Former Ashland Oredockers baseball star Kevin BeBeau has a long history of competitive excellence dating back to his days as a pitching force for the ‘Dockers, through his dominant play for Dawson Community College in Glendive, Mont., to today where he is a valued mentor and coach of young baseball players in the Ashland Little League. Known for his passion and devotion, the Ashland Daily Press pitched some questions to BeBeau about his long career and dedication to playing and now teaching a sport that has always, it seems, been a part of his life.
Question: You have quite a history with baseball. Please describe your mission with coaching?
Answer: My personal mission with respect to coaching is to give the area youth a childhood much like I had. Playing baseball all summer long with friends and family. Groups of friends riding bikes to the nearest yard or baseball field for day-long games. The baseball roots in Ashland go very deep and, while some still love it, it seems the passion for the game in surrounding areas isn’t what it once was. Baseball also teaches life lessons: It’s not about the mistakes you make, it’s how you recover from them that counts.
Q: You’ve coached young athletes and older — what’s the difference?
A: Baseball is arguably the hardest game there is. Using a round bat to make perfect contact with a round ball coming at you at various speeds and eye levels. It’s a game to make you fail. The mental aspect of baseball is just as important as the physical aspect. The earlier in life you learn to cope with failing on the baseball field the more you can focus on the successes of the game. Baseball is all about the fundamentals. Being able to catch, accurately throw, field ground balls, catch fly balls, swing a baseball bat with control, and hustle. Working on the fundamentals with the younger kids is critical and it allows you to do more in depth work the older they get. Once players get to the high school level there could be freshmen playing with seniors and the most skilled players will play. That’s the importance of coaching at all levels. It takes a full team to consistently win.
Q: Please describe your own athletic history. What do you think of initially?
A: My own experiences as an athlete? Well, my parents were my biggest fans. All their time and effort went into their day jobs, and teaching me baseball. My grandpa never missed one of my games — no matter how far. The care and compassion he expressed was unmatched. The friends and teammates willing to hold each other accountable made sure we always gave our best effort. From a young age we were able to experience success thanks to the coaches and parental figures that paved the road for us. I want more kids to feel that success.
Q: Who helps keep you going and has influenced you as a coach?
A: The support from my wife, Lizzie, is amazing. She pushes me to be the best version of myself. My parents are always there to offer advice when needed. Brian Trettin has played a big role in my youth coaching. Spearheading the creation of our first travel baseball team, the 12U Lake Superior Blizzards. Brian is always trusting me to do what’s best for the athletes and the teams. Challenging me to coach kids to higher levels. Blake Ellefson brings new ideas — starting new youth leagues, and doing background work in our youth baseball program. So many others: Brett Diersen, Blake Pritzl, Jaxon Trettin, Victor Cegler, Greyson Stadler, Jacob Roy, Parker Lipske, Caleb Erickson, Dagon Newago, Colin Brady, Charlie Anich, Evan Anderson, Brinley Bigboy ….
Q: How are youth sports doing in the Bay Area?
A: They’re on an upward trend. The parents and volunteers are making this possible and we need to keep it going. Youth soccer programs are doing great things and getting good numbers of kids. Area youth football programs are growing and starting at younger ages. Youth hockey is still a staple in Ashland. And youth baseball is growing in popularity again. We’ve started a coach pitch program to fill the void between tee ball and little league — to help teach the fundamentals at a younger age. As (former MLB pitcher) John Flanagan said: “Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you never get it wrong.”
Q: Your baseball avocation. Can you describe it?
A: Baseball is a game to make you fail. Three out of 10 is considered a success. Three hits out of every ten at bats! Failure happens often. Teaching the kids how to properly deal with those failures and be able to celebrate the successes through sportsmanship is fulfilling and is a driving force for me. I can’t explain the feelings you get when one of your players exceeds goals they have set for themselves. The smiles, the tears of joy, the hugs and celebrations — the monkey piles behind home plate when your catcher snags a popup for the final out of a championship game. And I enjoy practicing baseball with my son, Easton. (My involvement in) youth coaching (also) helped give my daughter Tatum the confidence to try playing.
Most Popular
Comments / 0