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YellowJacket Baseball Newsletter
Fall Semester 2023, Vol. III
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Welcome to the newsletter for the YellowJacket Baseball Family!
It's my goal to send out one semi-annually to keep all our fans, friends, family and future YellowJackets up to date on everything LeTourneau Baseball.
Please share this newsletter on social media and with anyone you know who may be interested in hearing more about what it is like to be part of this family.
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Fall Recap
Head Coach, Paul Phillips
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This fall we welcomed in 18 newcomers (which I plan to be the biggest class we ever bring in). But most importantly, we witnessed 2 returners, Lane Holman and Garrett Irwin, get baptized this fall.
I can't tell you how amazing it is to see God work in and through the lives of these young men. And if you're reading this, you almost assuredly played at least a small part in this.
The momentum of last season's record-breaking success carried into this fall. Our team has gained an average of 7mph on our average exit velo since Fall 2022 which equates to about 28-42 feet of extra ball flight -- a remarkable achievement in one year. And our pitchers are throwing almost an average of 1.5 mph harder than last year, too. We are blessed to have a very hard-working team.
Off the field, this team really stepped up in the community. We volunteered multiple times with the Miracle League, Heart Filled Longview, Coats for Kids, and the Special Olympics. Plus, we have several individuals involved in other ministries like our campus worship team, YoungLife, and local churches.
On the field, these guys got after it. We not only had our longest fall, we also hosted our first ever HR Derby, and an Alumni Game and Breakfast. It was awesome to get the community out there and support this team. Finally, we wrapped up the "non-traditional" segment with a double-header exhibition game against Tyler Junior College, a perennial powerhouse in their own respects. There was no scoreboard as it was purely exhibition, but it was a good test for our team and showed a lot of promise for the coming Spring.
Our Fall World Series champions, were the self-proclaimed "Barnacle Boys", who, led by hitter of the fall, Dane Jones, mounted an impressive comeback. After being the last of 3 teams in the penultimate weekend, they won their last 4 games to go undefeated the final two weekends and claim the Fall "Title."
My family and I were fortunate enough to host the team at our house cooking several breakfasts and dinners specifically for growing together. We spent a lot of time intentionally building our culture and getting to know each other better as we spur each other on to pursue Christ in all we do.
Overall, it was a great fall and our guys grew immensely on and off the field. We surveyed the team as part of our fall 1-on-1 meetings, and every single one of them talked about the excellent chemistry and family-atmosphere of this team. It is a really close group of young men.
We've got a really special group of young men and a great coaching staff. Coach Skip and Coach Wood do an incredible job developing the mind, body, and spirit of these young men. They work very hard doing many thankless and behind-the-scenes jobs on top of the tremendous coaching and recruiting they already do. I am so blessed to be able to coach alongside these two very gifted coaches. It is impossible to thank these men enough for the immense value they bring to this family.
We were also fortunate enough to partner with Dr. Jordan Schools, the head of our Sports Psychology department. She has been an invaluable part of vastly improving our mental strength and focus. Lastly, we cannot say enough about our student assistants KJ Danes, Calvin Lopez, Jonathan Burton, and the newly added Lucas Fullerton. These guys sacrifice so much time and work so hard to do the minute details that often go unnoticed but are critical to a championship culture.
Opening Day (Feb 9th, at our place!) can't come quick enough!
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Above: Blake Vice leads the post-game handshake line after our guys helped out with the Miracle League, an organization that helps provide baseball for local kids with special needs.
Right: 14 different baseball alum came to play in our Alumni Game which took place over homecoming weekend.
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Above: Chris Tamke, class of '09, shares his 4Hs, with our current team. Its become a tradition for our guys to share a Hero, Hardship, Highlight, and Hallelujah with the team to share their story and how God has worked in their lives | | |
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Individual Awards and Notable Accomplishments
We honored a few men on our team for accomplishments on and off the field at the end of the fall party. Here are the honorees:
Defender of the Year: Zach Zarko, #4, OF
A transfer this fall from TJC, Zarko, or "ZARKOOO 🤘" as his teammates affectionately refer to him, made an immediate impact in the outfield. I personally can't remember in my decade plus of college baseball ever seeing an OF earn the "Defender of the Fall" award for the team, but Zach's defense was exceptional. He roamed the OF with tremendous speed, making incredible catches, reads, and throws -- including a key OF assist in a pivotal game. I'm excited to see our OF in action this spring. As 2023 All-conference OFer, Carter Amarantos, said "Not even rain is going to fall out there this spring."
