and you know, like I said, those, those kids were amazing, I'm of just their refusal to lose. I've had enough teams that could fold in those situations and they never did and they just responded. I always say those two years between league games and tournament games, we were a combined 28 and one in tournament league games in those two years, and even in 2011, we were about 500 but still won the league. I think that says that it's kind of the same thing with those guys. So when the, when it really mattered, they were there and some sometimes you were.
Speaker 1:When you look at your role as a head coach, where do you rank relationship building with your players and your coaching staff?
Speaker 2:Number one.
Speaker 2:That's at the top for me and I think anymore I mean this is 20 plus years now of doing it I think I do more managing of minds and egos and that kind of stuff than I do coaching anymore, and I have a lot.
Speaker 2:I have a ton of good assistant coaches and they handle a lot more than I used to let assistant coaches do and I think more it's talking with the kids during the school day. I think it's important to try to be in the building and building those relationships so there's a trust level there and there's also, you know, I want my kids to know how much I do love them and you know it's just like my own children. I love them. But I'm going to be hard on you and that to me is the most important thing. When those kids, when it all gels and it all goes together, you know in a good way where they're on the same page. I am, I'm on the same page and we're all working together and there's a genuine love for each other and that's a special thing with your teams.
Speaker 1:When you, when you and I first first met, you were coaching back at Carrington High School in the MOAC and you know going back, I mean you know talk about ground rule meetings we had. There was always some interesting ones in that, in that league.
Speaker 2:It was nicely a radner yeah.
Speaker 1:But when you look back, how much do you think the game has changed with players from your Carrington time till you know 17, 18 years later?
Speaker 2:Well, first off. Do you know that my first head coaching game was against you?
Speaker 1:No, I had no idea.
Speaker 2:That was my first head coaching game at Radner. I had Joey Berkshire on the mound. We won two to one and I and everyone on my staff couldn't believe that we beat Buckeye Valley. I didn't know anything at that time. I'm like, oh, let's go out and compete. But that was my first head coaching job. But or my first head coaching game of my career. That was in 2002.
Speaker 2:But you know the what's well, a lot has changed. The travel ball of the world has completely taken over the game and what's really changed is these kids are playing baseball by their age all the way up, never playing with older kids. I feel like when we grew up, when I was 13, I was playing with teams that had 15-year-olds on it. When I was 15, I was playing with teams that had 18, 19-year-olds on an Legion ball and Babe Ruth they used to call it, or whatever. And now these kids are finding a lot of success. They're playing a lot of times the game the wrong way and they're very successful. But, as I try to explain to them, you just played 14-you baseball and this is an 18, 19-year-old that's, you know, taking a baseball and chucking it in there a lot better than any 14-year-old you're facing in the summer and I think a lot of it goes by the wayside with wanting to win and compete for your school. And sometimes you see you can see it that they want to make sure they're healthy for summer. And the scholarships have become an obsession with kids and being able to put it out there and most of the time you're talking about a 25% scholarship. If you're getting good grades you're going to get more money academically than you could possibly get with baseball. Unless you're throwing 95 or you're a catcher with a pop time at 1-8 or you know, unless you're one of those really, really elite kids, you're getting 25% and a lot of times it's a preferred walk on.
Speaker 2:But I think that's changed the landscape and we saw it come in for years, the whole travel ball. And you know I was just telling somebody the other day like we used to have our own summer high school teams and they were the kids that couldn't make travel because travel ball was elite. And now you know, over the years we can't even have high school summer teams because the kids are playing somewhere else. And you know I would say 85% of my program is playing travel baseball in the summer, which isn't a bad thing, as long as they can come back and get back into high school mode, which you know there's no doubt it's completely different than the summer ball mode.
Speaker 2:You know, sprinting on and off the field, those little things that are important to guys like me. They're not important to all coaches, but you know it is to me and I mean I think that's the biggest change in the landscape, is that summer ball mentality. And up north it's tough because in the sprint, look at what we're playing in. I mean we just scrimmaged on Friday in rain and it was feels like in the 30s. And.
