Coach Hughes' Corner
It is that time again for some insight to what this guy is thinking. I have done this now for almost a year and seem to be lost every time I do one(or everyday). I have searched and searched for some type of topic and can't find one that would be interesting to most readers. So, with that said, I am going to take this time to recognize some past players for there achievements. I will miss some of you and I do apologize. But this is about the ones that have had a true impact in my time here at Purdy. This falls after seeing a bunch of those guys play a couple of Saturdays ago.
Lets start with one individual that had it stacked against him when I got to Purdy. Dustin Moore was ineligible the first fall. He asked if he could practice with the team and then play when his grades were up in the fall. I was told by numerous people that he would be a trouble maker. I told them that everyone gets a chance with me. And boy was I glad I gave him that chance. He not only played for us that spring(his senior year) but batted 3 hole and played shortstop. He later went on to join the armed forces and is currently making a good life for himself. He told me a few years later that I was one of the reasons he made better choices. Good luck Dustin.
One truly remarkable performance over the 6 years I have been here has to be the pitching performance of Corey Moller at Forsyth in the Sectional game his senior year. Not very many know this, but that date was exactly a year to the day from when he lost his older brother. Corey pretty much dominated one of the better teams in the state for 6 innings and earned the win to move us to the quarterfinal game vs Houston. He has now moved to Oklahoma and is currently working on a Sports Business/Management degree. He has asked me to be his best man in his wedding in a couple of years. This is a honor and a privilege that he has bestowed on me.
One of the best athletes that I have coached at Purdy comes in the form of Spencer Terry. He was the one that probably also gave me some of these gray hairs that are now slowly creeping onto my head. He caused me many nights of sleeplessness and gave me small forms of heart attacks at times. He is now one of the biggest supporters of me and this program. Everytime I see him, he is always asking about the team and me and my family. This young man has grown up and is currently working towards helping others as a volunteer fire fighter and EMT.
Derek Daley and Ryan Veith were sophomores when I came to Purdy. Both were very raw but very talented. Derek started the first fall game of that year at short. It didn't take me long to realize that was not going to work. Every ball hit his way turned him into a NHL goalie. He would use his body and keep it in front of him but hardly ever threw any one out because he would not have enough time to make the throw. This is when he became my catcher and was one of the best blocking catchers I have seen at the high school level. Ryan became my center fielder after the 1st week of practice that fall. I told him that he was it and told him it was his job to lose. After jerking him out of a game at Blue Eye for missing a cutoff twice, he never missed an inning in center field(unless we were experimenting with him pitching). He earned All-State 2nd Team his senior year with his bat and glove. Both of these young men are working in the area and being an asset to the community.
Josh Wiseman was one of those kids that every coach does not know what to do with. He always found a way into the games or played hard when giving an opportunity. So, he earned more and more playing time. As a senior, he was a big part of our pitching staff and earned honors that he deserved. Josh has pitched in small colleges the last two years and is currently looking to play this coming spring. He has also returned to our practices on numerous occasions to help.
Blake Williams was one that you wanted to play. No matter what he did, he worked his tale off. He is currently playing basketball in college rehabbing a knee injury. Blake was a big part of a lot of wins, no bigger then the 3 run homer he hit to help us win a conference championship his Sophomore year.
Trent Goetz was one of the reasons why I am at Purdy(ok, maybe not exactly, but close). He started all 4 years and was Honorable Mention All-State his senior year. Trent is the true meaning of a team player. Early in his career he gave up a lot of at bats to bunt guys over or draw a walk to get things going behind him. He currently holds the team record(since I have been here, 6 years) for saves in a year. He, along with his classmates were involved in over 100 wins in his 4 years. Trent currently is working on his degree.
Chris Bennett is the only player I have had to hit a pinch hit homerun as a freshmen. He is also the only player I have seen take a ball in the face at third and it doesn't even look like it hurt. I cried more when he got hit then he did. Chris took his ability and made the best of it to help the team win. Chris is currently at Missouri Southern working on his degree.
Mason Roller was a 3 time All-State selection. Mason made coaching easy. Just get guys on in front of him and let him drive them in. If you noticed me stretching my arm when he was in the on deck circle, it wasn't for pitching purposes. It was due to me having to wave runners in almost consistently when he batted(I didn't want to tear anything). Mason is currently playing at Drury University in Springfield and if we had a way to count past and present, he probably holds the all time school records for career homeruns and RBI's. If you doubt that, let me know. I would put his numbers up to about anyones.
Daniel Burnside played 3 1/2 years and was named Purdy Baseball MVP his senior year. He never consistently started until his senior year and boy did he make the best of it. He lead the team in hitting and RBI's his senior year. He also lead the team in Happy Meals. Not sure what that means, but as a freshmen I believe is how he earned that.
Caleb Willey is the one player that graduated that I pulled for the most during his four years. After being hit in the head numerous times as a underclassmen during practice taking fly balls, I didn't know if he would ever make it. But he sure did and then some. He was a everyday starter his senior year and helped his team to a share of the conference title. He is truly the image I get when I think of team player. Even as a senior, we had trouble keeping him in the dugout when a foul ball was hit. We would have to tell him that he was on deck and to not go after foul balls.
I know I have missed some, but not on purpose. I know Alan Miller, Austin Tate, Terre Brown, Brian Holloway, are a few that have left this program but I haven't heard from them in a long time.
I have had 4 assistant coach's in these 6 years. My first year was with Coach Chris Kennedy, he is now coaching basketball at Hollister. The 2nd year was with Craig Moody who is coaching basketball at Dixon, MO. Stuart Lombard helped me in year 3 and 4. He is currently working on his own business, Ballpark Graphics, in Wheaton MO. Chris Branstetter is helping now.
