Jim Wells and Eileen Schmidt made moves that made news last week.
The former NSU coaches left their current jobs, catching most by surprise, but making decisions that were perfectly understandable.
Thursday, Wells made what was to many a surprising call to retire after 13 seasons as the baseball coach at Alabama. Schmidt, after three years as softball coach at Kentucky, moved east to her alma mater, taking over as head coach at Virginia last Wednesday.
Wells' decision rocked the Crimson Tide nation and was one of the top topics in Omaha at the College World Series. Schmidt's move hadn't even been acknowleged as of Monday morning on the Kentucky web site or in the Lexington media, as far as I can tell, which is one excellent reason why she made a smart shift to UVA. Softball just isn't on the radar at UK, even though their athletic administration has been quite supportive. Considering the work she had invested, this could not have been a clear-cut decision for Schmitty.
She did a quite commendable job in her three seasons at Kentucky, although her record may not show it. My friends who watch LSU softball say that for the first time, the Wildcats have a legitimate SEC-caliber team, thanks to the work Eileen and former NSU assistant Melissa Inhouye have done in Lexington. To the UK administration's credit, they understood it was a long-term building project when they hired Schmidt away from NSU after the 2004 season.
Nonetheless, in the win-now or be-gone culture of "big time" collegiate athletics, Schmidt's shelf life at Kentucky was running short heading into her fourth season. It was probably going to be a pivotal year for her. At Virginia, she takes over an established program run by a friend and mentor of hers, Karen Johns, who retired. UVA is in a conference that top to bottom isn't nearly as tough as the SEC in softball, and for Eileen, it's her alma mater and she has identity there that she never would have anyplace else. She was happy at Kentucky but as she admitted, UVA is her dream job. Good for her - she's going to be happier and successful with the Cavaliers. If Inhouye isn't promoted at UK, look for her in Charlottesville as Eileen's assistant, continuing a tandem formed here at NSU.
BTW, Thomas Jefferson designed the core of the UVA campus. Charles Schultz, the cartoonist who gave the world Charlie Brown and the cast of Peanuts, lived on a mountain overlooking Charlottesville.
Coach Wells' decision to retire stunned many. He's still a young man, in his early 50s. Most people are convinced he will be back in coaching soon. He does love it, but it wouldn't surprise me if he goes into a business venture and never again sits in a college or pro dugout except as a special guest.
I believe he's about to be an all-world daddy to his three kids and he and Lisa will enjoy them growing up over the next few years. He deserves that chance, for sure. Wouldn't you do it if you could? Well done, on many fronts, Jim!
-- Doug Ireland, SID
Monday, June 25, 2007
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Happy Campers
Although their status isn't measured by scoreboards, NSU coaches are in a very important phase of their jobs in June and July.
It's camp season.
Boys and girls high school age down to pre-K enjoy instruction, competition and activities coordinated by the Northwestern coaching staffs each summer. Some sports get into the camp action during winter months (baseball/softball, for example, host Christmas break camps).
Here, and far, our coaches are dealing with some happy campers.
Just this Father's Day weekend, Prather Coliseum was teeming with teams. Coach Mike McConathy's annual Demon Basketball Team Camp attracted 62 high school boys teams from Louisiana and Texas for an action packed 36-hour stretch of competition, augmented by an hour-long clinic in which the Demon coaches and players demonstrated an array of their drills and skills for the campers.
Assistant coaches Jeff Moore and Mark Slessinger, along with staffers Bob Austin and D.J. Ross, were ringleaders for the circus-like atmosphere. And I mean "circus-like" from the aspects of (1) everybody having lots of fun and (2) instead of having three rings, the camp used four courts in Prather Coliseum and two more at the Health and Human Performance Building across campus. Needless to say, it takes a lot of work to host a camp, especially one with more than 500 players involved.
I mentioned "pre-K" kids, and again, there's Coach Mike and crew serving the interests of the NSU fan base. The "Father-Son Camp" has morphed into the "Parent/Grandparent-Child Camp" with dads and daughters, grandparents and grandkids, moms and sons, and oh, yeah, fathers and sons playing basketball together, competing and laughing. Watching the "pressure free throw competition" a couple weeks ago, with Demon players, kids and other campers heckling parents trying to stay in a shooting contest, was hilarious!