Speaker 2:I can't sit there and say, yeah, this is fun. You know, it's different and summer's kind of taken that over and the college coaches used to come to our games too and I haven't seen a college coach in the games in about 10 years. You know, and I guess maybe when I had Joey Velasquez we had college coaches coming, but again, that's an elite, elite baseball player and because there's film out there, there's video, there's, there's all these ways for the coaches to sit in their office and evaluate and do all these other things where it wasn't always like that and even when I was coaching in college, before I started in high school, I mean, we were at high school games during our season, but it's harder and harder for them to do that and it's easier for them to go to the summer stuff.
Speaker 1:You know talking about that. Do you think that you know they're? These parents are out there and they're really focusing on these scholarships and it's really not that realistic, especially with the way the transfer portal is affected. College baseball in all college sports.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think when I first got to the sales I really tried to harp on the mentality of if you want to play college ball, there's a place for you, where I think when I first got here, no one would ever even think about playing Division III. It was like I'm either going to Division I or I'm done playing baseball. And I really worked hard to change that mentality and I've had, you know, brian Stophar and Luke Barber that were at Otterbine. Luke Barber broke the hit record at Otterbine for a career. You know, like I said, nick Ellsroth played at Ohio Northern. I've had kids at Case, I've had kids at Muskingum, I've had kids at Capital and I think that's important and that's when you get to know. I mean that's. You know you're doing that because you love the game you want to play and you're going to go get your college degree and that's awesome too.
Speaker 2:I was a Division III guy myself. I went to Cortland State in New York, which I like to say is the greatest Division III baseball program in the nation. Arguably, people at Marietta may argue with me as well on that, but you know so and it was. It was a fantastic career. I loved every second of it, but we were there to play ball and it wasn't about the money, it wasn't about this. So you know, I've keep trying to push kids that way and you know we can always find you a home.
Speaker 2:But the transfer portal is killing high school recruiting and it's just. You know, especially with these COVID, with the COVID kids that are still around, you know, you have they're picking up 22 year olds and have 70 college at bats and they have all this film on them. You know, and the college coach will say, well, am I going to waste my time on a 17, 18 year old kid when I can get a kid that's ready now and still has two more years of eligibility? You know, we had a kid last year, nico Kruser, who was a fantastic pitcher, and I know arms in the state of Ohio last year were, were, I mean, phenomenal, I think that I think someone, one college coach, told me there were 75 kids in Ohio that were throwing 85 or harder in the 2023 class, which is unheard of. And then you know, and you know, trying to get places for him to go, was, was, was really tough. He's up at Eastern Michigan playing and, you know, loves it up there and is having a blast and enjoying it.
Speaker 2:But it was tough to find him a place. And then the transfer portal is a big factor in that and a lot of these kids are 24, 25 playing college baseball and still have a year of eligibility left, you know. So that's frustrating. It's frustrating for me as an athletic director in all our sport because you see, like a kid that would normally probably be a borderline D1, d2 guy is now falling down to Division three and maybe a lower level Division two, and it's tough for the parents to really understand that when they look at the talent their kid has. But the transfer portal is real and it's it's. It's affecting high school recruiting for sure.
Speaker 1:Well, when I talked to Coach Mannhand earlier he he talked a little bit about your son and and he's kind of experiencing that right now because he's a good baseball player and talk about being both coached slash parent of a of a player that's wanting to play college baseball.
Speaker 2:Well, he doesn't want to play college baseball, he wants to play college football.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I coaching my son has been one of the hardest things I've had to do in my coaching career, as anyone can imagine. I think people look forward to it and then they can't wait to be able to coach their son at some point. And there's, there's a lot of, there's a lot of traps in there and there's, and there's a lot of I don't know, I don't know what the word is, but assessment from the outside of what's going on, you know, and then you start hearing the nepotism and then all these things that start rolling in. He's injured this year he won't be able to play, which is unfortunate because he's he's a, he's a great kid and he's a, he's a very good high school player, and that's all I ever told him. I wanted him to be, as a high school, good high school player. But he's going to be out this whole spring, unfortunately, and but he's going to have opportunities to play football in, you know, after his, after his senior year or so.
