There are so many factors which go into a successful high school athletic program, regardless of the sport.
First, and perhaps foremost, you have to have talent. The best coaching in the world will not be enough if the talent is not there and make no mistake this season’s Winder-Barrow High School baseball team is loaded with talent from the top of the lineup to the bottom.
The players continue to shine game in and game out and have shown no signs of a letdown. Even the one setback within Region 8-AAAA was against Loganville, who has developed a high level of winning in the past decade. That game was not decided until the seventh inning and could have easily gone the Bulldoggs’ way.
The members of the 2011 WBHS baseball team take their sport seriously. They practice with intensity and that in turn carries over to the playing field. A brutal non-region schedule has helped the team be successful against subregion and crossover foes.
Overseeing the entire program is head coach Brian Smith, who quietly goes about his business. During games you seldom hear Smith’s voice. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him argue with an umpire.
Yet, Smith’s approach is obviously working as season in and season out the Diamond Doggs are battling for the postseason or perhaps even more.
The mark of a truly great program is to win consistently. That’s the hard part. A winning season every now and then is always obtainable but to do it when players come and players go is what makes Smith a strong leader.
In building his program in recent years, Smith has shown a quality knack for putting the pieces in the right place. It’s not as easy as some might think to get players at the right position in the field for defensive purposes or to position them in the batting lineup where their strengths will be put to the best use possible. Smith also has a deep pitching staff and just getting everyone plenty of work can be a challenge, especially when many games do not go the entire distance because you are winning by so many runs.
Smith is also the type of coach who is never too high after a win or too low after a loss. He stays on the same level and his team no doubt senses his calm demeanor. If WBHS wins, Smith will talk about the great effort put forth. If the team happens to lose, it’s focus on what was done right in the game and look at what needs to be done better. There’s no yelling or screaming or throwing players under the bus.
It remains to be seen how far this year’s Bulldogg squad can go. However, they have the players and the right leader to do some damage once the postseason begins. Both are needed for success and WBHS has proven it has the tools necessary to go far.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
