Players were asked to use the following questions as guidelines in order to create a “Blue Collar Baseball” testimonial:

What does Blue Collar/Old School Baseball mean to you?

What should a freshman coming into the program expect?

What does a successful career consist of?

Class of 2023

Harry Falk

INF/C

College: Wisconsin

What does Blue Collar/Old School Baseball mean to you?

Old School Baseball means taking pride in not cutting corners and being ready to do anything necessary to help the team. This could mean laying down a bunt to advance a runner, taking every practice rep at one hundred percent, and being completely bought in to the team and it’s goals.

What should a freshman coming into the program expect?

A freshman entering the program should be prepared to work hard during and before the season, but they should also recognize that they will have an amazing group of teammates and coaches that will be supporting them throughout their entire Pembroke Hill baseball program and beyond.

What does a successful career consist of?

A successful career does not consist of all-state accolades, state championships, and scholarships to play division one baseball. A successful career can be measured by two things: the amount of pride you feel in yourself for the work you put into baseball on and off the field, and the impact you leave on younger players and the program as a whole. If you truly put your heart and soul into doing the little things right and being the best version of yourself as a player, you will feel an immense sense of accomplishment at the end of your career whether you ever played at the varsity level or not. Additionally, if you focus on being the best teammate you can be, your impact can be felt in the program for years to come. This could be taking time to help a younger player with their swing, offering to give players rides home, or simply being kind to every teammate.

Dustin Greenwood

P/1B

College: Tulane

Class of 2022

Phillip McMillin

Outfield

College: Arizona State

Class of 2021

Jackson Chu

Outfield

College: Colorado School of the Mines

Rishabh Gaur

Pitcher/ 3B

College: UMKC 6-Year Medical Program

Tyler Large

OF/Pitcher

College: Nicholls State to play baseball

Zachary Abrahms

1B/Pitcher

College: Miami (OH)

Luke Dema

Utility

College: Richmond University

What does Old School Baseball mean to you?

To me, Old School Baseball is how you approach the game. Not only does it mean practicing and playing hard and doing whatever you can to help the team, it's remembering that we're all playing because we love baseball. Old School Baseball is simply a reminder to enjoy what the game gives you and make sure you play with respect to the game.

What should a freshman coming into the program expect?

A freshman should expect to grow. The first few weeks will be just getting an understanding of how the program works. If you're a quick learner and a hard worker, you'll begin to see success quicker. Most importantly, expect to listen to everything the coaches say, they have valuable information you just can't miss.

What does a successful career consist of?

A successful career consists of playing for your teammates. No matter your role, the team comes first. If you don't lose sight of that, even down to taking every practice rep with the intention of making the team better rather than just yourself, you've done all you can. When you know you're doing all you can, that means you're successful, no matter the end result.

Nathan Gaid

Outfield

College: Rhodes (TN)

1. Old School Baseball means enjoying the game. When you enjoy the game, you build team chemistry, you are willing to do the little things to make the team better, and you stay after practice and games to clean up the stadium and the field. It’s what makes up the Pembroke Hill baseball program.

2. A freshman should expect to work hard and have fun. As long as you pay attention, try hard, get better, and support your teammates, you will make it far into the program.

3. A successful career consists of learning lessons from upperclassmen and the coaches.

Class of 2020

Gabe Nutter

Pitcher/IF

Class of 2020

College baseball at Mizzou

Anthony Solomon

Outfielder

Class of 2020

College: US Naval Academy

Class of 2019

Marcus Smith

Outfielder

Class of 2019

Committed to play college baseball at the University of Michigan; drafted in the 3rd round of the 2019 draft by the Oakland A’s and signed professionally. Marcus was traded to the Texas Ranf=gers at the trading deadline of the 2020 season.

Nick Fitzgerald

Pitcher/Infielder

Class of 2019

College: Creighton University

Drew Deister

Pitcher/Infielder

Class of 2019

College: Vanderbilt University

Entering the program as a junior, I had never heard the phrase "Blue Collar Baseball" before. It wasn't until the season started that I began to gain an appreciation for its meaning. Blue Collar Baseball has taught me two things, and each is wholly dependent upon the other. First, I have learned that it is the details of the game that can make or break a team. It is precisely the little things, like how you play catch or your leadoff footwork, details that often go overlooked, that should be developed most rigorously. So much of baseball, and so much of life for that matter, is outside of our control, and if that's the case, then it is imperative that a good team spends extra time refining the "basics." Unexpected things will always occur, so what separates the winners are those that execute the details well. Second, an individual or a team cannot do this without a strong sense of pride in doing it. Blue Collar Baseball implies not just taking care of the details because your coach told you to, but because you find identity in doing the little things correctly. Each of these ideas are vital to understanding Blue Collar Baseball, and are what I believe the most applicable to life outside the baseball field. During just two years, I have learned more about life through Blue Collar Baseball perhaps than most classes I've taken.

 Freshman should expect to be pushed in a very healthy way. What I mean by pushed is not an overbearing pressure from their coaches to perform; rather, it is an encouragement from their TEAMMATES around them to buy into the very same Blue Collar Baseball philosophy that I just described. Freshman will never be expected to carry out extra duties because they are freshman, because that's not what the team is about. In fact, Coach Diskin often asks that the seniors carry buckets or pick up the balls just to demonstrate the kind of pride and attitude Pembroke Hill strives to cultivate in its players. 