Speaker 1:Now, when you go into that it's you know, when you're talking to your baseball players, do you say it's more important to get the right fit versus? Hey, you know, I I got to go to Ohio State or I got to go to one of these big time D1 programs.
Speaker 2:You know you try to get them to understand that and I think the biggest thing I always say to kids is if baseball isn't there, do you want to be there, you know? Or if baseball all of a sudden goes away which it will at some point is this a school you want to be at? And I think that's really important? But I don't, you know. I think it's tough to get a 17, 18 year old kid to really understand that. I think mom and dad understand that and I know I completely understand that it's looking at it as a whole. But a lot of these kids will get an opportunity to play and jump right on it and you know, you see it everywhere. I haven't really seen it with my kids. Most of my kids have stuck it out and and stayed at wherever they decided to go originally. But you see kids that are home very quickly or back here at a, you know, a local division three school that things just didn't work out. When they try to go too big and it, you know they have an opportunity to be a preferred walk on somewhere, let's say at a division one, and they'll quickly learn that it's not the most glorious life and how much time you have to really put in it. You know we're going six days a week, sure, but these guys are going and it's your missing classes and you're traveling and it's not right for everyone and that's why it's being a right fit Like isn't a school you really want to be at.
Speaker 2:Does it even have your major? I mean I've known kids that have gone to school to go play and don't even have the major they really wanted to study, and there's always ways around it and you know things like that. But it's really tough to explain. It's the same thing with talking about loans with a 17 year old kid. I mean they don't understand what debt is. They don't understand these things.
Speaker 2:You know, you try to explain it and you know you're just an extension of mom and dad and trying to help them with maybe a little bit more knowledge of what that life is like. But yeah, I mean, trying to find that right fit is tough because these kids just want to have an opportunity to play and the majority of them want to be division one. We know the percentages. We've heard all the things about what percentage of high school kids get to play in college, let alone division one, let alone be a scholarship division one and it's extremely low and that's why you want to be at a place you you would be if baseball wasn't there, and you know, meeting new people and building those relationships and stuff is important as well.
Speaker 1:Well, I kind of like to finish up I know you're in the middle of your school day there with a couple of quick rapid fire questions. Sure, I mean, I love winning.
Speaker 2:Hey losing.
Speaker 1:Why is that?
Speaker 2:I don't know. You know, ken, even like after, after, I want to stay champ. I remember the next day talking to my wife about next year, like who's going to be up? And then she's like, can't you just enjoy it for at least a day, tom? And you know I love winning, but losing and especially when you lose because of men and mental mistakes or things like that If I get beat and we played a great game and a team just beat us awesome, you know when we're costing ourselves games, it's the losses you remember forever. You know it's those are the ones that really eat at you. Where you win a game, you're like OK, one, all right, got another one tomorrow, let's, let's try to win two in a row. But when you lose one, you know I'm up for all hours of the night thinking about this and worried about this guy and is this guy going to perform. But to me that hate losing way more than enjoy winning.
Speaker 1:What would be one change that you would like to see happen in high school baseball?
Speaker 2:Well, I'd love to. I don't know why over the years, but I would love for them to honestly either get another first base or stop saying that that's out of the baseline. When I'm touching the base, that drives me nuts Like a kid bunts the ball. But for him to touch the bag, he's out of the baseline, the baseline, the base is out of the baseline for their running lane. So how am I supposed to get to the bag when I'm staying in foul territory running? It drives me nuts the only time they call they go. It's stupid. What am I supposed to do? I'd step the bag as I run by it. So that's one thing I would like to see adjusted. Besides that, I think they've done a nice job with rules.
Speaker 2:The pitch count was something that I wouldn't say necessary was needed, but I think there's certain coaches that have definitely abused kids' arms over the years To me. My starter still wants a week. That's it. I'm very cautious with arms, but I do think it's a good thing that they've done over the years, and I don't like that. They added jewelry. I don't like that. I don't want to see earrings on the baseball field. I don't need it. That's for major leaguers and professional guys, not high school kids, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, if you could talk just for a second about umpires and being an athletic director. You have to deal with officials in every sport, and how difficult is it to get officials and to try to get a message across to parents that if you abuse these guys, they're not coming back?
