Right man for the job

On Feb. 4 and 5, North Lake’s baseball team played in the Maricopa Community College Tournament in Phoenix and finished 1-3. If I hadn’t interviewed Athletic Director Dan Joutras and Head Coach Corey Mercer, I would have thought that the Blazers were off to a poor start.

Did they play major leaguers? That was the first thought that came to my mind when Joutras told me the baseball team only won one game. After hearing Joutras talk about Mercer, though, I soon changed my attitude about the outlook on North Lake’s baseball season.

“Corey knows the game, he’s energetic, and I know he will do a great job,” Joutras said. It was obvious. He believes in Mercer wholeheartedly. After having North Lake’s overall athletic strategy explained to me, I quickly realized the ingenious planning behind all of North Lake’s athletic success.

“We don’t have scholarships for our athletes, so that makes it tougher on our guys when we play bigger schools. In fact, we are one of the few schools west of the Mississippi that doesn’t offer scholarships to athletes,” Joutras explained.

That is important to know because it helps to understand the reasoning behind North Lake’s strategy in scheduling games. Since North Lake can’t offer scholarships to its players, they can’t attract as many talented players as other schools.

He said this helps North Lake in a way because they play against tougher opponents earlier in the season, which helps them prepare for the more important games later to come.

As I listened, I learned that a 1-3 start in a highly competitive tournament was worth more than an undefeated record against unworthy opponents. Before the Blazers’ final out occurred, they did manage to beat the No. 22 ranked team in the nation.

There are areas that the Blazers need to work on, Mercer said, but he feels confident about the team’s ability to play well. Through this tournament he was able to assess his team’s weaknesses and strengths. Overall, the coach feels positive about his team’s performance.

“We played some tough teams out there. By the end of the weekend we started to play the way that I think we are capable of. We are a long way from where we want to be, but we are the right path. We will win a lot of games before it is all said and done,” he said.

Mercer has spent four years on the coaching staff and is thrilled to lead the team. According to him, the past few years of NLC baseball hasn’t been at its best.

“I know that NLC baseball belongs on the top, and I am excited that I get to be the one to take it back to where it once was and where it should be,” he said.

I’m not exactly sure what the requirements are for being a good baseball coach, but I’m sure having passion for America’s pastime is of top priority. Mercer feels, with the Blazers’ roster, the team can restore North Lake’s reputation for great baseball, and because of his credentials I believe him.

Mercer answered two of my questions in particular that made me believe in his potential for success as North Lake’s head coach.

Q: What is something about yourself that you would like for North Lake to know, that they might not have a clue about?

A: I was born and raised in Irving. I graduated from MacArthur High School just down the road. And I am proof that going to that 8 a.m. class won’t kill you.

Q: If you had to describe your experiences about playing and coaching for North Lake in one sentence, what would your sentence be?

A: There have been more ups than downs, and if I have learned from downs then the future is going to be a lot of fun.

Mercer’s response made me think about Joutras’ confidence in his coaching ability. After learning a great deal from both of these men, I believe exactly what Joutras believes — Mercer is the right man for the job.