 To me, a successful career consists of maximizing your potential. That doesn't mean maximize your results, because, as I've already mentioned, so much of the actual outcome lies outside of our control. Instead, a successful career can be achieved by consistent attention to detail, a sense of pride in what you do, and a willingness to push yourself as hard you as you can. Many modern studies cite "grit" as one of the determiners of success, and I am a firm believer in this philosophy. In every area of my life, including baseball and academics, I've put in a lot of effort and hours, and though sometimes the results may not be ideal, I can still have peace because I know I have done everything inside my control. 

 Ronald White

OF

Class of 2019

College: University of Missouri

Jordan Winn

Outfield

Class of 2019

University of Missouri

Aaron Berkowitz

Catcher
Class of 2019

College baseball at Carleton College

Class of 2018

William Baker

Catcher/1B

Class of 2018

Emory University

1) To me, old school baseball means first a dedication to fundamentals. It's a commitment to saying that, if I happen lose, I will know that I lost because the other guy beat me, not because I beat myself; if fall short, I will be able to move forward with no regrets. Of course, that statement is somewhat overly idealistic. In the real world, mistakes and regrets are almost inevitable. With that in mind, another just as important aspect of old school baseball is saying that, in the event I make a mistake, I have the ability to move right past it so that the past mistake does not cause any future ones. The two most important tenets of old school baseball are a strong commitment to the fundamentals and a strong mental approach to the game.

2) New players should expect a much higher level of accountability. In an organization as small as Pembroke's, there is constant interaction between players at all levels. The veterans have a responsibility to look after younger players; in turn, the younger players have a responsibility to come prepared to work and learn from day one so that the commitment that the older players put into them is appreciated and utilized.

Another aspect of Pembroke baseball that might surprise new players is how important learning is alongside hard work. The “classroom” aspect of baseball is so important to this program, and (like I mentioned as a part of old school baseball) preparing oneself mentally for game situations is equally as important as preparing oneself physically.

3) No two people should have the same definition of a successful career, and everyone has different goals. Some come in expecting to move on to the next level of baseball, some are trying to succeed at the high school level, and others just want to enjoy playing baseball. There are so many different variables that one can evaluate to determine whether a career was successful or not. Even then, if certain goals do not happen to be met, it is still possible to call a career a success. In my mind, these three elements are what every player should reflect upon because their career is over:

·       You are content with the amount of work you put into improving

              This might be the one area where I could fall short of my own definition of a successful career. That being said, everyone realizes they could have worked harder in retrospect. As long as you are content (not happy, but able to be without major regrets) about the amount of work you put into the sport and your team, then that is enough, in my mind, to feel successful about your career.

·       You enjoyed the opportunity to play competitive baseball with your peers.

              Baseball doesn’t last forever. I got a second chance to continue playing baseball after high school, which I am incredibly thankful for. Even then, its very different from high school baseball. Having the opportunity to play the best sport in the world for almost every day for three months for one to four years is special and might never happen again. Simply enjoying that time is so important.

·       You helped increase others enjoyment of baseball.

              While your own enjoyment is so important, baseball is a team sport and thus you are accountable from anywhere from eight to thirty more people at any point in time. Either helping younger players, being a leader, or just being a teammate people enjoy spending time with are three of the various ways you can fulfill your most important responsibility as a member of a team, which is helping everyone else enjoy the sport as much as you.

Garrett Presko

Pitcher/Infield
Class of 2018

College baseball at Evansville University

Tommy Wolfe

Infield

Class of 2018

University of Nebraska

Class of 2017

Ethan “Big Daddy” Starr

Outfield

Class of 2017

Boston College University

Class of 2016

Jason Cobb

IF

Class of 2016

What does blue collar/old school baseball mean to you?

Prior to playing for Coach Diskin, I did not know what to expect when it came to the idea of "Old School Baseball." Growing up going to Pembroke Hill and playing baseball, I knew it was the baseball team's motto, but I did not really understand its implementation or importance; but, that soon changed as I started to get exposed to the program. From making sure every baseball is accounted for to using the proper footwork on ground ball drills, Old School Baseball means doing the little things. It means working hard, not cutting corners, and doing the right thing. Above all, it is a program wide culture that encapsulates all of the aforementioned ideas that Coach Diskin has implemented. Old School Baseball can be seen throughout the program and that can be attributed to the level of importance it has within the success of Pembroke Hill Baseball.

What should a freshman coming into the program expect?

What a freshman should expect coming into the program is to not only grow as a baseball player, but also as a person. This idea comes back to the idea of Old School Baseball and how to do things the right way. By not cutting corners or taking the easy route, a level of discipline is instilled in players that has real world applications. Now years removed from the program, I can think back to lessons learned while playing for Coach Diskin that I have installed in my daily life. On the baseball side, an incoming freshman can expect to grow through working with not only lowerclassmen, but upperclassmen as well. This allows younger players to learn from more experienced Varsity players, which is crucial to their success in the future.

What does a successful career consist of?

The idea of success is a very subjective topic. The way one measures success compared to another could be vastly different, which creates a different meaning of what greatness is. However, whenever I am faced with the question of success and how to be successful, I always think back to this quote from Joe Diskin: "If you want to be successful in life, help those above you, below you, and smile while doing it!" Joe said this quote during a random moment in practice one cold afternoon in March, but it has stuck with me and become a personal motto of mine. So, when faced with the question of success, rely on these words from Coach Joe and you will be successful.

