Evergreen Baseball2nd Message of 2019
Evergreen H.S. (EHS) Cougar Baseball
Evergreen Cougar Baseball Club (ECBC)
This is our second message of 2019. Our first message of 2019 was dated 1/9/2019. These
messages are meant to update and inform interested student-athletes and their parents for
both programs EHS Cougar Baseball (Spring H.S.) program and the Evergreen Cougar Baseball
Club (ECBC) program. The ECBC includes Club Team activity Summer, Fall and into Winter (early
Spring). Please make sure you have read previously posted to our website messages and that if
you are a student-athlete, that you have read the posted in the cages messages.
We had our annual interested parents meeting at EHS 1/15/2019. That meeting was open to all
interested parties. I would like to recap a few items that were discussed and that are worth
documenting so there is no confusion.
We encourage all interested EHS student-athletes to visit with members of the coaching staff or
Athletic Director (AD) so that all of your questions or concerns are addressed in a timely
manner.
- Winter and into early Spring workouts are all voluntary and open to all interested EHS
student-athletes. They are focused on strength/conditioning and skill development and
are organized and “controlled” to ensure a safe and productive environment.
- Spring 2019 EHS Baseball try-outs or player evaluations conform to CHSAA and JeffCo
School District rules and best practices. Try-outs are scheduled for 2/25 and 2/26.
Coach evaluators have made clear our evaluation metrics and includes evaluation tools
such as radar guns, digital stop watches, drills and exercises. At conclusion of the
evaluations, coaches will work as a group to objectively and fairly roster our Varsity (V)
and Junior Varsity (JV) Teams. Then scheduled practices continue followed by
scrimmages then games. Student-athletes that tried-out but who were not assigned to
the V or JV rosters will be “referred” to the Evergreen Cougar Baseball Club (ECBC)
“Club” team or L3 Team.
- The ECBC is not administered under the EHS Baseball program but under the umbrella of
the ECBC and their player evaluations will be held 3/1 and 3/2. At the aforementioned
annual meeting, it was discussed and “approved” by those in attendance (parents and
current Booster Club Board members) that the Club Team try-outs will be open to those
H.S. players “referred” and also “rising 9th graders.” Rising 9th graders were defined as JeffCo students currently in 8th grade and attending a feeder Middle School (Public, Private or Chartered) to include Home Schooled students. We did this last Spring (2018)
and will do this into Spring 2023 as a pilot.
- Spring Break 2019 like in previous years will include travel to AZ for practice and
scheduled games. The V and JV will play in the Greenway Festival games are 3/26
through 3/29.
- Spring Break 2019 for the ECBC Club Team will coincide date/time wise with Spring Break
and will also include practice and games in AZ in a different setting/tournament. As of
right now, games are being scheduled in the Mesa area at the Red Mtn. Baseball
Complex. The Club Team will not ride in the chartered bus with the EHS V and JV. The
ECBC is working on their logistics. Club coaches are not EHS H.S. coaches.
- I would like to remind us all of a few rules. Under the CHSAA Constitution and applicable
By-Laws CHSAA certified coaches have certain restrictions on Sundays. One is No
Contact hence no practices or games. We are not being rude but please recognize this
restriction. The other is our JeffCo defined relationship with the aforementioned Club
Team under the umbrella of our ECBC. Once the Spring season starts, there is a
separation. This does not mean that that program is not competive. The opposite is
true - it is competitive and will play against other JeffCo L3 competitive teams. Players
rostered to that Club Team will be afforded a high level of practice time, access to quality
facilities and coaches so that they develop into outstanding young people and baseball
players. The Club team can practice, play on Sundays and on Cougar Field (with the
proper User Agreement executed and approved by the District). Another restriction is
our contact with 8th graders. H.S. coaches do not recruit student-athletes and our
contact with 8th graders is limited (restricted) until May 1st of each year (sons, daughters excluded).
-To answer a few questions, yes I have a son who is in 8th grade at EMS. He (and my 8th
grade daughter) will be attending EHS next year and they are excited about the
opportunity. He plays baseball and is working hard to hopefully be a value-add baseball
player for the Cougars one day in the future. I as the EHS Head Baseball Coach am
aware of any perceptions since he is a “baseball rat” as I was too growing up. I work
hard to be fair, transparent and objective while at the same time dedicated to EHS and
Cougar Baseball and all of our student-athletes. We are fortunate to have a few other
volunteer coaches in our program that have sons participating in our baseball program
and they too recognize the importance of being objective and fair. We as coaches put in
a lot of time and strive to “pay back” to the game and our community. We look forward
to working with your student-athlete as they grow and mature. Hard work, honesty,
commitment and dedication are values that we expose participating players to. To that
end, none of our coach’s sons receive special treatment – quite the opposite.
-I remind all student-athletes, parents and friends of Cougar Baseball that our brand
includes respect for not only the game of Baseball, the Cougar Baseball program and
most importantly respect of others. As we march towards a successful year, hard work
and discipline in the classroom and on the field is important along with open, respectful
behavior and communication. This includes our fans and our interaction with members
of opposing teams and the umpires. Thank You all.