Dustin Coffman is completing his third year of coaching college baseball. He began his coaching career as a student manager at Indiana University in 2009 and was promoted the following year to volunteer assistant. Coffman spent the 2010 summer in the Coastal Plain League with the Edenton Steamers, who finished Top 5 in the country. From Edenton, Coffman took his first paid position at Wabash Valley College. Over the past two seasons, the Warriors have compiled a 93-30 record and have been ranked as high as No. 3 in NJCAA baseball. In summer 2011, Coffman was hired to be an assistant baseball coach with the Bourne Braves in the storied Cape Cod League where he will return this summer.

 

A native of Granger, Ind., Coffman earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Indiana in 2009 and is working on a master’s degree in applied sports studies from IU.

 

Coffman will share his thoughts throughout the 2012 Cape Cod season.

 

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July 8, 2012

 

The Accumulation of Little Things is not Little

 

Is the defense positioned correctly?

 

What are the team’s strengths? Do they bunt? Do they sit back and wait for the home run?

 

What are the hitter’s strengths? (Pull guy? Oppo guy? Bunter? Power? Singles guy?)

 

Is the pitcher calm, clear, and present?

 

Did the pitcher have a good week of preparation?

 

Did the catcher call the right pitch?

 

Does the defense know the pitch and the location?

 

Does the pitcher execute the pitch?

 

How fast is the runner?

 

Was the pitch in the right location?

 

Is the defense in rhythm with the pitcher?

 

Did the defender see it off the bat?

 

Did he get a good jump?

 

Are teammates communicating? (IN! BACK! SECOND BASE! GOT ROOM! GOT TIME! HIT THE CUT!)

 

Did the defender take a good route to the ball?

 

Is his teammate backing him up?

 

Does the defender know the score of the game? Is it a close game or blow out?

 

Is it early in the game or late?

 

Is the player accountable for the outcome of the play?

 

Is he focused on the umpire? Or the task at hand?

 

Although our record doesn’t show it right now, the 2012 Bourne Braves are a very talented group. At times we have played really good baseball. It is amazing how you can be playing great baseball for five, six, seven, eight innings and all of a sudden the wheels come off. I was guilty of this myself as a young coach and baseball fan thinking you can just get the best players, practice hard, play the games, and win a lot of games. But every year it gets drilled in my head more and more, you need guys who can stay in the moment, make ROUTINE PLAYS, throw QUALITY strikes, and hit with runners in scoring position. How simple is that? In fact if you are reading this you are thinking, NO CRAP! But this summer that’s all it’s been. I feel really good about our team and there is still a lot of season left, but the main thing I take from this experience is when you are playing against top-notch talent, when you make a mistake, YOU PAY!

 

Best

 

DC

 

(photos courtesy of Dustin Coffman)