Travis Sedlock

IF

Class of 2016

What does old school baseball mean to me?
Old school baseball is a term that can be different for everyone. For me, it means playing every pitch as hard as you can, and always doing your job. This can be as little as picking up baseballs in the batting cage because no one else did, or helping tidy up the stadium before a home game. Old School baseball is more than just an individual, it is a team.

What should a new player expect from the program?
Being a new member of the team, you should expect to be treated fairly and given an equal opportunity for a starting position on the team. You should also expect practice to be challenging, this is how you improve as a player and as a team. You should also expect to have responsibilities that need to be taken of during games and practices.

What defines a successful career?
A successful career is not defined by stats like batting average and fielding percentage. As a Pembroke baseball player, a successful career is one that makes you into a better teammate, a better person, and grows your knowledge and appreciation of the game.

Class of 2015

Joe Thomas

Pitcher/IF

Class of 2015

Played college baseball at Tufts (MA) University

Class of 2014

Sam Frazen

Catcher

Class of 2014

Played college baseball at Dennison (OH) University

Tyler Laplante

Pitcher

Class of 2014

Played college baseball at Johnson County Community College and the University of Missouri

Class of 2013

Sam Thomas

Pitcher/Oufielder

Class of 2013

Played college baseball at Macalaster (MN) University

Class of 2012

Isaas Wurth

Outfield/Pitcher

Oklahoma University

Watching my oldest brother’s game was the first time I heard the words BLUE COLLAR. I didn’t know it at the moment but it has truly impacted my life.

Some people say that BLUE COLLAR is doing the little things. It is, but its also way more than that. To me, BLUE COLLAR is a brotherhood. Today’s players are following the footsteps of great players such as Matt Ungashick, Peter Ingles, Richard Wright, Andrew Zobrist, and many others all of which raked and painted the same field that we play on today. BLUE COLLAR means history. Players knowing that BLUE COLLAR bonds them together with not only their teammates, but with many others that have went through the same struggles, and fights for success, and happiness that they have. BLUE COLLAR is determination and knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. With every low there will be a high if the work is put in. Every day is a new day to succeed and learn something new. BLUE COLLAR is supporting your teammates. The BLUE COLLAR brotherhood will stick with you for the rest of your life if you allow it to. If one struggles we all struggle, and if one succeeds we all succeed. Being there for your teammates is the first step in doing the little things right. The 2010 state team gained success not purely by doing the little things, but by building a trust on and off the field. Building trust with your teammates can transform individuals
into a whole. Being BLUE COLLAR is being apart of something bigger than yourself. It is knowing that for every struggle,  mistake, success, and triumph there is always a teammate by your side telling to either get up or HURAW. Some people believe that BLUE COLLAR is physical. Often telling new members that BLUE COLLAR is going to practice in 35-degree weather, blowing out the dugouts, and picking up rocks from the infield that nobody other than coach can see. That might be true. But the real question is why do we do it? It is because we all have this two-word phrase that bind us together, and reminds us that we are in it together no matter the circumstance. BLUE COLLAR is not given, it is earned. While I have talked about many things that BLUE COLLAR is to me, I have yet to say the most important part. BLUE COLLAR is having fun. Everything from
joking around with your teammates, to playing jokes on Coach Diskin, at the end of the day BLUE COLLAR is fun. If you allow BLUE COLLAR to be fun, you can have some of the greatest memories of their life playing baseball at Pembroke Hill.

Freshman should expect a very safe learning environment. There are no extra duties, nor drills freshmen have to do that others do not. From day one freshmen are a valued member of the team. Starting positions are never given just because of seniority. That being said, freshmen have an equal opportunity to start on the varsity level. There are many concepts and unfamiliar drills from day one of practice so Upperclassmen are there to guide the freshmen through theuncertainties. Overall, freshmen should expect a fun and rewarding season of baseball.

Class of 2011

Paul Black

Outfield, 1B, P

Class of 2011

University of Notre Dame

Blue Collar means putting in the extra effort in order to be the best you can be. Being fundamentally sound and being able to execute the little things are crucial aspects of Blue Collar Baseball. The ability to bunt, steal home, run pickoff plays, manufacture runs, and execute cutoffs and “1st and 3rd” situations are specific examples of the Blue Collar mentality. Although Pembroke Hill baseball teams may not always be as talented as our opposition, our mastery of the fundamentals and our ability to do the little things correctly often allow us to defeat more skilled teams.

As a freshman, you can expect to be treated with respect by everyone in the program. Coach Diskin and the other coaches truly care about the well-being of every player on the team. You will undoubtedly become a better individual player and a better team player. I can’t tell you how many times in my Pembroke Hill baseball career that we’ve played schools with better individual talent than we had, but we won because our team was better than theirs. Many schools don’t really give freshman a fair shot at varsity playing time, but this is not the case at Pembroke Hill. If you are good enough to play varsity as a freshman, you will. One piece of advice that I would give to a freshman on the team is that you should take every opportunity you can to learn from the upperclassmen. I assure you that they will appreciate your desire to improve as a player and will be happy to help you get better at whatever it is that you want to work on.

