By the way, I have stepped down before. Yes, I did.
In June 2011, I gave what I called My Charge to Coaches, Parents and Players. Check it out. I went back and read it, and I think it is still true and applicable today. So, I won't repeat myself here.
Some of you may not know (in fact, I am sure that a number of you don't, and that is perfectly fine) that I used to wear #2 until 2011. When I stepped down as Varsity Head Coach after that season, which was also my second son Reagan's last, I was moving on. We had a fine replacement in place in Terry Blaylock, and I was working through the transition with him. At that time, the organization retired my #2, so that is why we don't wear it any more. I was surprised and honored that the board did this for me, but they did. And I know that bothers some of you Derek Jeter fans and all of you munchkins that were #2 on your little league teams out there, but that's the way it goes. Too bad.
But seriously, I was never big on picking a number. Actually, I took
#2 because it was one of the few XLs that were left. I grew to like the
number, though, because it was a reminder every time I put it on that my
interests and desires were second to the team's ... always. It was a
reminder to always put the Mustangs first.
But then a series of events occurred over the summer of 2011 such
that Terry couldn't continue as Varsity Head Coach, and so I returned. I
knew that I still had a passion for coaching and for this program. And since #2
had been retired, I took a new number -- #70. I took the #70 because I wanted to be coaching with an eye toward how I would view the job I
had done when I got to be 70-years-old. That is still a ways off, you
know? And yes, #70 has reminded me to keep my eye on the future and the
long-term impact we are having. And I have tried to keep that
perspective through this year, as well.
I want to keep focused on moving forward, always. Still, I
think sometimes we need to look back to understand where we have been and take
a look around to see where we are to understand the path forward. It is
in that spirit that I want to share some history, some observations, and some
encouragement with you tonight.
But first, I want to address: Why am I stepping down now? You
Varsity parents saw up close and personal how I am still energized and love
doing this very much. In fact, when we were on the way home from Florida,
my daughter and Mustang Super-Fan Grace said to me, "Man, it is just hard
to believe you are not going to coach the Mustangs any more." And I
said, "Yeah, I know." Then, she asked me why, and I told her
that essentially I was stepping down for the same reason that I started -- the
needs of our family. In short, this next year is a critical time in our
family (and in particular, with our girls), so I would ask your prayers in that
regard. I need to be available to focus on them, spend time with them,
and really I am excited about that prospect. So, leaving now is
bittersweet. I love this team and this program, but the Lord has made
clear that this is a key time for me to make myself available to them.
So, that is what I am going to do. And I really believe in our high school
coaches we have in place now, so I can step away and know that the team will be
in good hands.
Indeed, to continue to grow and thrive, we need to keep developing
new leadership and allowing dads to come along and fill these roles. But
I will be around for some help, input and counsel if you need me. Just
let me know. I will also be working with our coaches and board (and have
been) regarding turnover/transition so that all the info, knowledge and contacts I have
accumulated through the years are passed on.
This is a great place for fathers to be involved in
homeschooling. So much of what we do, whether intentionally or not, shuts
dads out. We need for fathers to be
involved and engaged, in education and beyond.
As for me, I got started in this enterprise because I wanted to do my part to
ensure that our sons had a complete educational experience -- one that included
the opportunity to play sports at the highest level they were capable. But when my oldest Daniel started playing for the Mustangs as a sixth-grader
in 2003, I had no intentions whatsoever of being a coach here. In fact, I
didn't even think homeschool baseball was "real baseball" back then. Hard
to believe, but true …
I remember walking up at Barton one day and seeing
Daniel out there playing second base, and as I started to watch it began to hit
me that all this was really important to him. The JH Mustangs beat TWCA
on that day, and they played pretty well in the process, too (I mean, like a
real baseball team). Later that year, Fred Watt asked me to be on the Mustangs
board. The following year, Keith Coneby asked me to be an assistant on
the JH team, and I did. The year after that was my first of two seasons as JH
Head Coach. It is funny looking back how it just grew and grew.
Again, I had no desire at all to be a coach when I got here. Then,
I started helping with my son's team. Then, somewhere along the way,
something very special happened in my life.
What happened was that my life intersected with God's plan, and
this work became a ministry and a calling for me. And in the process I became
a coach.
