A Season I'll Never Forget!
- By Jimmy Fowlkes
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- 06 Apr, 2018
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The 2016 Osborne High School Cardinals
To all the baseball coaches who have only coached elite travel ball their whole careers, I feel sorry for you. My 2016 Osborne Cardinals may have finished 5-19, but I wouldn't trade a moment I spent with this group of young men from Cobb County, Georgia with anyone!
After winning only one game each of the previous two years, we decided that we had nothing to lose. They practiced hard, and didn't worry about making mistakes in a game. They hustled on and off the field and never argued with the umpires.
They argued with each other all the time! But like a family, we argued and fought, but we also hugged and laughed together too.
We did everything together while on the baseball field. I'll never forget the way they cheered and encouraged each other during cage batting practice.
No matter how quickly I cleaned up my classroom to get to practice after school, they always beat me there. They couldn't wait to practice. I know, that sounds crazy, but you have to understand I only had a few players with "travel ball" experience.
One of the most satisfying moments in my coaching career was when the players took a break to get some water after a long hard practice and the whole team automatically lined up at home plate to run the bases without being told. I was so proud of them, I decided to not make them run that day. But guess what.... they ran on their own anyway!
They took tremendous pride in wearing their uniform. Representing their school, their community, and their friends meant a lot to them. Even before the baseball season started, I loved the fact that they went together to football and basketball games to cheer on their fellow classmates!
After we started the season 5-5, with a 3 game winning streak, a rare run-rule victory, and a nice newspaper article about us, I called a team meeting. I had been contacted by someone from the East Cobb Youth Association. They had heard about me and wanted me to coach a summer league team. It was going to be a tremendously talented team. All I had to do was show up and make out a line-up. I "didn't have to even bother coaching them because they would be so good."
Thus the reason for writing this article. My response was (which was no surprise to my players) "What the hell would I want to do that for!"
After winning only one game each of the previous two years, we decided that we had nothing to lose. They practiced hard, and didn't worry about making mistakes in a game. They hustled on and off the field and never argued with the umpires.
They argued with each other all the time! But like a family, we argued and fought, but we also hugged and laughed together too.
We did everything together while on the baseball field. I'll never forget the way they cheered and encouraged each other during cage batting practice.
No matter how quickly I cleaned up my classroom to get to practice after school, they always beat me there. They couldn't wait to practice. I know, that sounds crazy, but you have to understand I only had a few players with "travel ball" experience.
One of the most satisfying moments in my coaching career was when the players took a break to get some water after a long hard practice and the whole team automatically lined up at home plate to run the bases without being told. I was so proud of them, I decided to not make them run that day. But guess what.... they ran on their own anyway!
They took tremendous pride in wearing their uniform. Representing their school, their community, and their friends meant a lot to them. Even before the baseball season started, I loved the fact that they went together to football and basketball games to cheer on their fellow classmates!
After we started the season 5-5, with a 3 game winning streak, a rare run-rule victory, and a nice newspaper article about us, I called a team meeting. I had been contacted by someone from the East Cobb Youth Association. They had heard about me and wanted me to coach a summer league team. It was going to be a tremendously talented team. All I had to do was show up and make out a line-up. I "didn't have to even bother coaching them because they would be so good."
Thus the reason for writing this article. My response was (which was no surprise to my players) "What the hell would I want to do that for!"
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