A successful Pembroke Hill baseball career means becoming a better baseball player and teammate, forming lasting relationships with your teammates, giving 100% effort, and having a lot of fun. Although performing well individually may be important in the short run, the success of the team is what you look back on when your baseball career at Pembroke Hill is over. Overall, I am very glad to have been a part of the Pembroke Hill baseball program, and the memories from my career will be with me for the rest of my life.

Luke Butler

Catcher

Class of 2011

University of The Pacific

A Technical Approach to “Blue Collar Baseball”

Before the 2012 Pembroke Hill Baseball season started, Coach Diskin asked me to speak to the team about what
“Blue Collar Baseball” meant to me. At the last minute it came to me that I probably would be a poor person to define “Blue Collar” in relation to the program because my position individual period for catcher was run by Coach Diskin so it’s not like I had any alternative to his expectations. A defining element of “Blue Collar Baseball” is the individual’s sacrifice for the greater
good of the team. This could come in the form of blocking a wild pitch in order to prevent a runner from advancing or catching a bullpen instead of taking batting practice. I decided to do some research and read about how other previous Pembroke Hill players defined “Blue Collar Baseball”. One of the most prevalent themes that appears is “Taking pride in doing the little things”. When we relate this idea to game of baseball , the first thing that comes to my mind is how all nine fielders react to a base hit for instance. Not only are nine individuals doing nine different things, they are all occurring simultaneously.

I understand that this is probably somewhat hard to follow so far. The point that I am trying to make is that being a “Blue Collar” player is an unrealistic ideal for our purposes because an individual cannot possibly perform all the activities near as efficiently as a system working collaboratively on a common objective. I feel that “Blue Collar” in the context of a baseball philosophy is an extremely unselfish team oriented style of play that is dependent on each player performing a useful and
deliberate role to achieve a greater objective. For example, runners must time and execute a ‘double-steal’ smoothly if they want to manufacture a run. A player can also bring something useful that isn’t physically related to baseball such as inspiring work ethic and persistent hustle which could potentially turn a ground ball into a decisive infield single.

At the catcher position you have a completely unique point of view in relation to your eight other teammates on the field. You have the opportunity to view the field of play in its entirety over the course of the season and gradually establish a familiarity with each of your teammates’ most frequent tendencies to predict what is likely to occur over the course of the game or when a specific scenario arises. For example, near the end of the 2010 spring season I came to expect that each game…

• Taylor Kiefer would bunt for a hit

• Issac Wurth would get under a deep gap shot

• Richard Wright would pitch a complete game

• Cruz Wiles wouldn’t allow a ground ball to leave the infield

• Preston Owen would have a timely within him

• Joe Wieczkowski would be Joe Wieczkowski

• David Kipke would play exceptional outfield despite his shoulder

• Richard Moriarty would have an extra base hit

• Charley Doering would have control of his curveball Foster Honeck would get to 3rd base if he
  was ever on 1st base

I believe that the 2010 team’s success can be partially accredited to the fact that all the players were roughly familiar with everyone else’s more frequent trends which led to a high quality of baseball. The trust and comfort created between interacting players also proved to yield a handful of post-season strikeouts and successful pick off moves. It is extremely useful to the program if you posses a specific ability in certain situations. There is always demand for a person who is a guarantee to get the bunt down and in play. “Blue Collar Baseball” has relied on superior game preparation, sound fundamentals, mental toughness, and situational expertise in order to compete with teams who are often times more physically talented. Due to the mutual familiarity of strengths weaknesses, and tendencies amongst 2010 individual players; when operating as an unit the whole
is greater than the sum of the individual parts.

Richard Moriarty

Infield/Pitcher

Class of 2011

Miami (FL) University

For me, Blue Collar is a way of life that involves a considerable investment in the future. Practices in the Blue Collar Baseball program are filled with subtle drills that will prepare you for every situation that may arise in future competition, so when a player enters a game, he can feel as though he is mentally prepared to deal with the adversity that is a part of the sport. Though these drills focus on improvement on the baseball field, I say way of life because in order for this style of play to work, all members of the team must buy into the philosophy completely, applying its principles not only on the field but in other activities as well. The fundamental principle of Blue Collar is this: the easy way out (walking to the next drill or skipping bullpen work at the end of practice) is safe and comfortable in the short term, but Blue Collar players must develop more disciplined practice habits, making sure to hustle around to each drill and to squeeze every possible rep out of each practice. This desire to improve and the ability to keep future goals in sight are what makes a group of Blue Collar players into a championship-caliber team.

An incoming freshman should expect nothing different than the rest of the players: buy into the Blue Collar philosophy and know that results will follow. Freshmen are treated no differently than the upperclassmen. If a freshman shortstop is more talented and works harder than a senior shortstop, that freshman will get a chance to prove he is worthy of a starting spot. At this point in their lives, new players to the program have unlikely worked as hard as they will during the season. Playing this style of baseball will be mentally and physically exhausting. However, no incoming player will have previously experienced that same joy as when all the hard work they put in during the spring comes to fruition in late May with a successful playoff run.