Speaker 2:Uh, you know it's it's, it's brutal. We do our best. My assistant and I have tried to really get after parents that are screaming and yelling in the stands. Some sports are obviously much worse than others. Um, football, I don't think an official hears one thing from the stand, whereas soccer they'll hear everything.
Speaker 2:Um, and, and I think we do a good job of making sure we grab people and say, hey, you, you, you got to tone this down or you're not coming anymore. And it's tough because you can't be at all the away games. You can't, you can't be everywhere. But the amount of times um, me and him have had to yell into the stands at parents, um, to just tell them to knock it off, and they don't quite get it and that's what we explain, like this official shortage is real. This is not just something they're saying, so you back off of them. This is real. And if you want your kids to continually have high school sports, um, that something has to change. But I don't, man, I'm telling you, since COVID, it's out of control with with officials and um, and being so angry in the stands, I don't get it. I really don't. But I've had my run-ins with umpires as well. So I I can't say much, but I think I have a pretty good relationship with with most of the umpires. Um, you know, I'm still going to let them know when they're wrong, but you know, that's just. That's just who I am, but it's.
Speaker 2:It's a tough world to navigate, um, and and we're sitting here as athletic directors also, um, they just keep hiking rates every year, hiking rates, and there's nothing we can do. Um, they basically come in and say we're not going to do your games unless the rate is this. And what are you going to do? You're going to stand your ground and not have officials and not give my kids the opportunity to play in all the sports lacrosse, soccer Um, you know, lacrosse and soccer seem to be the worst ones with numbers of officials. Um, basketball, I haven't really seen too much of an issue with it. Um, as far as numbers. But now what they're doing is they're promoting guys a lot quicker to class one. Um, and a lot of the young, or a lot of the men and women, um, in my opinion, aren't quite ready for it. But they've had to do that to get their numbers up to be able to supply us with enough umpires and officials for all our events.
Speaker 1:Well, to finish up, one last question what message would you have for parents of high school athletes?
Speaker 2:Relax and enjoy it. Absolutely. Get back, um, you know, tell your sons and daughters how much you love them, how much you enjoy watching them play. Um, and not worry about, uh, you know all the other factors that go into it. Um, it's, it's, it's just like officials, it's getting harder and harder to get good coaches. Um, and, and coaches are under the same um, you know, net, that I put officials on. You know, the, the, the, the parents are are brutal, but they don't apply for any of our coaching jobs, but they seem to know a lot about every game that they watch.
Speaker 2:Um, and you know, it's just. That's why I always say just sit back and relax and enjoy it, because these four years are going to be so fast, um and a blink of an eye. You know, like my, my, I feel like my daughter just started high school and yet she just graduated from Bowling Green. So, um, you know, we all say it as parents it's going to go so fast and there's really no way to slow it down. But you got to make some attempts to slow it down and just sit back and enjoy it and let them be kids.
Speaker 2:Um, I don't think we let our kids be kids as much as you know, you and I used to growing up, um, they're on the go, trainers and and hitting coach with pitching coaches, uh, speed and and this and that, and then you throw in the travel ball or AAU or club soccer or, um, these kids are on the go, go, go, go, go go. Um, and you know to, to, to try to find time to take things and slow it down and just really appreciate it for what it is. Um, that would be my, my best advice for parents.
Speaker 1:Like I said, that would be very difficult to do, but yeah, Well, it's Tom Newbert, the sales high school baseball on opening day here in the 2024 season coach. I've known you for a long time and, uh, I really love what you do as a coach and and for you to take time out of your day is amazing. That you would do this for me and I really do appreciate it and you know, best of luck this upcoming season.
Speaker 2:I appreciate it Great seeing you too, and thanks for reaching out.
Speaker 1:The athlete one podcast is proudly sponsored by the netting professionals improving programs, one facility at a time. If you're looking to upgrade your facility and take it to the next level, contact them today. Eight, four, four, six, two, zero, two, seven, zero seven. Or visit netting pros online at wwwnettingproscom. Thanks again for tuning in to the athlete one podcast. I'm your host, Ken Carpenter, and, as always, take care.
