Baler baseball coach brings championship experience to
Hollister
In the last 11 years only two public schools have won a Division
I Central Coast Section Championship in the sport of baseball.
San Benito High varsity baseball coach Mike Luna coached one of
those teams
– the 2000 Leigh High Longhorns.
Baler baseball coach brings championship experience to Hollister
In the last 11 years only two public schools have won a Division I Central Coast Section Championship in the sport of baseball.
San Benito High varsity baseball coach Mike Luna coached one of those teams – the 2000 Leigh High Longhorns.
Since coming to Hollister from San Jose three years ago, Luna has made it clear that his objective is to help San Benito High become one of the top programs in the section. And he’s put up numbers that prove he’s on the right track to make it happen.
In Luna’s first season as the Balers’ skipper, San Benito High posted a 22-9 record. That team advanced to the section playoffs before losing to perennial powerhouse St. Francis in the opening round.
Last year, Luna’s Balers posted a 24-5 record to set the highest, single-season win total in school history before being ousted by Santa Teresa in the section quarterfinals. The 2006 team also won the league title last year.
Recently we had a chance to talk with the 50-year-old bachelor from south San Jose about his love for the game, his formative years and his expectations for the 2007 season.
Q: Where did you attend college?
A: I Attended San Jose State and Cal State Fullerton, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in math and physical education.
Q: How did you first get interested in America’s Pastime?
A: My dad was a great athlete, he exposed us (brothers/sister) to many sports, but baseball was always my favorite. I spent many hours in the playground as a youngster making up games that had anything to do with baseball. Baseball has always been a passion of mine, it came easy to me, and I was pretty good at it for a while.
Q: What is it about baseball that you most enjoy and how has that helped you as a coach?
A: I love the purity of the sport; it hasn’t changed in over 100 years. It’s a thinking man’s sport. I believe I have a lot to offer to my players, my knowledge of the game, the life lessons they will encounter, and competing are some of the reasons I love being around the game.
Q: How long have you been coaching?
A: I’ve been coaching for over 20 years. My first coaching job was coaching a minor Little League team. It was a great experience. I learned a lot about myself. My first high school job was at Gilroy High, so I guess you could say I’ve come full-circle back to the area. I’ve had other coaching stints at four-year schools, junior colleges, and other high schools in between my time at Gilroy and Hollister.
Q: What is your most memorable season as a coach?
A: I coached one CCS championship team. Leigh High School in 2000.
Leigh and Wilcox are the only public schools to have won a CCS Division I Championship in the last 11 years, and only three public schools have won it all in the last 14 years. So, it’s obvious the domination the private schools have had in Division I baseball.
Q: On Thursday of this week this year’s team will official be able to start practicing for the upcoming spring season. You lost a lot of seniors that played a huge role in the team’s success last year. What are your expectations this year?
A: This year’s team is young and inexperienced. We lost 10 seniors from last years team, 7 of them were starters. We only have one pitcher returning who had significant innings last year (Zach Canez). Saying that, I do like our arms (sophomores and juniors). The question is will they be able to compete at the varsity level? If they can, then we could have another successful year, possibly even win another league title.
Q: It sounds like this could be a rebuilding year for San Benito High. With that said, who is going to be your biggest competition in league this year?
A: Right now Salinas High is the favorite (to win league). They are very talented, and they have a lot of varsity experience.
Q: Does that mean that the expectations have changed for this year’s team?
A: Every year, my expectations are to play for the CCS title, and this year is no different. It’s way too early to make any kind of prediction.
Q: Since you did coach a team to a section title in 2000, you know what it takes to win it all. What is the secret or key ingredient?
A: I will say that not only do you have to have talent; you have to be lucky too. San Benito has never won a CCS title in baseball, but we are going in the right direction in trying to make that happen.
Q: So what is the most important thing in building a winning team? Is it chemistry or more than that?
A: It always comes down to pitching. It doesn’t matter what level you are at, Little League, Pony League, high school, college, or even the Major Leagues. You win with the guy on the bump (pitcher’s mound).
Q: When you’re holding practices and tryouts, what kind of player are you looking for to build a successful team?
A: I look for commitment, passion, work ethic, and the desire to learn. Obviously, some talent has to be there. If the players can bring this to practice everyday, winning will take care of itself. Again, you have to have the horses though. It doesn’t matter how good of a coach you think you are you need talent too. The biggest keys in building a successful team are being fundamentally sound, competing everyday in practice, a belief in the system, coaching staff, and team chemistry, which is so underrated.
Q: Are those the qualities/attributes that you had at Leigh in 2000?
A: We had all these things when we won the CCS, and some real
good talent. We also believed we were the best team, every time we played. We were very confident, because of all of the traits I just mentioned.