Across the street, The Demon Diamond was jammed full of young girls earlier this month for one of the softball camps offered by the NSU coaching staff of Becky McMurtry and Krystal Nichols. It was a brutally hot June weekend but kids and parents were bounding about, parents with umbrellas and video cameras and kids with bats and gloves.
If it's a big crowd of campers and celebrities you want to see, be here next Saturday, June 23, when the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame teams up with Coach Scott Stoker and the Demon football program. Their annual high school 7-on-7 passing tournament kicks off with a bang, as each year's class of Hall of Fame football inductees (this year's list is All-Pro linebacker Pat Swilling, All-Pro kick returner Brian Mitchell and Super Bowl quarterback Stan Humphries) join with returning HOF members to speak (briefly) to the 600+ campers and then visit with them on the sidelines throughout the morning of the tournament.
Camps don't just happen on campus. Saturday morning, Lady Demon volleyball coach Brittany Uffelman flew off to her home stomping grounds up in Wyoming. Over the next two weeks, she will stage camps in Wyoming and Montana with hundreds of volleyball-crazed kids. As fun as volleyball is to watch, there's only a handful of high school or club teams within hailing distance of the NSU campus, so following the lead of her predecessor, Leigh Mullins, Coach B has hosted camps away from campus where the players are. The Demon soccer and football staffs also have conducted camps in off-site locations.
So, when I hear well-intentioned friends say to our coaches, "I guess you're resting up for the fall, right?", I wish they had the chance to leave their jobs to come by to watch the work these coaches put into their camps during the "down time." Camp season really never ends. While our coaches are on the road and on the phone and on the internet recruiting year-round, they are also urging coaches and players to come to NSU's camps.
These camps are useful and valuable. They generate money for NSU, help supplement coaches salaries and operating budgets, introduce many campers to the beautiful and friendly university campus, and provide exposure for prospective players to our coaching staffs, allowing our coaches to evaluate prospects for upcoming recruiting classes.
So, while vacations do happen this time of year, this isn't a lazy stretch for our coaching staffs. All they want right now are happy campers.
Doug Ireland, SID
It's camp season.
Boys and girls high school age down to pre-K enjoy instruction, competition and activities coordinated by the Northwestern coaching staffs each summer. Some sports get into the camp action during winter months (baseball/softball, for example, host Christmas break camps).
Here, and far, our coaches are dealing with some happy campers.
Just this Father's Day weekend, Prather Coliseum was teeming with teams. Coach Mike McConathy's annual Demon Basketball Team Camp attracted 62 high school boys teams from Louisiana and Texas for an action packed 36-hour stretch of competition, augmented by an hour-long clinic in which the Demon coaches and players demonstrated an array of their drills and skills for the campers.
Assistant coaches Jeff Moore and Mark Slessinger, along with staffers Bob Austin and D.J. Ross, were ringleaders for the circus-like atmosphere. And I mean "circus-like" from the aspects of (1) everybody having lots of fun and (2) instead of having three rings, the camp used four courts in Prather Coliseum and two more at the Health and Human Performance Building across campus. Needless to say, it takes a lot of work to host a camp, especially one with more than 500 players involved.
I mentioned "pre-K" kids, and again, there's Coach Mike and crew serving the interests of the NSU fan base. The "Father-Son Camp" has morphed into the "Parent/Grandparent-Child Camp" with dads and daughters, grandparents and grandkids, moms and sons, and oh, yeah, fathers and sons playing basketball together, competing and laughing. Watching the "pressure free throw competition" a couple weeks ago, with Demon players, kids and other campers heckling parents trying to stay in a shooting contest, was hilarious!
Across the street, The Demon Diamond was jammed full of young girls earlier this month for one of the softball camps offered by the NSU coaching staff of Becky McMurtry and Krystal Nichols. It was a brutally hot June weekend but kids and parents were bounding about, parents with umbrellas and video cameras and kids with bats and gloves.
If it's a big crowd of campers and celebrities you want to see, be here next Saturday, June 23, when the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame teams up with Coach Scott Stoker and the Demon football program. Their annual high school 7-on-7 passing tournament kicks off with a bang, as each year's class of Hall of Fame football inductees (this year's list is All-Pro linebacker Pat Swilling, All-Pro kick returner Brian Mitchell and Super Bowl quarterback Stan Humphries) join with returning HOF members to speak (briefly) to the 600+ campers and then visit with them on the sidelines throughout the morning of the tournament.