And just what is a coach? While a coach must have some
authority on a team and knowledge to impart, that is, a coach is really a
teacher, one needs something else still to really be a coach. That is, to be a
coach, as a foundational matter, one must care about and seek the welfare of
his players.
I have served the Mustangs since 2003, as a board member, Asst. JH
coach, JH Head Coach, Varsity Head Coach, and GM. I was the first GM when
we emerged from the rubble after Fred Watt left a decade ago to form the Falcons really
almost in the middle of the night. When we started the
501(c)(3) non-profit organization officially known as the Montgomery County
Christian Homeschool Baseball Association back in 2005, I was the GM. And
we had one team ... a JH team of about 11-12 boys. We also had 8 HS
players whose identities were Mustangs. So, these young men gave up a
season of high school baseball in 2004, so that they could stick together until
2005 when the Mustangs would hopefully have a Varsity program again. Looking back, those were tenuous days. And those early days remind me to be thankful for the people who have gone before --
many of whom we don't even know -- to create the opportunities we have today. And,
by the way, when I became the Varsity Head Coach in 2007, I was privileged to coach a number of those "magnificent
8" HS Mustangs.
Today, in spite of our meager beginnings, we have 4 teams with
about 40-something players ... and in between we have built a program that is
respected far and wide.
But during the last decade, we have experienced trials and
undergone struggles of all types ... from the outside, conflicts within our own
ranks, some iron sharpening iron, and some just plain ol’ dealing with results
and circumstances associated with living in a fallen world. Any worthy
endeavor will ultimately “ruffle some feathers,” so to speak, and we have. …
Still, in spite of all that, here we are. Here. We. Are. And
let me just put it this way. As a dad who has seen my sons come through
this program, I care deeply about two things: 1) playing baseball with
excellence and preparing those who want to do so to play at the next level
(I've got one of those who is still playing); and 2) providing an environment
that supports the Christian character that our parents are trying to instill in
their sons. That being said, it is thus impossible for me to see why some
one who knew better and lived in this neck of the woods would have their son
play anywhere other than for the Mustangs.
We have survived on God's grace, love, and grit. We have needed
all of the foregoing, too. And you will,
as well. …
Along with way to becoming a quality program, we have had to
overcome ourselves in a number of ways, too, and figure out what we wanted to
be and whether we were willing to do what was required to be excellent
everywhere, including on the field. Years ago, I had a perplexed dad
coach ask me (while apparently lobbying for his son to play more, by the way)
whether we were: 1) trying to win games; 2) build character and develop young
men; or 3) represent Christ. "Yes, yes, and yes," is what I
told him. …
Yes, striving for excellence in this world will, by definition,
always mean we are encountering headwinds, heavy lifting, and hard choices.
Sometimes, it won't be readily apparent to those looking in from the
outside what we are doing. In case you haven't noticed, excellence and
doing the hard but right things are the exceptions in a fallen world. But
embrace cost of doing the hard but right things. Because we are not yet
done in getting where we can go. It’s not okay just to be okay.
Indeed, it is going to take a dedication and an ownership that
many of you have yet to summon to keep this thing going and growing. It
is going to take a real commitment to market this program for what it can do
for not only your sons but also for homeschooled young men in general. … We need you. We need action. We make
time for the things that are most important to us. Some of you have the time to get done what
needs to be done.
My sons both told me later in their HS journeys that they did not
know what they would have done, or how they would have made it through HS, but
for the Mustangs. This program is going to be vital to the success of
your homeschooling endeavor with your sons. So, as a dad who has been
down this road, I would encourage you to get involved and ask Mark, the board,
and our coaches how you can serve.
Again, while I am going to avoid repeating what I said in 2011, I
do want to emphasize a few things to coaches, parents and players that I
believe are important.
Coaches, remember to keep a mindset of personal and player
development. Keep growing. Do all you can to encourage your players to
do the same. In that regard, as for
pitch counts, I sent you the link (Here it is again.). Please read, live, and learn. The number is important, but more importantly, the pattern of how the pitches are accumulated (along with the pitchers' preparation as of the game in question) are more important.
To go on the record here (because I know that some won’t read), if
a pitcher has thrown more than 100 pitches in less than 7 innings and is under
15 years of age, please look in the dugout to see if the coach is asleep or has
left. It happened to me one time where I
lost count. Mistakes occur. So, correct
them and make sure they don’t happen again.
