A question of funding: an ire of charger ball

Underfunded baseball program seeks to re-structure; three people, three ideas for improvement

By: Chase Purdy

Posted: 4/23/09

If pressed to diagnose the performance problems of the baseball team, to explain why the team is 3-20 in the GLIAC, members of the team, the coach and the athletic director will cite different reasons.

And though their reasons differs, they all agreed each explanation plays into the other.

Athletic Director Don Brubacher, who succeeded Mike Kovalchik last fall, said he intends to improve the performance level of the baseball program.

"No one in the program now is content with the competitive level of the team," Brubacher said. "One person just cannot handle a college baseball program as we'd like to see it handled."

The master plan

Brubacher said he believes every athletic program should focus on four areas: staffing, quality of facilities, scholarship and funding for travel and equipment.

So when he took the job as athletic director, Brubacher set out to build a master plan. He said his plan included several substantial upgrades to the baseball and softball programs, such as updated locker rooms, revamped dugouts and added field lighting.

But he listed staffing as his No.1 concern, and as a result, Andy Lovell '06 walked onto the field as a full-time assistant coach in Fall 2008.

Additionally, Brubacher said he hopes to provide more appropriate indoor practice facilities for the team to work in during the off-season.

Brubacher acknowledged the small pool of scholarship money available to the baseball team, but said he depends more on coaching than money to improve team performance. He confirmed the college recently made more of a commitment to increase baseball scholarship money.

According to head baseball coach Paul Noce, the GLIAC allows nine full scholarships per baseball team. But the college's budget provides only three full scholarships, Noce said.

A veteran opinion

Money lies at the root of the problem, said Mike Lude '44, and unless the college wants to settle with poor performance, he said, administration should increase the money going into the baseball program.

"I believe they ought to have the maximum number of Division II baseball scholarships," Lude said. "If you've got three and you're splittin' 'em, well, then you've got peanuts. It's almost like having none."

Lude led Hillsdale's 1948 and 1949 teams to two consecutive Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association conference championships. Six members of his teams immediately signed professional contracts, including signings to the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians.

After coaching at Hillsdale, he accepted a position as head baseball coach at the University of Maine. He led his new team to a conference championship win in 1950. Lude went on to coach football and baseball at the University of Delaware and Colorado State University.

Lude said he thinks it's impossible for smaller, private schools like Hillsdale to compete successfully each year against large state schools. He said the school cannot recruit the talent it needs, with such a small budget.

"It has to be a decision of the administration," Lude said. "If they don't to do it then they have to be satisfied with mediocrity."

Lude suggested Hillsdale join another conference or start a new one.

Stepping up to the plate

Senior Jesse Smith serves as co-captain of the baseball team. He said he doesn't think the money presents a huge problem because he's seen the talent on the field. There's a lack of focus hurting the team more than anything, he said.

"At this level, and the teams that we're playing against, it requires additional sacrifice and additional commitment," Smith said. "You only see that from half the guys or less, not all of the team - and it affects everyone negatively."

He said the team's small budget feeds into the performance issues.

"It's definitely a problem, getting the adequate amount of money," Smith said. "But at the same time I feel like the money has been well used. We've brought in the talent, but there hasn't been development."

He said bad discipline contributes to losses on the field, but the problem stems from his teammates rather than coaches. Members of the team should put more effort into personal practice and more disciplined social lives, Smith said.

Junior Paul Smith, a pitcher, said sometimes it's frustrating to think about the level of competition in the GLIAC.

"We just need to put it all together," he said. "It seems like we'll have a good hitting day and combine that with a bad pitching day. There'll always be something that doesn't go right; we need to focus on making every part of the game solid. We're capable of that."

Noce said the team suffered a tough season, a season riddled with one-run losses and injured pitchers. The team enjoyed success with less money before, but you've got to have the right kids in the right place, he said.

Noce said the team tries to fundraise between $20 thousand and $30 thousand each year, most of which goes to funding trips south for spring training. During their trip this year, the team went 7-6, beating University of Nebraska-Omaha, ranked 20th in the division.

"Mike Lude is on to something," Noce said. "But it's not all about money. I would say this year Jesse might be right, lack of focus. But the biggest issue for us is we're young."

Noce cited his 2003 season, a year with a team of ten seniors, five or six of whom were junior college transfers.

"They made a huge difference," he said. "Right now we are mostly sophomores."

So until the budget increases, Noce keeps watch on his growing roster, one that includes several promising recruits out of Chicago.