Sports

Guest Column: Kruger had a blast

Friday, June 6, 2008 10:43 AM EDT

I had a blast.

Most of my life I had been a player. For the past nine years I got to experience the other side of the game called coaching. Realizations quickly became apparent, like the equipment does not just magically appear at the field.

Someone has to get it there. As a coach you can't help your team win by performing athletic feats. You have to teach your players to execute certain skills at practice for hours and hours, and watch them do amazing things, or fail miserably while you get to stand in the coach's box feeling helpless.

When a player does something you taught them it is an amazing feeling.

The feeling of winning as a coach was something I was not prepared for. It was much better to win as a coach than as a player. I guess it is because you realize the whole team concept more. Also, to nurture a young freshmen team into successful upperclassmen is almost like raising a family. Teaching them how to handle bad times along with the good times.

Watching them progress as student athletes and grow as individuals. As a coach it is not feeling bad because we lost. It is feeling bad because your players did not perform the way you know they can.

I used to sometimes think as a player that the coach had it easy. He does not have to perform; he does not have the pressure of deciding to swing with a three and two count.

He gets to stand there and watch without all that pressure. I now realize it is better to be a player because a player can physically control their destiny. A coach can teach skills, attitude, and dedication, but it is up to your players to execute what they have learned.

I have had a great time coaching, but I need to give it up for a while for many reasons.

I have been playing and coaching baseball for 30 straight summers. I need a break. It all boils down to the amount of time spent on the field, bus, games, and summer games.

I do not have that kind of time too spend on the baseball field. This spring my wife, daughter, and wife's family went to Disney World without me because I had coaching responsibilities.

My decision was difficult because there is a very young and talented group coming up and I do not have the time to put in to this young group that I would like to have coached. If I can't do it right, I am not going to do it.

Doing it right is volunteering your time coaching summer baseball and playing a lot of games.

It was a hard decision to stop coaching, but I knew before the season even started. I just did not want to say anything official that could have an effect on this season. I will still be around the field. I have a few hitting lessons to give this summer.

In today's high school sports many people do not even come close to realizing the amount of time, effort, and sacrifices that a coach has to make to do their job.

Dowagiac is lucky to have a quality group of coaches that make those sacrifices every day.

Thanks to all my players, I hope I have taught you about the game of baseball and life. I know you have taught me more things than you will ever know.

Andy Kruger is Dowagiac's former varsity baseball coach.

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