I am very proud that we haven’t had many significant arm issues here at
the Varsity level in 10 years. I don’t think we can stop all of these, for sure, but we
can help create an environment that helps keep players healthy and developing. By the way, this has (and will) cost us a few
wins along the way, for certain. But it is
worth it.
Parents, with love I say, stay off the field and out of the
dugout. We want to see only red and
black uniforms in the dugout during games and immediately after (except for
staff). Period. This is so key to keep
respect for our program as a real baseball program. This also includes board members who are not
coaches. That is not their role. Again,
in this and every way, treat this like a real baseball program, because it
is.
Players, come to practice and games. And then, work your
tails off. If you say you have no schedule conflicts before the season, then
keep your commitment. I had a player a
while back tell me he missed a tournament game (and we got shelled, too)
because "God called him" to do something else after he had told us he
was good-to-go before rosters were made. Anyway, I was talking to God, too,
about this situation and He didn’t mention anything to me about this
conversation. Remember, we are learning things here that you can't learn
anywhere else as part of your education.
There is a reason we play schools. We are a school team, too. So, value this experience and your team.
And wear your uniform right. Keep your hat on straight and
your shirts tucked in. Is this hard? Seriously? When the Yankees start
taking batting practice with their jerseys untucked or their hats on backwards,
then go ahead. But they don't do this. Why? Because the
respect the NY Yankees. In God's economy, why would you respect the Yankees
more than our team? You are a part of our team. Respect yourself.
Respect the game. Respect our traditions, our history, our program,
and our team.
To all of us ... Keep an attitude of learning and growing. This
is so important. I am trying to do just this. Just this week, I was
challenged by my friend and fellow coach Ray Boothe and reminded again how I need to improve as
a technical teacher of the game.
We need more baseball knowledge in our program. Players need to be watching, reading, and learning
about baseball. Our leaders do, too.
Players, watch as much as your parents will allows. Remember, we have to
be harder, smarter, more disciplined, and more efficient. So, be all of that.
Embrace this. Let our challenges make you better.
And parents, please avoid the trap of overpraise of your
sons. They are not “awesome” because
they pick up their underwear. Rather, they
are awesome because God made them and loves them. Now, it is outstanding if they pick up their
underwear for a few weeks, months, etc., right?
But when we tell our son that he is the most special, amazing dude/ball
player that ever put on spikes, then he is going to have trouble adversity
inevitably comes calling. He will be
unable to process failure and deal with it appropriately. In other words, the game will swamp him
eventually. The solution? Love your kids unconditionally, separate and
apart from their performance. Be
relentlessly positive and praise whenever you can, but also be honest with them
about where they are in life and in the game.
This helps to build a solid, mentally strong young man.
Something else we all need is courage. We need men who will stand up and say, “I
will be Michael Sam’s friend, yes, I will. But I also would really appreciate
it if he wouldn’t be kissing another man on the lips on national television. Thank
you very much. And to all of you who say I must accept this to meet your
definition of an enlightened citizen in the 21st Century, please
know that I make no similar demand that you accept my faith. I only ask that you consider that I am
sincerely following what I believe God has called me to do and ask that you
consider the standards you would seek to impose and the bases (or lack thereof)
for those standards.” God is big enough
to do all of this.
Where has courage gone? We are so sickeningly PC and scared of being
disliked that we make up new words to avoid saying what we are really
saying. But what will happen to us if
being “nice” or “cool” trumps doing the right thing? What will happen is that
we will all ultimately lose our freedom and the way of life that we have held
dear.
And where does courage grow?
It grows a lot of times in young people on the ball field. There are things taught here that are really
difficult to teach in a classroom, in a debate tournament, or in a lab. It grows in asking young people to do more
than they thought they could. It grows
through competitive sports – kids knocking against other kids. This is a vital part of education. It is
ultimately why I got hooked on this coaching gig. Stepping down off of my soap box now …
My chief emotion tonight is gratitude. I would like to
extend some specific thank you’s ...
To the people who extended me grace this
past year in one of the most difficult times of my life, it means more than I
can say here. I would like to especially
thank that group of Varsity parents that made the trek to Florida. Y’all we so great to me. Thank you.