Sometimes it is great to go down memory lane, don't you think?
Lets start with one individual that had it stacked against him when I got to Purdy. Dustin Moore was ineligible the first fall. He asked if he could practice with the team and then play when his grades were up in the fall. I was told by numerous people that he would be a trouble maker. I told them that everyone gets a chance with me. And boy was I glad I gave him that chance. He not only played for us that spring(his senior year) but batted 3 hole and played shortstop. He later went on to join the armed forces and is currently making a good life for himself. He told me a few years later that I was one of the reasons he made better choices. Good luck Dustin.
One truly remarkable performance over the 6 years I have been here has to be the pitching performance of Corey Moller at Forsyth in the Sectional game his senior year. Not very many know this, but that date was exactly a year to the day from when he lost his older brother. Corey pretty much dominated one of the better teams in the state for 6 innings and earned the win to move us to the quarterfinal game vs Houston. He has now moved to Oklahoma and is currently working on a Sports Business/Management degree. He has asked me to be his best man in his wedding in a couple of years. This is a honor and a privilege that he has bestowed on me.
One of the best athletes that I have coached at Purdy comes in the form of Spencer Terry. He was the one that probably also gave me some of these gray hairs that are now slowly creeping onto my head. He caused me many nights of sleeplessness and gave me small forms of heart attacks at times. He is now one of the biggest supporters of me and this program. Everytime I see him, he is always asking about the team and me and my family. This young man has grown up and is currently working towards helping others as a volunteer fire fighter and EMT.
Derek Daley and Ryan Veith were sophomores when I came to Purdy. Both were very raw but very talented. Derek started the first fall game of that year at short. It didn't take me long to realize that was not going to work. Every ball hit his way turned him into a NHL goalie. He would use his body and keep it in front of him but hardly ever threw any one out because he would not have enough time to make the throw. This is when he became my catcher and was one of the best blocking catchers I have seen at the high school level. Ryan became my center fielder after the 1st week of practice that fall. I told him that he was it and told him it was his job to lose. After jerking him out of a game at Blue Eye for missing a cutoff twice, he never missed an inning in center field(unless we were experimenting with him pitching). He earned All-State 2nd Team his senior year with his bat and glove. Both of these young men are working in the area and being an asset to the community.
Josh Wiseman was one of those kids that every coach does not know what to do with. He always found a way into the games or played hard when giving an opportunity. So, he earned more and more playing time. As a senior, he was a big part of our pitching staff and earned honors that he deserved. Josh has pitched in small colleges the last two years and is currently looking to play this coming spring. He has also returned to our practices on numerous occasions to help.
Blake Williams was one that you wanted to play. No matter what he did, he worked his tale off. He is currently playing basketball in college rehabbing a knee injury. Blake was a big part of a lot of wins, no bigger then the 3 run homer he hit to help us win a conference championship his Sophomore year.
Trent Goetz was one of the reasons why I am at Purdy(ok, maybe not exactly, but close). He started all 4 years and was Honorable Mention All-State his senior year. Trent is the true meaning of a team player. Early in his career he gave up a lot of at bats to bunt guys over or draw a walk to get things going behind him. He currently holds the team record(since I have been here, 6 years) for saves in a year. He, along with his classmates were involved in over 100 wins in his 4 years. Trent currently is working on his degree.
Chris Bennett is the only player I have had to hit a pinch hit homerun as a freshmen. He is also the only player I have seen take a ball in the face at third and it doesn't even look like it hurt. I cried more when he got hit then he did. Chris took his ability and made the best of it to help the team win. Chris is currently at Missouri Southern working on his degree.
Mason Roller was a 3 time All-State selection. Mason made coaching easy. Just get guys on in front of him and let him drive them in. If you noticed me stretching my arm when he was in the on deck circle, it wasn't for pitching purposes. It was due to me having to wave runners in almost consistently when he batted(I didn't want to tear anything). Mason is currently playing at Drury University in Springfield and if we had a way to count past and present, he probably holds the all time school records for career homeruns and RBI's. If you doubt that, let me know. I would put his numbers up to about anyones.
Daniel Burnside played 3 1/2 years and was named Purdy Baseball MVP his senior year. He never consistently started until his senior year and boy did he make the best of it. He lead the team in hitting and RBI's his senior year. He also lead the team in Happy Meals. Not sure what that means, but as a freshmen I believe is how he earned that.
Caleb Willey is the one player that graduated that I pulled for the most during his four years. After being hit in the head numerous times as a underclassmen during practice taking fly balls, I didn't know if he would ever make it. But he sure did and then some. He was a everyday starter his senior year and helped his team to a share of the conference title. He is truly the image I get when I think of team player. Even as a senior, we had trouble keeping him in the dugout when a foul ball was hit. We would have to tell him that he was on deck and to not go after foul balls.
I know I have missed some, but not on purpose. I know Alan Miller, Austin Tate, Terre Brown, Brian Holloway, are a few that have left this program but I haven't heard from them in a long time.
I have had 4 assistant coach's in these 6 years. My first year was with Coach Chris Kennedy, he is now coaching basketball at Hollister. The 2nd year was with Craig Moody who is coaching basketball at Dixon, MO. Stuart Lombard helped me in year 3 and 4. He is currently working on his own business, Ballpark Graphics, in Wheaton MO. Chris Branstetter is helping now.
Sometimes it is great to go down memory lane, don't you think?
posted by jhughes at
10:58 AM
3 Comments
.JPG)
