THE BATTING CAGE…………

I was photographing a job on Gough St. in  San Francisco last week, and it was right across from International High School, where I was the.Head Coach of their varsity baseball team from 2004-2009. It was quite nostalgic. While walking around the gym I saw the batting cage that we got from the Boosters and put up in 2006. Damn, It was still there 14 years later. It triggered a ton of wonderful memories.
Practicing at the “Duck Pond”, having to climb the fence at locked fields to practice, the ball bouncing off our left fielder, Aaron Duffys head into the centerfields glove, winning our first League Championship behind Justin’s gutsy performance, sigh, great times. Will, Charlie, Luke, Watson, Duffy, Omran, Justin , Gavin, the Drolet’s and of course Chris ‘GO Jags” Spano. I took over the team in 2004 and we lost our first game 35-0 vs.Waldorf. 35-0!!! Thats a football score!  With My coaching staff of Sean Engmann and Casey Johnson we slowly started changing the culture of the baseball program. One of the best things to make us better was the magical batting cage. In 2008 with a 19-3 record we took the team to the NorCal Championship Game against perennial powerhouse St. Bernard, Catholic, 8 hours north in Humbolt College Stadium. We lost a close game 4-1.It was fantastic to see these players grow as people, unite as a team and build lifelong friendships. I know we coaches had a positive impact on their lives, and I’m very proud of that!  What a wonderful ride.