Camps don't just happen on campus. Saturday morning, Lady Demon volleyball coach Brittany Uffelman flew off to her home stomping grounds up in Wyoming. Over the next two weeks, she will stage camps in Wyoming and Montana with hundreds of volleyball-crazed kids. As fun as volleyball is to watch, there's only a handful of high school or club teams within hailing distance of the NSU campus, so following the lead of her predecessor, Leigh Mullins, Coach B has hosted camps away from campus where the players are. The Demon soccer and football staffs also have conducted camps in off-site locations.
So, when I hear well-intentioned friends say to our coaches, "I guess you're resting up for the fall, right?", I wish they had the chance to leave their jobs to come by to watch the work these coaches put into their camps during the "down time." Camp season really never ends. While our coaches are on the road and on the phone and on the internet recruiting year-round, they are also urging coaches and players to come to NSU's camps.
These camps are useful and valuable. They generate money for NSU, help supplement coaches salaries and operating budgets, introduce many campers to the beautiful and friendly university campus, and provide exposure for prospective players to our coaching staffs, allowing our coaches to evaluate prospects for upcoming recruiting classes.
So, while vacations do happen this time of year, this isn't a lazy stretch for our coaching staffs. All they want right now are happy campers.
Doug Ireland, SID
Friday, June 01, 2007
Plenty of Demons in postseason play
With college softball in the World Series and college baseball beginning NCAA Regional play this weekend, Demon fans have plenty of rooting to do even without our teams playing.
Last night in the Women’s College World Series, there was former Demon football tight end and assistant softball coach (and NSU alumnus) Glenn Moore, coaching his eighth-seeded Baylor Lady Bears in an extra inning thriller against No. 1 Arizona. The Wildcats escaped with a 2-1 win in nine intense innings at Oklahoma City in a game shown on ESPN. Glenn’s wife is former Lady Demon high jump record-holder Janice Miller.
The baseball regionals give us lots of reason to cheer. Six teams – Texas A&M, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Southern Mississippi and Sam Houston State – have former Demon coaches helping them excel.
For Texas A&M, coached by former Demon pitching coach Rob Childress, with his assistant Matt Deggs. Childress and Deggs worked at NSU in 1995-97 on the staff of Dave Van Horn. Rob went with Dave from NSU to Nebraska, and when Dave came “home” to his alma mater at Arkansas, Rob stayed with the Cornhuskers. Deggs left here to become the head coach at Texarkana Community College, then joined Van Horn in Fayetteville, then moved to work with his dear friend Childress when Rob took over the A&M program before the 2006 season.
For Arkansas, and the aforementioned Dave Van Horn. Boy, is he just about the big Hog in Razorback land? They led the nation in home attendance and could win it all (so could the Aggies).
For Nebraska, and yet another Van Horn-era Demon assistant, Andy Sawyers. He’s back at his alma mater.
For Ole Miss, and former Jim Wells assistant coach, head coach Mike Bianco. Trivia fact: after Jim Wells took the Alabama job following the 1994 season, Bianco was a finalist for the Demons’ top job along with Dave Van Horn – after Mitch Gaspard turned it down to go with Jim to Tuscaloosa.
It’s a Demon-heavy regional in Oxford. Former John Cohen assistant Lane Buroughs is a veteran member of the Southern Mississippi staff. Lane gave us the infamous “gas man” story about his days playing football at West Lauderdale (Miss.) HS. I’ll save that story for the beginning of football season. It brought down the house more than once at Demon QB Club lunches.
Also in Oxford – Southland Conference Tournament champion Sam Houston State, with former Mitch Gaspard assistant and LSU pitcher Justin Hill, and four-year Demon letterwinner, Phillip Miller. Two of the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet – we were happy for their win last weekend at Brown-Stroud Field. Rooting for Phil – his long-term girlfriend, NSU softball second baseman Lyndsey Gorski, who found it in her heart to root for the Bearkats in between working at the concession stand during the tournament.
Don’t be shocked if A&M and Arkansas each make it to Omaha for the CWS – unless they meet in a Super Regional!