Looking back, I am grateful to the Conebys, to Brad Andrews and the
rest of that initial, intrepid board who stood firm with me in those early
difficult days so the Mustangs could move forward to become what we are today.
Thank you to Dave Preston for teaching me about the mental game
and believing in me as a coach before I believed in myself.
Thank you to Rob Prigmore for teaching me how to organize a
practice and for teaching me first-and-third defense and more. “Let’s go, Bob.”
To Ray Boothe, thank you for helping me to be a better coach, and
more importantly, a better man. Most of
all, thank you for being my friend.
To Ron Wolforth, thank you for teaching me so much … how to run
practice, how to learn and grow as a coach, and really, how to learn to fall in
love with learning all over again.
To Terry Blaylock, thank you for being a great friend, teammate
and coach, and for laughing at my “mob” jokes.
You are as fine a teammate as I have served with in my various MOS’s and
gigs. Semper Fidelis.
To my girls and Lisa, thank you for caring about the
Mustangs. It meant a lot to the boys, I
know.
To all my players and the coaches I have worked alongside, thank
you for the great ride, the laughs, the tears, and for the joy we shared. I
have been blessed by and learned from you all.
This year’s staff was very special to me, as I said, and men, thank you
for exemplifying the best in Mustang coaches.
To Matt, Sheldon, and Pyle, thank you for staying in touch and reaching out
to me this past year. It has been an honor to be your coach to all of you
knuckleheads. Again, you now are part of
a special fraternity -- my former players. I have loved and still love
my players. So, please stay in touch. I am here as a resource, mentor,
reference, however I can help.
By the way, Alumni Game is going to be late July (7/26, to be
exact). See y'all there. I have hired myself as all-time alumni coach,
and I have appointed my old sidekick Coach Terry “Tonto” Blaylock as my
assistant.
And finally, thank you to my sons for getting me into the
business, so to speak. I will get too
emotional if I say too much, but I am really proud of how they both are such
great teammates and have always have given their very best.
I have been privileged to be in a special place and seen some
amazing things. Really, I have seen so many incredible, exciting, fun, and moving
things. I have seen my oldest son steal home with two outs in the bottom of
the last inning to tie a game and then do his "Hulk"
impersonation to the delight of our screaming fans. I have seen Loy
disappear into the photinias along the fence at Grace School to make the best
catch I ever saw a JH player make ... and save a game in the process.
I have seen two Mustangs throw up in the Rut Bus ... okay, only
one because the other made it just outside the door. I also saw the Mustangs take down my
alma mater (twice) and on another day hit back-to-back HRs against a 4A powerhouse. We
have had so many thrilling rallies through the years where the tension finally
exploded into joy when we broke that pinata. I could go on and on. But
the best memories are of the people, though. It has been, and remains,
"more than baseball," after all. …
Some of these things are small, and the description of them just
doesn't do them justice. But I will try. I remember when I was the JH coach and Reagan
was a little guy (6th-grader) and he was having a great day as we swept both
Covenant and TWCA. But I took him out later in the day and I was
interested in seeing his reaction. He came bouncing into the dugout and
sprinted out to warm up the left-fielder. That is the way he and his
brother always were. In 2009, his
brother, mired in a season-long slump in his senior season, came to me and told me that it would be
okay with him if he didn’t hit in his final HWS regionals appearance. I was floored. And then, in fact, he didn’t get to hit at regionals. But
he played flawless SS, and pitched the game of his life (a CG gem over Baton
Rouge), and was voted All-Tournament.
One of our players at the Varsity Retreat this year said that
being a part of the Mustangs "was the best experience of his life."
In a year of personal turmoil and strife, I let those words rattle around my
brain … and into my heart … all night.
At our first alumni game four years ago, I heard that one of our
former players (who couldn't make the game because he was deployed to
Afghanistan) had been shot. He was fine and recovering, but still, it
shook me up. I felt kind of responsible for this, too,
because I had encouraged this hard-headed knucklehead to go into the Marines,
and he had proudly texted me the day he signed up. I had the opportunity
to get together with him last year, and he told me of his USMC journey and about what he had seen
in Afghanistan. He told me about things that he had seen that he told
hardly anyone else. We shared some precious moments together, and it was
a strange and proud moment to be looking at one of my former players who was
now relating to me as a man in every sense of the word. I was so honored
to have been there and seen that. That player was Jerrett, by the way, whom
we we had nearly lost in my first season as Varsity Head Coach.