In some programs, success is determined solely by a win-loss record. In the Blue Collar program, winning is a top priority; however, another factor is equally considered when determining the success of a career. That is, did you learn something about yourself or take something away from your four years in the program that will benefit you for the rest of your life? For me, that something is the everlasting and unique relationships that I developed with my teammates and coaches. Themoments you share with them will be the ones that you cherish for life. I will never forget the image of our first baseman walking to the mound, his eye-black smeared down his playoff-bearded face, the picture of a competitor, calming me down as I set to deliver a pitch to the Giants’ future left fielder as we tried to finish off a comeback that would send us to the state tournament. After the game, our tickets punched to the tournament in Springfield, the stadium emptied and pandemonium subsided, our same first baseman walked out onto the field and crouched beside the mound to burst into tears, realizing he’d never play Blue Collar Baseball on that field again. We began to repair the mound and plate area so the field would be ready for practice the next day. Then and there, I realized that this unforgettable moment was the essence of Blue Collar: with our bodies fatigued and our minds still spinning from the adrenaline, we wouldn’t celebrate until the day’s work was complete.

Class of 2010

Evan Summers

Outfield

Class of 2010

Carleton College (MN)

Blue Collar is not simply a way to approach the game of baseball, but also a way to approach life. To truly be Blue Collar is to approach every situation with the intention of giving your best, and to leave every situation knowing that you did everything within your power to accomplish your goal. This does apply to individual events in life, but more importantly it applies to those times when working with others is important. Being Blue Collar means never giving up on yourself, and never giving up on your teammates. In a baseball sense, Blue Collar means doing the best you can at whatever role you have. Whether you are a varsity ace or a freshman still finding your position on the diamond, your role is essential in building a successful Blue Collar Baseball program. This means giving your all in every repetition at practice, leaving nothing on the field after every game, and never passing up a chance to help your self, and just as importantly your teammates, succeed on and off the field. If I had to summarize Blue Collar Baseball in one phrase, it would be “never pass up the chance to give your best.”

A freshman should expect to be treated fairly and given the chance to learn and improve as an individual player and as a teammate. New members of the Blue Collar Baseball program should know that they will not be forced to do the dirty work of the team, but rather that they will be given an incredible opportunity to learn about and adapt to the Blue Collar mentality. Incoming freshmen should know that taking extra time to learn about the game and to improve their skills will not only help them become better baseball players, but will also dramatically shorten the time it takes for them to understand Blue Collar Baseball. My best piece of advice would be for freshman to quickly open their minds to the Blue Collar mentality, because the sooner that they understand how to be a part of the program, the shorter and easier their path to success will be.

When I mention success, this does not necessarily mean hitting for a high average or posting a low ERA. Success as a Blue Collar Baseball player means walking off the field after four years wearing a smile because you know that you learned as much as you could learn about baseball and gave as much as you could give to help the program. A successful career does not necessarily mean winning district and state championships, but rather becoming a stronger player and teammate after each practice, each game, and each season.

Preston Owen

DH/1B

Class of 2010

University of Missouri

To me, Blue Collar Baseball is the way baseball should be played. It means doing all the little things that most teams don’t do. Blue Collar Baseball has several different meanings. It could mean having to stay after practice to make sure everything is picked up, spending an entire afternoon on the field with a sponge, bucket, and shop-vac to make sure the field is ready for quarterfinals. It could also mean just spending a rainy day studying the rules of baseball, making sure you know what to do if that one in a million situation does come up. It’s about practicing countless repetitions of cutoff drills so that you know your cutoff man is going to be there to pick you up when the game is on the line. Blue Collar Baseball is about more than baseball itself; it teaches life lessons that will live on with you long after your years of baseball are over.

Freshmen coming into the Blue Collar Baseball program should expect being welcomed into an elite group of athletes. This is one of the finest teams in high school baseball. Unlike most programs, there is no hazing. Building upon this, freshman year is all about learning and buying into the Blue Collar mentality. As previous alumni have said, the team will become your second family. The coaches will be there for you no matter what the situation (baseball related or not). If you feel like you want more cuts in the cage or grounders at third, don’t be afraid to ask any of the coaches if you can get extra reps before or after practice. Some of my fondest memories come from staying after practice, getting extra reps in and playing hitting games with the other players who stayed.

A successful career comes not from the score at the end of the game, your ERA from a season, or your career batting average. A successful career comes from knowing that you gave everything you had, that you gave 100%, knowing you didn’t let your teammates down. It’s about how you as an individual mature and learn how to put the team ahead of yourself. These will be some of the best years of your life, enjoy every minute of it.

“You learn you can do your best even when it’s hard, even when you’re tired and maybe hurting a little bit. It feels good to show some courage.”

Allie Kirschner

Manager

Class of 2010

University of Missouri

When I think of Blue Collar Baseball, numerous things come to mind. Staying after practice to keep our field maintained-whether it means pulling all the weeds on the 1st & 3rd baselines, working on the mounds, or making sure the outfield wind-screen is still holding up. After continuous rain and your field is full of puddles, you have to do whatever you need to in order to get the field back in use. And sometimes, that means taking sponges, cups, and buckets and getting rid of as much water as possible so that the field can dry. Blue Collar Baseball, as all alums will tell you, is taking pride in doing the little things, because the little things are what help you succeed. That is, working day in and day out at executing bunts so that the execution would hopefully carry over into games. With doing all the little things, you put yourself in situations to put up a fight inning by inning, to accomplish late inning comebacks, and to win close games. With playing Blue Collar Baseball, there is always a chance for success.