Doug Ireland, SID
Last night in the Women’s College World Series, there was former Demon football tight end and assistant softball coach (and NSU alumnus) Glenn Moore, coaching his eighth-seeded Baylor Lady Bears in an extra inning thriller against No. 1 Arizona. The Wildcats escaped with a 2-1 win in nine intense innings at Oklahoma City in a game shown on ESPN. Glenn’s wife is former Lady Demon high jump record-holder Janice Miller.
The baseball regionals give us lots of reason to cheer. Six teams – Texas A&M, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Southern Mississippi and Sam Houston State – have former Demon coaches helping them excel.
For Texas A&M, coached by former Demon pitching coach Rob Childress, with his assistant Matt Deggs. Childress and Deggs worked at NSU in 1995-97 on the staff of Dave Van Horn. Rob went with Dave from NSU to Nebraska, and when Dave came “home” to his alma mater at Arkansas, Rob stayed with the Cornhuskers. Deggs left here to become the head coach at Texarkana Community College, then joined Van Horn in Fayetteville, then moved to work with his dear friend Childress when Rob took over the A&M program before the 2006 season.
For Arkansas, and the aforementioned Dave Van Horn. Boy, is he just about the big Hog in Razorback land? They led the nation in home attendance and could win it all (so could the Aggies).
For Nebraska, and yet another Van Horn-era Demon assistant, Andy Sawyers. He’s back at his alma mater.
For Ole Miss, and former Jim Wells assistant coach, head coach Mike Bianco. Trivia fact: after Jim Wells took the Alabama job following the 1994 season, Bianco was a finalist for the Demons’ top job along with Dave Van Horn – after Mitch Gaspard turned it down to go with Jim to Tuscaloosa.
It’s a Demon-heavy regional in Oxford. Former John Cohen assistant Lane Buroughs is a veteran member of the Southern Mississippi staff. Lane gave us the infamous “gas man” story about his days playing football at West Lauderdale (Miss.) HS. I’ll save that story for the beginning of football season. It brought down the house more than once at Demon QB Club lunches.
Also in Oxford – Southland Conference Tournament champion Sam Houston State, with former Mitch Gaspard assistant and LSU pitcher Justin Hill, and four-year Demon letterwinner, Phillip Miller. Two of the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet – we were happy for their win last weekend at Brown-Stroud Field. Rooting for Phil – his long-term girlfriend, NSU softball second baseman Lyndsey Gorski, who found it in her heart to root for the Bearkats in between working at the concession stand during the tournament.
Don’t be shocked if A&M and Arkansas each make it to Omaha for the CWS – unless they meet in a Super Regional!
Doug Ireland, SID
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
HOSTING A TOURNAMENT TAKES A TRUE TEAM EFFORT
Last week’s Southland Conference Baseball Tournament, in my opinion, was a success, despite Northwestern State not qualifying for the event.
The employees of NSU and volunteers around the community made sure of it.
Fans and media from the visiting teams, and even players and coaches, commented on how well NSU did hosting the tourney, especially since the Demons were not part of it. Most said that we went all out when we could have just gone through the motions.
A lot of people stepped up in areas where they may have not been familiar.
For example, Wednesday’s first game was halted for nearly three hours due to rain. After the rains stopped, the field still needed to be tended to as pools of water stood in the outfield.
Demon coaches, aka tournament grounds crew, Mitch Gaspard, J.P. Davis, Jeff McCannon, Troy Moock and Bobby Barbier began working on the field while other staff members joined in, including director of athletics Greg Burke, compliance coordinator Dustin Eubanks, facilities director Chuck Bourg, marketing director Ryan Holloway, director of development Will Broussard, athletic trainer Ed Evans, Demon fan Patrick Korn, yours truly, and probably several others I can’t remember right now.
Once the slate of games resumed, fans were treated to an atmosphere many have not experienced at their own home ballparks.
Marketing intern Brian Seiler operated the music and sound effects, student SID Fletcher Jonson did the PA, while the almighty Coach Black handled the scoreboard.
More people behind the scenes that helped make the tournament a success… ticket manager Zach Williams, associate AD Donnie Cox, athletics administrative assistants Liz Yeaman, Allison Cadwallader, Geri LaCour, Ronnie Pellegrin, SID Doug Ireland, student SID Matt English, business manager Roxanne Freeman, personnel from all the other sports in the athletic department and from other departments on campus, David and Davey Antilley, and many more I’m sure I’m leaving out.
