Mission Statement

The goal of the Missouri Diamond Dogs Baseball Team is to develop players so they can continue playing in high school and beyond.  We will achieve this goal by building players to:

• be a LEADER - Taking charge of a situation under pressure...paying the price in sweat, effort and sacrifice...showing the way through good example
• be a SPORTSMAN - Showing enthusiasm, spirit and courage all the time...taking advice and criticism in an effort to improve...being humble and gracious both on and off the field...respecting your opponent in both victory and defeat
• be a COMPETITOR - Possessing a deep determination and desire to win...having pride in yourself and never giving up...getting up one more time than you are knocked down...being tougher than your opponent every play
• be AGGRESSIVE - Stepping to the plate determined to hit the ball hard...hustling all the time, wanting to be #1...playing with concentration, passion and intensity...always giving maximum effort
• be DEDICATED - Being well conditioned through proper training and diet...making every practice and working hard every play...disciplining yourself to follow team rules and guidelines
• be LOYAL - Thinking in terms of "we" instead of "I"...sacrificing for the good of the team...respecting the organization and your teammates

   

PYRAMID OF SUCCESS

This year we have incorporated the teachings of Coach John Wooden and his "Pyramid of Success".  Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success reveals that achievement is built block by block, with each block being a crucial principle contributing to lifelong success in every area of life.  Each week we will study a new building block, ultimately leading to making successful young men.

January 15th - Lesson #1 "Defining Success"

January 22nd - Lesson #2 "Hard Work & Enthusiasm"

January 29th - Lesson #3 "Friendship, Loyalty & Cooperation"

February 5th - Lesson #4 "Self-Control & Alertness"

February 19th - Lesson #5 "Initiative & Intentness"

  

Pyramid Progress (working towards four stars!)

• Cody Hacker 
• Gage Patton 
• Matt Davis   
• Jake Verschoore 
• Nolan Herbst 
• Dylan Hansen 
• Jake Reeves 
• Zachary Hurwitz
• Nick Schmidt 
• Tom Burke 
• Gage Dwyer 
• Caleb Carswell 

    

Please read some player responses below from their training:

 

Friendship, Loyalty and Cooperation:

 

Coach,

My friend Nick went to join his friends to eat lunch.  Then right when he sat down, they got up and left him sitting there by himself.  So I got up and joined him so he wasn't sitting alone.

 

Coach Derek

 My friend was getting made fun of because he could not do a front roll.

 I knew I could and so I partnered up with him for performance and the kids who were making fun of him could not do it and I told him how to do it and he did it and he was so amazing.

 

Coach Derek,

One day one of my friends was picking on my brother in the car.  I was yelling STOP to him and he wouldn't stop.  I had to bring them apart personally.  That friend stopped and hasn't picked on him since.  I was trying to be loyal to my brother.

 

Coach,

One way I remained loyal to a friend and when he needed it most, was when my friend's Grandpa died and my friend was upset and I helped him get through it.

 

Coach Derek,

I was at school a couple of days ago at recess.  A friend and I were talking and a kid came up to me and my friend.  The kid said to my friend you have weird hair and you run weird too.  So I stood up to him and said hey why don't you leave him alone.  Then he left my friend alone.

 

Dear Coach Derek,

A couple of weeks ago two of my friends were fighting about who is faster so I stepped in and got one away from the other.

 

Coach Derek,

One day I was sledding and a kid came up to my brother and hit him so I came up to him and pushed him off.  I told him it was not OK to be mean to my brother.  My brother is my friend too.  I helped my brother.

 

Dear Coach Derek,

   I have a friend at school that has been getting in trouble a lot and has been yelling at people and teachers.  So I gave him some advice on not getting in trouble and keeping his temper down. The advice worked.  That is how I was loyal to my friend.

 

Coach Derek, 

one time i was being loyal to my friend was when people were calling him short and making fun of him i came and stood up to the bullies and they never messed with my friend again.

 

 

Goals:

Coaches Goals -

 

I would like to see the boys become a better "team" by that I mean, that we help each other become more of an encourager to each other, to cheer each other on through the good and bad times. To have something good to say about your teammate when he can't find something good to feel about himself.

 

I would like to see the boys come to realize  their God given gift and develop it to it's full potential. Mentally and physically.

 

In conclusion I want the boys to be proud of the team and their teammates.To know that they have earned the right to play on this team. That through hard work,discipline and self respect, we can be the best "team" regardless of the final score.

 

Coach Seth.

 

 

Since I am so new to the team and still in the process of learning each player I don’t know if I am in a position to set a goal for the team. Personally I would like to learn each players’ strengths and weakness and help them improve on the foundation which you have already laid. Win or lose make sure they are having fun. When they are down, build them up. When they are up, let them know pride. I believe that you are trying to teach them baseball skills to become better players and more cohesive team along with life skills to make them better individuals. Ultimately my goal is help support you, Seth and Arron, make a positive impact by nurturing each player and be a role model on and off the field. Coach Daniel      I have but one goal for the team, at the end of the year I want every player to feel as though they have grown as young men, mentally, physically and spirtiually.  I know each of these young men will succeed on the baseball field, they have a gift, and they have shown the determination to get better through hard work.  Remember that this is a game, always have fun playing baseball - it will make you better players and team mates. Coach Derek      There are two main goals that I have for the season is for all the boys to grow the love that they have for "the game".  By finding that "love" inside, they will push themselves to be the best they can be. Hopefully, this will stay with them in all other aspects in their lives such as school, chores, work, among other things.  By working hard and seeing the results, I believe they will realize that with hard work and dedication, you can achieve any and all goals that they have.   The second goal I have for the season is for all of the boys to realize that every person on this team is different.  Each has their own way of showing emotions, different goals, different likes and dislikes, and different things they are good (and not so good) at.  As they go through life, they will have to depend on other people throughout.  It may be simple things like their mom and dad making sure they have a shelter, food, etc. since they cannot provide that for themselves.  But more importantly in whatever profession they choose to spend their life doing.  Even work is like a team.  You have different players with different skill sets, personalities, and opinions trying to achieve the same goal.  Learning to work as a TEAM and dedicating yourself to be the best you can be at your "position" is the only way to achieve your goal. Trying to be better than someone who has a different skill set or knocking someone down to make yourself feel better are detrimental to the "TEAM".   Coach Aaron     PLAYERS GOALS: Dylan Hansen: 1. Strike out in less than 16.2% of at-bats. 2. Allow fewer than .75 walks per inning pitched. Matt Davis: 1. Allow fewer than .75 walks per inning pitched. 2. Get 80 total hits. Nolan Herbst: 1. Strike out in less than 20% of at-bats. 2. Increase my batting average from last year's .448. Gage Patton: 1. Have fewer strike outs per at-bat than last year. 2. Increase my batting average from last year. 3. Earn more playing time at catcher. Nick Schmidt: 1. Take more pitches and work deeper in the count. 2. Make accurate throws in the field. Gage Dwyer: 1. Increase my batting average from last year. 2. Have fewer walks per innings pitched from last year. 3. Be more of a team leader.