MURRIETA MESA SUMMER BASEBALL

There was really no break for me between the regular baseball season and summer baseball at the high school. We started playing summer games before the boys got out of school for the summer. I was able to be the head coach of the varsity summer team with the help from other coaches. It was tough to organize at times with some of the boys playing football, basketball and on other travel baseball teams but we managed to have a pretty successful summer. The summer is a little bit different than the regular season. Coaches do not exchange line-ups, allowing free substitution. We usually play 9 innings instead of 7. Summer is mainly for instruction and development of the players instead of focusing on competition. The varsity team ended up 11-4 at the end of summer. As a coaching staff, we saw a lot of good things from a lot of different players. This is very encouraging since we had 13 seniors graduate from our program. It will be difficult to fill their spots but I am sure some of the young guys will fill in and take on the challenge. We saw a lot of things that need to be worked on as a program and I am excited to get back to work this fall in preparation for next season. We will be very young, but I think we will be a scrappy team that needs to rely on offense execution with solid defense. We have plenty on young pitchers that will have to be aggressive, throw a lot of strikes and trust their defense.

At the end of the summer, I had all the boys up for a BBQ and swim party. It was a lot of fun.

  

 

ABCA CONVENTION

 Last weekend I was able to attend the annual American Baseball Coaches Association Convention in Anaheim. It was AWESOME! Coaches, players and companies across the nation associated with baseball at every level participated and attended. I was able to attend 2 out of the 3 days, Friday and Saturday. From 8 am to 6 pm there were clinic sessions that you could attend. Clinics and presentations from top Division 1 coaches, professional hitting instructors, sports psychologists, athletic trainers, former coaches that are now motivational speakers. Anything you can think of dealing with baseball and athletics, it was covered. It was a great experience for me and I hope to be able to attend more in the future. I was able to take away a lot of information to be implemented into my coaching style; different drills, players relationships, leadership roles, offensive and defensive philosophies and the list can go on. I thought I was excited to start this baseball season a few weeks ago, but after attending this convention I am even more pumped to start my first year of coaching. It increased my desire to be a head coach at the college level to be honest. There are so many opportunities in the world of sports and athletics and that is what I love to do. I am happy I am taking the first step and have been given the opportunity to coach this year. I hope I can be an positive influence and be able to help young baseball players to become better people and leaders along with improving their skills as a basbeball player.

PRACTICE BEGINS

I finally received the final word from the district office last week. I am officially hired as a baseball coach at Murrieta Mesa High School. I will be coaching at the freshman level and really excited. I met most of the boys last week as well as the other coaches. Between now and Christmas break I will be out on the field with the boys, throwing the ball around and hitting in the cages. I haven't thrown a baseball in probably over a year but it felt good throwing the other day. It's a little different than throwing a softball, mainly just size and weight. I immediately started a throwing routine for the team and explained what I wanted them to do and focus on when warming and throwing. We probably won't do any live hitting or drills on the field until we get back from Christmas break. I am really excited about this opportunity to coach. I have wanted to do it for awhile now, and I hope that it leads to more coaching opportunities in the future with baseball as well as football.

LOVE..... and BASEBALL

There are a lot of things that people "Love."  There are a lot of things that I love.  I simply love life and everything that it has to offer.  I love my beautiful wife Brooke, with all my heart and will for eternity.  I love my family unconditionally.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and so grateful for the love, joy, peace and knowledge is brings into my life.  I could make a long list of the things I love, but those are the few really important things I love in this life.

One of my great passions, and has been from the time I was young, is baseball.  I love baseball.  I enjoy playing a lot of different sports and being active but the game of baseball is special.  I haven't played an actual baseball game for a few years but I get my baseball fix by playing a lot softball.  It isn't quite the same but very similar.

I came across this simple quote and that is what inspired this blog post.

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too."

I am really excited to get the chance to coach baseball this next season at the high school level.  I have never coached a team before and it will be a new experience for me. I am a little nervous, but I feel the skills needed to coach will come naturally and I have confidence in myself that I will be able to do the job.  

A COACH'S PRAYER

Dear Lord, guide me as

I try to coach this team;

to build each player’s character

and boost their self-esteem.

May I keep an even temper

and remember it’s just a game.

Let me not have favorite players,

but treat them all the same.

Grant me patience with them

as I praise them or correct,

remembering that I must work

to earn each one’s respect.

Lord, whether we may win or lose

may all who are watching see

the kind of coach at every game

that you would have me be.

Amen

By: Tony Alfonso

Last week while I was waiting to meet with the Athletic Director at Murrieta Mesa to turn in some paper work, I had a few moments to look around the school's gymnasium.  In the entrance lobby there were several cases that displayed team pictures, signed baseballs and footballs along with many awards achieved by players and teams.  In one of the cases I found the above Coach's Prayer.  I had never heard of it before but the words left an impression on me.  Simple words to remember but not always easily done.  I hope that within the opportunities I have to coach,  that I will constantly have this prayer in my heart and be able to focus on individuals as well as all the "small and simple things"  and let  "winning" be a byproduct of the hard work, dedication and determination.  It is very similar to how the Lord and the Gospel works in our lives. Alma 37:6-7  His purpose is "...to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."  Christ has fulfilled is promise and we must continually strive to fulfill our responsibilty.  Through the small and simple things such as; repentance, saying our daily prayers, reading our scriptures, serving others and obeying His commandments, we will be on the "strait and narrow path" leading to eternal life.  If it is our goal is to return to live with our Father in Heaven and our Savior I know that these small and simple, not always easy, things will be apart of our lives and through them we will find peace and joy in this life and in the life to come.

COACHING OPPORTUNITY

Anyone that really knows me, knows that I love baseball. It truly has been a long time passion of mine ever since I can remember. I love the game of baseball. I love the everyday practice of fundamentals and drills. I love the mental part of the game at the plate and especially on the mound.  I love the feeling when you make solid contact with bat and ball. I love making a diving play and getting dirty. I love the sound of metal cleats on red brick dust infield. I love the camaraderie of a baseball team. There are so many things I love about the game of baseball and I could go on and on.
One of the regrets I have in my life to this point is not pursuing baseball and playing at the next level.  I gave it a shot a few times in college, but didn't stick with it.  No one to blame but myself.  I do however still want to be involved with baseball and have a great desire to coach.  I don't have much experience of being an official coach but I have an opportunity to help coach at a local High School in Murrieta.  Murrieta Mesa has need of assistant baseball coaches. Luckily for me, one of my old baseball coaches at Murrieta Valley is involved with the baseball program at Murrieta Mesa and has helped me get my foot in the door. I have met with the Athletic Director and currently in the process of applying through the school district and making it official. There is still some paperwork, certifications that need to be processed and interviews that still need to happen.  I am pretty stoked about the opportunity and hope that I can help these young players become better at the sport we both enjoy.