And who can forget NSU student and super fan Scotty Dawson. Scotty captured the fans hearts with his boisterous cheers and his very own “Scotty Dawson Jam Session” each game. Fans would clap along to his dancing, giving him standing ovations when done. He even had some peaks from both dugouts as the competing players watched and clapped along.
Putting on a league tournament is a lot of work, but when the total team chips in, success will always be the result, no matter what the scoreboard says.
The employees of NSU and volunteers around the community made sure of it.
Fans and media from the visiting teams, and even players and coaches, commented on how well NSU did hosting the tourney, especially since the Demons were not part of it. Most said that we went all out when we could have just gone through the motions.
A lot of people stepped up in areas where they may have not been familiar.
For example, Wednesday’s first game was halted for nearly three hours due to rain. After the rains stopped, the field still needed to be tended to as pools of water stood in the outfield.
Demon coaches, aka tournament grounds crew, Mitch Gaspard, J.P. Davis, Jeff McCannon, Troy Moock and Bobby Barbier began working on the field while other staff members joined in, including director of athletics Greg Burke, compliance coordinator Dustin Eubanks, facilities director Chuck Bourg, marketing director Ryan Holloway, director of development Will Broussard, athletic trainer Ed Evans, Demon fan Patrick Korn, yours truly, and probably several others I can’t remember right now.
Once the slate of games resumed, fans were treated to an atmosphere many have not experienced at their own home ballparks.
Marketing intern Brian Seiler operated the music and sound effects, student SID Fletcher Jonson did the PA, while the almighty Coach Black handled the scoreboard.
More people behind the scenes that helped make the tournament a success… ticket manager Zach Williams, associate AD Donnie Cox, athletics administrative assistants Liz Yeaman, Allison Cadwallader, Geri LaCour, Ronnie Pellegrin, SID Doug Ireland, student SID Matt English, business manager Roxanne Freeman, personnel from all the other sports in the athletic department and from other departments on campus, David and Davey Antilley, and many more I’m sure I’m leaving out.
And who can forget NSU student and super fan Scotty Dawson. Scotty captured the fans hearts with his boisterous cheers and his very own “Scotty Dawson Jam Session” each game. Fans would clap along to his dancing, giving him standing ovations when done. He even had some peaks from both dugouts as the competing players watched and clapped along.
Putting on a league tournament is a lot of work, but when the total team chips in, success will always be the result, no matter what the scoreboard says.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Former Demon pitcher Brian Lawrence signed by Mets
Former Northwestern State pitcher Brian Lawrence, whose number 29 is one of two retired Demon jerseys, has signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets and is expected to be assigned to the New Orleans Zephyrs.
In a four-year span from 2002-2005, Lawrence was one of 19 pitchers in the majors to compile at least 40 wins, 800.0 innings, 120 starts, 70 quality starts while posting an ERA of 4.50 or lower. He missed all of the 2006 season with the Washington Nationals following shoulder surgery. Lawrence provides the Mets with a veteran pitcher as insurance for the injured Orlando Hernandez.
While at Northwestern, Lawrence won Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year in 1998 and was a first-team All-SLC selection each of his two years. Lawrence finished his Demon career with a 17-10 record and a 2.97 ERA and posted four shutouts with 179 strikeouts.
Lawrence will report to Port St. Lucie, Fla. to the Mets’ extended spring training program. From there, he is expected to be placed with the New Orleans Zephyrs, the Mets’ Triple A affiliate.
Brian Seiler, NSU Marketing/SID Intern
In a four-year span from 2002-2005, Lawrence was one of 19 pitchers in the majors to compile at least 40 wins, 800.0 innings, 120 starts, 70 quality starts while posting an ERA of 4.50 or lower. He missed all of the 2006 season with the Washington Nationals following shoulder surgery. Lawrence provides the Mets with a veteran pitcher as insurance for the injured Orlando Hernandez.
While at Northwestern, Lawrence won Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year in 1998 and was a first-team All-SLC selection each of his two years. Lawrence finished his Demon career with a 17-10 record and a 2.97 ERA and posted four shutouts with 179 strikeouts.
Lawrence will report to Port St. Lucie, Fla. to the Mets’ extended spring training program. From there, he is expected to be placed with the New Orleans Zephyrs, the Mets’ Triple A affiliate.
Brian Seiler, NSU Marketing/SID Intern
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