New Iowa baseball coach

College Baseball Daily has learned from sources close to the situation that Iowa will name Darin Hendrickson as the Hawkeyes head coach. Hendrickson led the Billkens to a 41-21 overall record while going 17-7 in Atlantic 10 play. He brought the squad to the NCAA Tournament after winning the 2013 Atlantic 10 postseason tournament but went 0-2 in the Columbia, SC regional with losses to South Carolina and Clemson. He has a career coaching record of 688-323 in 18 years of coaching on the collegiate level which includes stops at Central Missouri, St. Louis Community College Forest Park, and Fontbonne University

http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2013/06/28/iowa-to-name-darin-hendrickson-as-head-coach/
 
"He has a career coaching record of 688-323 in 18 years of coaching on the collegiate level which includes stops at Central Missouri, St. Louis Community College Forest Park, and Fontbonne University"

Thats impressive.
 
Seems like a good hire. I'm just not sure coaching has ever been the problem. Although I know nothing about Jack Daum (I think he was the previous coach). Creating a winning baseball program at Iowa has got to be a tall order. Zero momentum, complete lack of facilities compared to other programs at their level, and little to no interest from the fanbase. There's a lot of high school teams in the state who consistently generate bigger crowds that what Iowa gets at baseball games. I wish it weren't true, but it is.

If he's a special coach he may be able to turn the ship around.
 
DP5555 said:
Seems like a good hire. I'm just not sure coaching has ever been the problem. Although I know nothing about Jack Daum (I think he was the previous coach). Creating a winning baseball program at Iowa has got to be a tall order. Zero momentum, complete lack of facilities compared to other programs at their level, and little to no interest from the fanbase. There's a lot of high school teams in the state who consistently generate bigger crowds that what Iowa gets at baseball games. I wish it weren't true, but it is.

If he's a special coach he may be able to turn the ship around.
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well said. and when i was at iowa in the early 90s, you could say the same thing as you are saying above. you could go to a game and pick your seat in the stands. relatively no one attended these games, as far as i knew. at least the very few i went to were sparse.

that being said, i live in the WDM Valley school system now, and very few people go to these baseball and softball games either - and both programs play good ball.
 
Eda said:
This. Build up the program and start winning, and people will start paying attention.

With that said... Good luck to this guy. I hope he can have success at Iowa.
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WDM Valley has ball programs that have won state titles. marginally attended.

Iowa has had a perennial national championship level program in the past that was marginally attended. (field hockey)

baseball at iowa might not be the thing, even at high levels
 
I went to the Texas vs TTech game a couple of years ago when visiting my friend in Austin. Texas baseball has as big of a stadium or bigger than most minor league teams. People were tailgating like crazy. It was awsome.

Now I understand baseball is much bigger in the south but they have to make baseball games an event. That goofy crap they do between innings, the kids love it. You would think that they would have marketing and advertising students all over this.

Who has a baseball game without a tshirt cannon?
 
OUTofTOWNHAWK said:
I went to the Texas vs TTech game a couple of years ago when visiting my friend in Austin. Texas baseball has as big of a stadium or bigger than most minor league teams. People were tailgating like crazy. It was awsome.

Now I understand baseball is much bigger in the south but they have to make baseball games an event. That goofy crap they do between innings, the kids love it. You would think that they would have marketing and advertising students all over this.

Who has a baseball game without a tshirt cannon?
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what you are describing is the reason people don't go to baseball games. boorrring. southerners just too dumb to know the difference between the game and between innings. they might think the game is the sideshow - especially if they are shooting hot dogs.
 
imported_ankle23 said:
what you are describing is the reason people don't go to baseball games. boorrring. southerners just too dumb to know the difference between the game and between innings. they might think the game is the sideshow - especially if they are shooting hot dogs.
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For me I dont have kids but I did take my nephew to his first game. He was so pumped about the stuff between innings. I dont like that stuff. If kids want to go then Mom saids its okay and dad gets to watch baseball and the kids are happy.

My nephew first wanted to catch a tshirt. Then he figured out that he could catch a baseball and that would be better. After about the 3rd inning he was watching every pitch in hopes that a foul ball came back to us. Then instead of telling why there was a pink bear running around taking pictures I was able to answer what the players positions were and some of the rules with him. Its about what gets you in the door.

The extra stuff between innings doesnt take anymore time you can watch the players warm up if you want. Point is you need to have something for everyone.
 
I took my 2 sons, a friend and his son to Iowa baseball vs Goofers in Metrodome last spring. Sparse crowd of a couple hundred. Kids enjoyed it. Between innings MN 3rd base coach signed a ball that said "thanks for coming" and gave it to my 10 yr old decked in Hawkeye gear.

My boys love going to Twins games. They love going to the amateur town baseball team games where we live in MN. They get .25 cents for each foul ball they return to concession stands and eventually have enough to buy a giant popcicle or something.
 
OUTofTOWNHAWK said:
For me I dont have kids but I did take my nephew to his first game. He was so pumped about the stuff between innings. I dont like that stuff. If kids want to go then Mom saids its okay and dad gets to watch baseball and the kids are happy.

My nephew first wanted to catch a tshirt. Then he figured out that he could catch a baseball and that would be better. After about the 3rd inning he was watching every pitch in hopes that a foul ball came back to us. Then instead of telling why there was a pink bear running around taking pictures I was able to answer what the players positions were and some of the rules with him. Its about what gets you in the door.

The extra stuff between innings doesnt take anymore time you can watch the players warm up if you want. Point is you need to have something for everyone.
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the last triple A cubs game i took the kids to (last summer) we came home with 3 balls - sat on 3rd base line in outfield - was an amazing evening as far as that goes. kids absolutely at that up, as you can imagine - oh yeah, dad thought that was ok too! :)
 
imported_ankle23 said:
what you are describing is the reason people don't go to baseball games. boorrring. southerners just too dumb to know the difference between the game and between innings. they might think the game is the sideshow - especially if they are shooting hot dogs.
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Speaking of too dumb...really that is what you are going with?

I guess people in Michigan/Ohio are too dumb to realize how boring the games are as well.

The atmosphere at baseball games period is not about the game at all anymore. It is about what entertainment there is, or how good the food is and is it insanely priced.

In a lot of ways today, the game really is a sideshow given what stadiums have become and also at the lower levels just trying to fill the seats, it is all marketing especially if there is no loyal fan base. Maybe Valley should take a note and catch up. I have seen various things at HS games that entertain the crowds and it is better than just watching the game.
 
sportstalent said:
Speaking of too dumb...really that is what you are going with?

I guess people in Michigan/Ohio are too dumb to realize how boring the games are as well.

The atmosphere at baseball games period is not about the game at all anymore. It is about what entertainment there is, or how good the food is and is it insanely priced.

In a lot of ways today, the game really is a sideshow given what stadiums have become and also at the lower levels just trying to fill the seats, it is all marketing especially if there is no loyal fan base. Maybe Valley should take a note and catch up. I have seen various things at HS games that entertain the crowds and it is better than just watching the game.
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dude - you took my post too seriously. lighten up francis. i'm sure if you were in charge, there'd be no problems in the world.
 
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