Freshman coming into this Blue Collar program should have a lot to be excited about and look forward to. This team will become your second family. The coaches really do want you to improve and succeed, not only as an individual but as a team. If you ever want more repetitions in the batting cage, outfield, on the mound, or in the infield, don’t hesitate to ask because they want to help you improve more than anyone. On some teams, freshman get stuck putting the equipment away after practices. In this program, that is not the case. Everyone works together as a team on field maintenance and with the equipment. Freshman, there is no need to be afraid of upperclassmen or hazing, because like you, they are there to play baseball, not to pick on you. If you are asked to step up into a role, do the best of your ability, because that is all that you can do. Enjoy your next four years in the program and help the program to take the next step. Work hard, run fast, and never stop fighting.

A successful career does not just mean that you set or broke records, whether offensively or pitching wise. A successful career is not all about the statistics, but about individual and team improvement. If you improved individually from the beginning of a season to the end, you took that next step to having a successful career. If the program beat teams that they had been working to defeat for seasons, you played a part in that success. In order to achieve success you must continuously put forth hard work, be accountable at all times, and continue to thrive as a player day in and day out.

Joe Wieczkowski

Infield

Class of 2010

College baseball at the University of Missouri - St. Louis

To me, Blue Collar Baseball means a number of things. First off, Blue Collar Baseball is simply doing the “little things” that are required of you in order to accomplish the goal. It is doing what is expected of you every single time, because even though it may not always have immediate rewards, there will be the time when, because of forming the habit of backing up a base for example, you are in the position to save a game winning run from scoring. Little things are typically things that go unnoticed by the majority of people and are things that many, if not most, other teams do not do. The whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts. This saying should be a fact in order for a program to be Blue Collar. It should not always be about individual success, but more about the success of others and the team. The game is too precious, and can come down to such a tiny event to mismanage important situations by empowering your ego. Being Blue Collar is not only a way to play baseball, it can also be applied to life off the field. You should always do what’s expected of you even if there are not always consequences for not doing so. Blue Collar is being accountable for your actions. Someone who is Blue Collar doesn’t make excuses. Someone who is Blue Collar always always gives it their all. You owe it to yourself and to those around you to be the best you can. A Blue Collar team will never give up regardless of the situation and score. Come from behind victories are fairly frequent in high school sports, and if a team can always be pulling for each other, they can beat teams that have players who can drive the baseball out of the park consistently and seemingly with ease.

Freshmen entering this program are probably treated better than anywhere else. There will never be hazing. Freshmen will be respected just as much as anyone else and should realize that the most important thing they can do is to buy into the program and the methods taught to them. Even if you feel as if you are seeing the ball well on a particular day, if the situation calls for it, you will still most likely be asked to bunt. Since our entire team is Blue Collar, they will realize your sacrifice, and you will easily be respected once you get back to the dugout. Freshmen should also realize that everything that the coaching staff has you do is for a reason. They know what they are talking about, you just have to trust them. It is rare that a high school baseball program will have as good a staff as the Blue Collar Baseball program. Always give your best effort no matter what. Freshmen can look forward to becoming part of a very close family. It’s a lot of fun, so enjoy every single day. Coach is very reasonable if you absolutely have to miss something, so make sure if you do miss a practice for some reason you make up for whatever you missed.

In order to judge the success of your career, you should look back and ask yourself, “Did I give everything I had and tried my hardest at making myself and those around me better every single day?” Think about how other people would answer this question about you too, from their perspective did I give everything. You should do this reflection any time, not just at the end of your career. In order to be successful you must always be looking ahead and be able to put your recent failure/mistake behind you. You can’t let a strikeout from the previous inning affect your mental state in the field the next inning. Baseball is a game of failure and there are never any “redos”. Since failure will be the result the majority of the time, you often do not have to even necessarily beat the other team in order to win the game, you just have to be able to “beat the game”. If you can beat the game, you should almost always be able to win the game.

Class of 2009

Edward Merriman

Catcher

Class of 2009

Southern Methodist University

Blue Collar baseball is something that not only betters you as a ball player, but as a young man as well. It means practicing on a rainy, thirty-degree day. It means taking extra cuts in a batting cage that you built with Coach Diskin in the cold a month before the season. Blue Collar Baseball means so much more than just playing the game. A Blue Collar Player knows the rules, loves to drop to his knees to block a ball that keeps the runner on first from advancing into scoring position, and most importantly a Blue Collar Player buys into the program and loves to do the little things.

What freshman should expect: All freshmen coming into the program have a lot to look forward to. Expect a program that is great to freshman. The older guys in the program are in charge of all the work, and they will end up doing a lot more cleaning and maintenance work than you. Freshman year is a great time to not only make the transition to high school baseball, but to become familiar with Blue Collar Baseball and buy into it.

What a successful career consists of: A successful Blue Collar Baseball career consists of a few things. A successful career obviously means bettering yourself as a ball player, but more importantly a successful career means leaving the program better than when you found it. A successful career will help the program and all its Blue Collar Alums take the next step that our program has been flirting with the past few seasons.

Freshman Challenge: I challenge all freshmen to work as hard as possible and to buy into the Blue Collar Program as quickly as possible. There will be a time in your career when you will feel like you just saw Jesus, and at that point you will truly understand why you are asked day after day to do the little things. I would die to be given the opportunity to be a freshman again knowing what it is like to play in a district championship game. So I challenge you (freshmen) to work as hard as you can, because if you don’t and you fall short your senior year by losing in the district championship game, you will want every practice from the past four years back.

