Eagle Mustangs Baseball: Player and Parent Expectations.
WELCOME:
I’d like to welcome you and your family to the Eagle Mustang Baseball program. The Mustangs
have become one of, if not the best programs in Idaho and the Northwest. From State Championships in
2003, and 2011,a National Ranking in 2003, wins over traditional National powers Brophy Prep of Phoenix
and Arizona’s 5A 2010 State Champions, Horizon of Scottsdale, as well as playing in 6 State Championship
games in the last 13 years. Three High School All Americans (Joe Southers, Allen Langdon, and Forrest
Cannon), and 65 players who have advanced to the college ranks including current Pac 12 and Chicago Cub
star Andrew Ely, speak volumes about the quality of what you and your family are about to get involved
with. The facility at Eagle continues to improve and provides your son a top notch place to enjoy his high
school career. Two fields an indoor hitting facility and a player clubhouse allow three teams to practice and
play in the best of conditions. Colleges recognize our program by name and Eagle is most definitely on the
radar as a source of polished, skillful players for National Recruiters.
Work hard, be accountable, pay attention, and respect the game and you will have a great experience.
EXPECTATIONS OF COACHES:
You have every right to expect these things of your sons coach.
1. Solid Instruction
2. Organization and preparedness
3. Treat players with respect
4. Put the best players on the field based on performance
5. Provide playing time for squad members whenever possible.
6. Provide all players with a clear method for getting into the starting lineup. In other words, each
player deserves to know what to work on and what to accomplish to enter the starting 9.
7. Accessibility.
8. Coaches will always have the player’s best interest in mind generally and specifically relative
to…
a. Injury prevention
b. Academics
c. Furthering his baseball career
THE COACHING STAFF:
Frank Wright
Head Varsity Coach – Infield, Pitching, Hitting
Nick Drzayich
Assistant Coach – Outfield - Hitting
Tony Hilde
Assistant Coach – Catchers - Hitting
Kevin Tomassini
Volunteer hitting Coach
Chris Needham
Patrick Needham
Head Junior Varsity Coach
Assistant Coach
Steve Koppes
Jake Koppes
A.J. Snow
Head Freshman Coach
Assistant Coach
Pitching Coach
AMERICAN LEGION FROSH BASEBALL:
Sadly, Meridian schools no longer sponsor freshmen sports with a couple of exceptions. The good
news is that the baseball community has reponded and provided an alternative that will provide your sons a
much improved freshmen league. 16 teams, a consistent 22 game schedule, a real district tournament, and
the opportunity to play a high level of baseball.. When your given lemons, make lemonade. Bravo to the
Hawks, the Coaches, and Eagle Patrons, the late Dean Hess, Jim Stidham, and Beth Hildebrand Suzanne Ely,
Dwayne Speegle, and Eagle Baseball Inc. for making this work.
PRACTICE STARTING DATES:
Varsity and Junior Varsity Friday, February 26th
Freshmen
Monday, February 29th
3:15
3:15
FAMILY INVOLVEMENT:
Baseball is expensive and our school district gives us very little. To that end, all parents with
children in the program are expected to help out in some capacity. If your son makes the team, you will
be assigned concession duty, ticket taking, post game clean up, and possibly several other jobs depending on
your availability. Fund raising has always been part of the program. Your help in fundraising will help drive
down the per family costs of playing both high school and legion baseball. Our first event, Casino Night,
was a tremendous success. Additional events, including a golf tournament, will be designed to provide
Patrons a fun social event in addition to an opportunity to raise funds. The High School program spent
nearly $18,000 last season and the school funds us to the tune of $2500.00! Understand that umpires cost
more than what we are budgeted for the entire program. If we want our kids to have even the basics, we
need to support the program in all phases. That being said you should understand that no matter how
generous you are with your time or finances, you can do nothing that will influence whether or not your
son makes the team or plays significant innings. Your son will make the team, start, sit, etc. based solely
on his performance. I’m sure you understand why this has to be the way we operate.
ACADEMICS:
Priorities for every player in this program place baseball third. First is family/faith. Second are
academics, and third is Baseball. That being said, all families should understand that a commitment to the
team means that 17 other players and the coaches count on your son being at all team functions/games.
Pulling kids out for a vacation during tournament time is probably not a good lesson in commitment and
should be avoided. All teams will have at least 4 consecutive days off during spring break. We’re hopeful
that any family vacation would be during those days.
Grades will be checked weekly. We expect each player to maintain a 2.0 GPA as a minimum during
the season. If your son drops below a C in any class he will get our immediate attention which will include
mandatory study hall sessions. Missing study hall will result in benching until the grade improves. An F
grade in any class will result in ineligibility until the grade is raised to at least a D. Study hall will be
mandatory until the grade is a C. To be eligible for baseball, your son must have passed six classes the first
semester. No correspondence may be used to make up for failed classes relative to eligibility.