Hitter of the Fall: Dane Jones, Junior, #3 OF
Despite a slow start, Dane picked up right where he left off as Hitter of the Spring. Dane finished the fall with 5 home runs, all in the last 4 scrimmages including one in the TJC exhibition that is still going. He finished the Fall in Top 3 in all of our unique statistical categories known as B%, Hard Hit %, and Damage %, which respectively measure a hitters ability to Beat the pitcher, how often the hitter hits a ball hard into the OF, and lastly how well a hitter produces and scores runs.
Pitcher of the Fall: Zac Schneider, #14, LHP
Zac, or "Schneidahmayne" as we call him, also continued building on his All-conference spring, by dominating on the mound this fall. Schneider led the team with a 4.67 K:BB ratio, only got to a 3-ball count in 22% of his batters faced with an impressive 63% strike percentage. He also induced a whiff on nearly a quarter of his strikes.
Servant-Leader of the Fall: Calvin Lopez, #2 RHP
This was really the hardest award to select just one person for. The team also votes on this, and there were 12 different individuals nominated which I see as a wonderful reflection of the leadership on our team. Overall, Calvin Lopez was the one recognized as he not only takes care of the laundry for the team, but he goes above and beyond by taking care of the locker room, and organizing the storage closet. What really sets Calvin apart more than anything is his humble heart and his desire to help the team and his teammates in whatever way he can. Calvin embodies what it means to be a servant-leader which is why he was recognized by this great award.
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Player Profile - Ethan Wood
Each newsletter, I want to highlight 2 players (one newcomer, and one upperclassmen) so you can get a better understanding of our team
High School / Hometown: Joshua HS / Joshua, TX (DFW Area)
Major: Masters in Business Administration
Year: Graduate Student
Q: So before we came in, I know you were planning on leaving immediately after getting your degree, but you decided to stick around for one more year and get your Masters. Tell me a little bit more about that and why you decided to come back.
Going into the year I was sure that it was going to be my last season of baseball. Getting back on campus with a new staff and a great group of guys made me rethink the next step in my life. After months of praying and talking to my loved ones, I realized that I wanted to come back for one last year.
Q: We're all very thankful that you came back, as your integral part of this team, especially as leader. You were named Team Captain for this year. What does that mean to you and what do you want your legacy to be for this team?
A: Being named Team Captain is a tremendous honor. Getting voted on by my teammates made me feel accomplished and confident in the work that I have put in and the relationships that I have built with the guys. I want my legacy for this team to be that I went about every situation in a Christ-like manner and there is never a question that I put my all into my relationships and work on the field.
Q: What’s it like to be part of this YellowJacket Family?
A: Being a part of this team is unmatched, the brotherhood that has been formed in such a short time shows how special this team is. Seeing the leadership from our older guys and even some of our newcomers pushes me to be better in every aspect of my life.
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Above: Woody in action during the conference tournament. His dogged determination and love for his teammates were a big part of our success last year and why he was elected Team Captain. | |
Q: What's been the highlight of your career here so far?
A: On the field, its easily the back-to-back walkoffs to get us into the tournament last year -- especially the Lane Williams homerun. That was the coolest moment I have ever been part of. Off the field, the relationships that I have formed here with each team have been the highlight. They have made an unforgettable impact on me.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a Christian athlete?
A: Being Christian athlete means to me that I am putting God first in all of my efforts on and off the field. Looking for every chance to spread the word of God and his Kingdom whether that is through my actions or interactions with our opponents or fans.
Q: What's the biggest lesson you learned this past year or alternatively, what is something God is teaching you right now?
God is teaching me that I do not have to find my identity through my performance on the field. My whole life all I have known and done is baseball. I recently had an injury that kept me off the field and left me unsure on how I can make a contribution to this team. This has allowed me to find new ways to lead. God has been showing me that I should look to find my identity in him and trust what he has planned for me.
Aspirations after college: I plan to stay around the game of baseball in some aspect. Whether that is as a coach or as a part of player development at any level.
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Below: Our guys front-and-center at one of the student-athlete worship nights this fall | |
Would you like to partner with us? | |
Our vision is to be nationally known for our play and regionally known for our character, and we are pursuing this by cultivating disciples and pursuing excellence in all we do on and off the field. My goal for each individual is that they leave here with a richer relationship with Jesus Christ and with brothers in Christ because of their time as part of this baseball family.
And we can't do it alone. It absolutely takes a village.
Prayers, Provisions, and Posts! These are the best ways to partner with us.
We have many needs. Your prayers more than anything. Pray God continues to work in and through this program. That we build his kingdom, not ours.
But we do have several financial needs as well, and your tax-deductible gift allows us to better pursue this mission.
This year we're trying to raise funds to specifically cover our trip to California, acquire new windscreen, buy a new BP turtle, pay for graduate assistant stipends, and much more.
We're almost half way to our goal!
Please click the link below to donate. Or if you'd like to speak directly with ways you can partner or discuss specific needs, please contact Coach Phillips individually to discuss more ways to partner.