And ... in 2010, we played in the Burton tournament (which we
won). We had three one-win victories to
get there, too, including 7-6 over Fayetteville in the final. It was amazing because we were horrible
just a week earlier and we had revamped our defense and basically just started the
season over in Burton. After the first game, a great 1-0 win over Ganado, I got
to give a game ball to my dad’s best friend, David Stinson. My dad never got to see the Mustangs, though I
know he would have loved them. But I got
to honor his friend with that ball. And
he loved that game ball, too. I have loved giving out game balls.
Then there was the final game of 2011 and Matt's walk-off hit to
win it, and the special time we shared afterwards with that great team … and
the “pad” they gave me. I never got paid, and I wouldn't trade that experience
for a million bucks. Funny how things work out that way.
There has been so much. I have had a front-row seat to so many
great and wonderful things in the lives of our players and families. My
prayer is that you slow down and get to take these in and enjoy them as the
gifts from the Lord that they are.
Just his past week … I went to Jackson with the Boothes to watch
our sons play in the Opening Round of the NAIA playoffs. It was a great experience on so many levels. And I saw a number of seniors play their live
college games … their last games ever.
It reminded me how that day comes
when we all play our last game. This
year, we didn’t even know we had played our last game (because of the rainout
in Florida). So, play like there is no
tomorrow. And what about your lives? Make the most of every day, because each day
and the opportunities it brings are precious.
To me, to understand God's heart and how He wants us to live, I go back to the greatest commandment (what God loves) … to
love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind … and love your neighbor
as yourself. And to really get a picture
of how God sees our lives, I juxtapose the Greatest Commandment (again, what
God loves) with the things God hates in Prov. 6:16-19. Quick question: Which of the “dirty dozen” are
NOT on there? Oh, well … you can go
check later.
But here is the punch line for me: Life begins when you begin to
give yours away. It is a more fulfilling and enjoyable to help others achieve
their dreams than to achieve your own.
You parents know this to be true.
I did, sort of. Now, having been
a coach, I see the Father’s heart here even more profoundly, having taken this
principle beyond my own children. What a
blessing it has been to get just a glimpse.
And another key message from God's heart is, I
think, is: Be good stewards. That is, leave every place better than you
found it. Leave your country better than you found it. Leave your job, your team, your family, every
relationship, every person God blesses you to come into contact with … richer
for the experience. Embrace the
fulfilling ride of stewardship.
And in that regard, leave the Mustangs better than you found
them. A lot has gone into getting us to
this place. So, build on what we have here.
Leave it better for the next generation of Mustangs and families, and
then show them the way.
Players, again, stay in touch. Families, if I can help you
or provide assistance in your baseball journey, in high school or beyond,
please stay in touch and let me know. I have learned a lot through this journey
and would be happy to share it with you. Please, let me be a resource for you.
As for what I will be doing ... I would like to continue to work
with the Kids Camp, and I have some ideas regarding expanding the Mustang Nation into
youth baseball, as well. Also, will be open to helping out with
sub-varsity teams going forward. …
But I am going to be coaching somewhere down the line because somewhere
along this journey, as I said, I became a coach. I have some
ideas and plans I am excited about in sharing to teach the game and create an
opportunity for young men to grow through it, especially in the inner city.
Wherever I go, though, I will always love the Mustangs and all we
have stood and continue to stand for.
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See you on the field ... somewhere ... some day ... Until then ...
MtB Always,
Coach Rut
Note: The top photo at the beginning of this post was taken on April 29, 2010 by Terri Pyle while the Mustangs honored their teammates after a 2-out, 7-run rally to defeat the Belton Chargers, 9-8, in the bottom of the last inning (aka "the Centex Miracle") just outside the home dugout at Field No. 2 at the HWS in Auburndale, FL. The photo at the end of this post was taken by Martha Lout on May 1, 2014 just outside the home dugout at Field No. 2 at the HWS after the Mustangs rallied past HCYA in a walkoff, 13-12, for their 20th and final win of 2014. In the process, the Mustangs became the highest finishers of all Houston-Area teams at the HWS for the first time in program history.