Eligibility is determined at the end of semester 1!
FIELD WORK:
It’s expected that your son will do field chores on a daily basis. It takes lots of effort to maintain a
good playing surface and a clean, attractive ball yard. Your son will have specific set up and clean up chores
each day and no one leaves the yard until everyone is done. Expect your son to be tied up for a bit after each
game and practice to complete his responsibilities. An upside here is that players end up having a sense of
ownership and pride about their field…..a good thing!
ATTITUDE:
Attitude at this age is very much a limiting factor. What a young man did as a little leaguer or in
Babe Ruth baseball means nothing now as almost every player who survives to the Varsity level has been an
all star throughout his young career Athletics at the high school level and beyond is very much a survival of
the fittest situation; a selective pyramid that eliminates players at each level. Those that can compete and
help the club win get to play most of the innings. The coach is charged with helping players make the
necessary adjustments and making decisions about who makes the club and who plays. That part of the job is
brutal and no one on staff enjoys telling a sincere young man that he can no longer play the game at this level!
Young men with a sense of entitlement tend not to be coachable and may find this a hard place to
advance. We expect every player to be coachable, dependable, punctual, accountable, supportive of team
mates, and conform to team rules to the letter. Every player must learn baseball protocol and respect the
game and all its conventions. Every player, during games will give positive support to our club and say
nothing negative to the opponent. Players are expected to compete fiercely, fairly and as gentlemen. It’s not
necessary to hate your opponent to compete. Remember, if they didn’t show, you couldn’t play! We expect
the umpire to be treated with respect at all times.
PARENTS:
All parents would love to see their son start at shortstop, hit third in the order, and make all
conference. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t happen very often. There is no question that at some point, you
will be disappointed, frustrated, or angry with the coaching staff. We, as coaches, know it comes with the
territory. What you do with those emotions very much affects your son and can affect the attitude of the
entire team. If you have issues about playing time etc., it’s imperative that you talk with us, not about us.
Convincing your son that he is getting the short end of the stick will do nothing to improve his playing time
or his future in the program as his attitude will sour and his willingness to be coached will disappear.
No coach in this program is vindictive. Understanding why your son plays or doesn’t is a question many
parents have and it should be answered by the coach not by conjecture. Negative talk in the stands is
cancerous and it can absolutely destroy team attitude and the chance to succeed as a team. Being forthright
about your concerns is also something worth modeling for your son. To that end, it’s expected that before
you call me, you first talk to your sons coach. If I’m called initially, I will simply refer you back so save a
step and follow the “chain of command”.
SCHOLARSHIPS:
I’m often called to provide reference for players from other schools as well as our own players. I
am an advocate for our players but I’m also completely honest with recruiters as to your sons abilities and
attitude. That being said, I cannot get your son a scholarship! If your son can play at the next level, he
will get a chance to play at the next level. No one goes “undiscovered” as all colleges depend totally on their
ability to recruit the best players. Recruiters are also very astute about their needs and your sons
ability/attitude/work ethic. Approaching the game for the joy of playing is a far better approach than playing
for what the game can earn you. In 43 years of coaching, I’ve had three players make it to the big leagues
and that’s two more than any other coach in town! Chances of making a living playing ball are very small.
Putting your “eggs” in the academic basket is a far better bet to ensure a successful future!
EXPENSE:
All players are expected to purchase the mandatory items in the Spirit Pack for the 2015 season.
All players are expected to provide a pair of gray baseball pants , team “sleeves” under a team t shirt and
team hat. Team sweats should be used as an over layer on cold days. Varsity players will need to purchase
jackets which they will keep. Catchers gear, game and practice baseballs, uniforms, training aides, pitching
machines, etc. will be provided by the program. You can order your Spirit Pack necessities at
www.isgspirit.com, click on team sports, choose Eagle, and then type in the code ebbsp14 for player wear
and ebbfw14 for fan ware. If this is too great a financial burden at the moment and in this tough economic
time, it should not keep your son from playing. My e mail is [email protected] and a quick note
letting us know your son will need some help with his expenses will be totally confidential. On occasion,
we all have financial setbacks but it should never keep your son from doing something he loves! If you
have questions about any of the material listed, e mail me for an explanation. If not, complete the signup
form attached and return it to CoachHilde in his classrooms.. Sign up forms are due Wednesday
February 17th.. Remember, both the player and the parents must complete and sign the form.
Check List for Participation:
1. Pass six classes
2. Current physical on file (Freshman and Junior years)
3. Sign up form signed and turned in.
4. Interim Questionnaire on file turned in