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We have limited and exclusive team issued items for purchase. Everything from team polos to hats to our personal favorite: the long sleeve Jordan T-shirt.
All proceeds go towards the Baseball Team.
Please email Coach Skipper @ rossskipper@letu.edu to order.
We accept Venmo @LETUbaseball or Check
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Newcomer Profile - Zach Zarko | |
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Last School/ Hometown: Tyler Junior College/ Hurst, TX
Major: Kinesiology - Sports Psych
Year: Junior
Position: OF
Q: Why did you choose to come be a YellowJacket?
A: Well, coming to LETU was like finding the perfect mixture for my academic and athletic dreams. It's where my goals and passions seemed like they would groove together the best.
Q: What's been the biggest surprise for you so far this fall either on or off the field?
A: The biggest shocker for me has been discovering how much Christ is actively working through LETU. I knew it was a Christian school, but it’s cool to experience it yourself. I see God working through the school, the community, my teachers, and even my team.
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Q: How has it been as a newcomer coming into a completely new culture and meshing with this team?
A:It's been surprisingly smooth. Everyone here has been super friendly, making the transition a lot easier. I've already hit it off with my teachers, coaches, and teammates. Which makes me look forward to whatever’s yet to come.
Q: Tell us about your pet turtle Spike.
A: Spike is my red eared slider; I have had Spike since I was 7 years old. He has been throughout my life, and I have taken him along to enjoy the ride. I even had him in my dorm last year, and yes, Spike is with me here. Now, If you’re wondering what’s the back story to naming Spike, I was 7, that’s it.
Q: I know you became a Christian shortly before you came to LETU, tell me how has this team and this school helped shape you since you've been here?
A:Let me tell you, this team and school have been my spiritual GPS. They've guided me, kept me on the righteous path, and smoothed out the bumps on my journey to Christ. Ever since I have been here my faith in the Lord keeps sharpening and sharpening.
Q: Any personal goals for the upcoming season?
A: Break the school record for stolen bases in a season
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First Ever YellowJacket Baseball Family "Retreat" | |
We started the fall with our first ever YellowJacket Baseball "Retreat" where for one intensive day, we went over everything it means to be part of this family.
We covered everything from the history of the school and the program, our standards and expectations, our training methods and philosophies and more.
We heard from our school's President, baseball alumni, and the leaders of the team as to what makes this Baseball Family so special. It was awesome to see our leaders open up and set the tone for what authentic brotherhood looks like.
We then enjoyed dinner together at Coach Phillips' house and capped it all off with Team Talent Show in the Locker room.
Coach Wood may or may not have stolen the show in the coaching staff's performance of "I want it that way" by the Backstreet Boys.
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Top: President Steve Mason speaks to our team about how the Team's Mission fits into the School's mission during our first ever Team Building "Retreat"
Bottom: Our guys wait for dinner at the Team Retreat at Coach Phillips' house
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Team Verse & Devotional
"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross."
Hebrews 12:2
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Earlier this semester, I had the honor and privilege to speak in chapel with another coach and share about when Christ became my one thing.
Click the video above to listen.
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Save the Date - Summer Prospect Camp, Skills Camp & Kids Camps | |
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We're in the process of setting up a new registration page but get these dates on your calendar now:
Youth Camps (Ages 12 and below):
We'll go over the basics of the game and have lots of fun; kids will be divided into different groups based off age and skill. So all skills levels are welcome. Last day will be a water day!
Camp will run 8:30am -11:30am
May 28-30: Kids Camp Session 1
June 3-5: Kids Camp Session 2
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Skills Camp (Ages 12-15):
Come learn from our staff to sharpen your baseball skills hitting, throwing, fielding, and pitching. We'll give you a crash course on how we develop our athletes and give you the foundation for taking your ability to the next level using the same principles we've used to build our record-breaking athletes.
Camp will be in the evening from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
June 17-19 : Skills Camp Session 1
June 24-26 : Skills Camp Session 2
Prospect Camps (All high school and JUCO Players):
Our all-day events are the best way to experience what its like to be player in our program and get in front of us. ALL 13 of our commits for the 2024 class attended a camp last year.
Camp will run 9am to roughly 5pm and will include metric testing, skill development, and a scrimmage.
June 11: Prospect Camp #1
August 2: Prospect Camp #2
August 24: Prospect Camp #3
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Merry Christmas and Thank you!
As we look forward to the baseball season, we pray you spend time looking back on the Advent of Christ's birth and forward again to his second coming.
"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God..."
Revelation 21:3
Thank you for reading and for your support! If you have any feedback or requests for what to include in future newsletters, please email me back your ideas.
GO YELLOWJACKETS!
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