Nick Leyh

Catcher/OF

Class of 2009

Macalester College

“Blue Collar Baseball” is the way baseball should be played. It’s using your body to block a ball in the infield then making the play to get the out. It’s pushing yourself to dive in the outfield to get the 3rd out in the bottom of the seventh. It’s fighting an 0-2 count until you put the ball in play and move the runner over. But it’s also doing things you won’t get cheers for such as hitting every off-season workout or staying after practice to get individual reps.

As a freshman I was worried about freshman hazing and not getting as many opportunities as older players. But I quickly realized that Coach Diskin really values the younger players in the program. Through C and JV games I managed to get more opportunities than I thought I would ever get freshman and sophomore years. The seniors were definitely always a help and never pushed me or any other freshman around.

To become successful in baseball it takes nothing but determination. By pushing yourself in December to push 200 pounds on the chest press to staying still 7:00 to get three extra buckets of pop-flies, you will improve much more than you ever thought you could. Always work hard and give everything you can everyday you can.

Jack Dudenhoeffer

P/3B/1B

Class of 2009

University of Missouri

Blue collar baseball means much more than just doing the little things. For me it encompasses all it takes to be baseball player. When I first came to the program as a freshman I was a little unsure of what to expect. I had no idea how enthusiastic Coach Diskin was or how much he cared about each one of his players. Every practice was enjoyable and I know I got better each day. The players around me also got better. Despite some injuries my senior year the players wanted to come back and be part of the team. When they came back the coaches got them ready and each player made a difference. Blue collar also means getting dirty/making‘em pucker. A game never goes by without coach Diskin yelling at the infield to get on their bellies. Every player takes pride in getting dirty and having cuts on their arms and stomachs that don’t heal until the season is over. Coach also loves to make the other team pucker. This means suicides at home, turning a double into a triple drawing a wild throw, and of course stealing home. All of these help make the Pembroke baseball program what it is today. Each one of the coaches helped me get better and without them I don’t think I would be where I am now in my baseball career.

Geoff Butler

P/OF

Class of 2009

Played college baseball at Missouri Valley University

Blue Collar is more than the way you play the game of baseball, it’s about the way you live your life. The “Blue Collar “ work ethic is something I use to shape every day of my life. On the field being a “Blue collar player” means doing the things you need to do to get better, even when the coaches aren’t looking. It means never taking a short cut. It means taking pride in doing the little things. You work until the job is done, and you don’t complain. As a Blue Collar
player, you don’t care about what it takes, you just care about getting better. As Blue Collar players we put in the work that others don’t, hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. We WILL run out every infield hit, we WILL never give up on a fly ball, we WILL never give up in a game. Blue Collar is a mentality you must buy into to be successful. The mentality that workinghard and never taking a short cut will pay off in the long run, is one you need to be successful. You play for your team, your coaches, and yourself. If you truly buy into this mentality, it will change your life. Just like on the field, you
will never take a short cut in life. You will work until the job is done, and never give up on a job or a task at hand.

A freshman coming into the program should expect a challenge. But if he accepts this challenge and most importantly buys into the team mentality, he will be changed for life. As a freshman, I was intimidated by the level of commitment coach Diskin required, but soon I realized how that level of commitment made me and the team a success. It takes that commitment and buying into what coach preaches to be a success as a person and a team. As a graduate of the program, I can’t thank coach Diskin enough for what he has instilled in me. As a collegiate baseball player, I still live by the work ethic he taught me. I never take short cuts, I work had even when coaches aren’t looking, and I take pride in doing the little things well. I still talk to coach Diskin on weekly bases. He is tough, and the program is tough, but he will
never give up on you as a person and a player. That is a special quality that many coaches do not posses. He sees what you are truly capable of, and has the ability to bring it out. It’s special, and lifechanging.

I can sum this question up in a text I sent coach after the last game I played as a senior. I said, “Coach, playing for you for the last four years has not only made me a better baseball player, but a better person, and I will never forget that.” You will be a success if you buy into the Blue Collar Work ethic, you don’t have to go on to play college baseball to
be a success. You just have to leave the program and tougher, better, smarter person than when you came in as a freshman. The mentality that Coach Diskin instills in his players makes them a success, and if you buy into what he
teaches, you WILL be a success.

Class of 2008

Pete Ingles

P/2B/SS

Class of 2008

Played college baseball at Mid-America Nazarene University (KS)

In my mind, Blue Collar Baseball is all about doing everything necessary for the team to succeed.  It’s about respect for the game.  Players in the Pembroke Hill program are one hundred percent dedicated to the team, and will do whatever is necessary to help the team.  Whether it’s laying down a bunt to advance a runner or hustling down the first base line on a routine ground ball, Blue Collar players do the little things in order to ensure the team’s success.  Not only do players work hard in practice, but they work just as hard when the coaches are not watching.  They go to practice every day expecting not only themselves, but their teammates to put in one hundred percent.  Blue Collar players strive to make themselves and the players around them better each day.  They push each other.  They respect the game.  Pembroke Hill may not produce the same amount of raw talent as its opponents, who are often larger schools in size, but the Pembroke Hill baseball program is successful because its players are dedicated, scrappy, hard working, and take pride in doing the little things in practice.  Respect.  The recent success of the program can be credited not only to the system implemented by the coaches, but the way the players buy into the program.  When a freshman enters the program, he is expected to buy into the Blue Collar system.  Unlike other programs, freshmen will be respected, not hazed.  Blue Collar Baseball is traditionally a senior-led program, and freshmen will have solid upperclassmen leaders to follow.  In addition, during my four years in the program, I have found that the baseball team has produced several great leaders, and a freshman can expect to not only be molded into the best baseball player he can be, but will be provided with the tools to become a leader.  All in all, a successful career is not measured by wins and losses, batting averages, or awards.  Instead, each baseball player at Pembroke Hill has a significant impact on the program.  Each player leaves a legacy, and if the player has impacted the team in a positive way, then his career will be considered successful.  A positive attitude, desire to make teammates better each day, putting the team first, and most of all, RESPECTING THE GAME, will result in a successful baseball career.

