Q&A with Coach Tom Frederick
By Erik Buchinger
Bulldogs’ head coach Tom Frederick answered 10 questions previewing the 2017 New London baseball season.
Number of years coaching the team: This is my third year as head coach.
Returning varsity athletes: Austin Hanson (12), Kyle Krenke (12), Austin Warren (12), Ethan Wood (12), Jake Hoier (11), Dylan Moeller (11), Will Wohlt (11), Kyle Wolf (11) and sophomore Logan Locy (10).
Athletes to watch: Besides all of our returning lettermen, we have senior Bryce Bosquez, junior Garrett Heise, sophomores Blake Dey and Myles Parker and freshman Brooks Griffin.
Team goals/expectations: Our team goal is to come each day to practice or a game and get 1 percent better each and every day as a person, as a student and as a baseball player. We ask the kids to trust the process, work hard and be a great teammate. Before we can win championships, we first of all have to learn how to the things that champions do on a daily basis. When that happens, the wins will come.
Team’s strengths: Team strengths should be our pitching and defense.
Team’s weaknesses: Hitting the ball and scoring runs.
Teams to beat in conference: West De Pere, Green Bay East/West and Menasha will most likely be the top three teams.
Biggest game/meet on the schedule: The biggest game on the schedule is the next game.
What you want your athletes to get out of this season: I want the kids to learn not to waste a day. We tell the players that they have one chance to get better on any one day. We want them to not waste that day by going through the motions. We want them to learn to make every day count in the classroom and on the diamond. We also want them to understand that the season is a journey and that it is important to grind through the tough days when things don’t go well.
Why fans should be excited for this team: We have lost two games to open the season that we should have won, and so we are disappointed with our start. We will probably struggle at the plate early in the season against good pitching. That’s baseball. However, we have a great group of young men, and I think that we will improve as the season goes along. We are hoping to play our best baseball in May.