Class of 2007

Matt Ungashick

Pitcher/Utility

Class of 2007

Played college baseball at Rhodes College

Blue Collar-ness

Blue Collar, ultimately, a sense of being,

Necessary preparation, pride.

Pride, not only for the program,

But for the beloved game of baseball.

Pride in doing the “little things,”

Actions necessary to win.

Overcoming obstacles, without flash or flare.

Working hard, devoting time, but not flaunting efforts.

A true entity,

That only those through this program

Truly understand the meaning of.

Pressure, uncertainty, uncomfortable.

Overwhelming elation, a sigh of relief.

Freshman, these will be some of the feelings you share.

Pressure, due to older players around you.

Uncertainty because of your abilities or your role.

Uncomfortable because of adjustments you’re not used to.

Elation when you realize these changes result in success.

Relief because you understand, our players welcome the freshman,

We understand they are the future, you are appreciated.

Success is directly proportional to perception.

Through hard work, dedication, winning and losing,

You will be judged.

We will always be judged no matter what we do,

But we control how others perceive us.

Through the sole purpose, goals, and ideals of this great program,

We are judged as successful.

Our work ethic, beginning with the basics of “Blue Collar,”

Portray us as successful.

Thus success is achieved,

Through the basic ideals of Blue Collar-ness.

Your effort, work, pride, and selfless demeanor,

Lead to a successful career.

Diego Heatherman

First Base

Class of 2007

Attended college in Austria

Blue Collar means taking nothing for granted.  Be it the setup of practice facilities or the smoothness of your swing, take nothing for granted.  It means doing all of the little things, from picking up other people’s trash in the stands, to not coming up too soon on a grounder, even if it’s the 17th ball you’ve fielded off of that rain wet asphalt.  Naturally freshmen, you should expect to work hard everyday.  But if you do so, you should also expect noticeable improvement.  That’s one of the reasons for showing up everyday and putting in more than your coaches ask, or even hope, for.

The other reason is that if you and your teammates work day in and day out, don’t take lazy swings when taking bp alone, stay conscious of your footwork when it’s too cold to even feel your feet, run hard when you know you will be out anyway, and take the same two steps after 6 straight foul balls as you do on the first pitch of the game, then there can be no regrets.  When the team wins, you’ll know why.  When you lose, you’ll know there was nothing more that could have been done.  Don’t let yourself wonder what would have happened if you hadn’t skipped that one practice.  Don’t allow the question ‘Would it have been different if I had focused more during bunting drills?’  Just do everything you can do.

If you walk off the field for the last time victorious, no one will question your career.  But if you must walk off the field for the last time in defeat, make sure that there is still no question about what happened or what might have been.  There is no truer sign of a successful career.

Class of 2006

Reed Cope

Catcher/Utility

Class of 2006

Truman State (MO) University

I heard the term Blue Collar Baseball for all of my four years of playing baseball at Pembroke, and each year I became a little better at playing Blue Collar Baseball. In its most basic, general and applicable sense, Blue Collar Baseball means performing necessary (yet sometimes dull and mundane) tasks that most players and teams would not want to have to deal with – and also taking pride in performing them (performing them to perfection, or at least to the best of your ability). However, as a player goes through the Pembroke Hill baseball program, Blue Collar Baseball tends to have its definition tweaked a little bit, depending on the player’s experiences.  In my experiences and observations, I have come to believe that Blue Collar Baseball means respecting the game of baseball as a great American tradition, loving the chance to get out on the field and even hold a baseball, and appreciating the opportunities that baseball can afford, aside from the athletic benefits.  In passing through the Pembroke Hill baseball program, I have been fortunate to see many coaches who live and coach by the Blue Collar Baseball mentality.  The coaching staff in the Pembroke baseball program has been and continues to be in the top echelon and is practically incomparable in terms of the quality of the coaches as team leaders and as people.

A freshman coming into the program should expect to develop a stronger work ethic, both on and off the field.  Running a baseball program takes work (and not just working out) from the Athletic Director all the way down through the head coach and to the new freshman.  However, baseball in itself is a fun sport and the relationships, competition and ultimate satisfaction that each player experiences make up ten-fold for any work put into the program.  Primarily, an incoming freshman should expect to have fun as they become a better baseball player and a better person.

A successful career is one in which a player leaving the program can say, “This program is stronger now than when I entered it, and I helped do that.”  The quality of the program is much more than seasonal win-loss records.  Any player can positively affect student body involvement and awareness; teammates’ enjoyment levels; coaches’ stress levels (by alleviating set-up and clean-up duties, always being on time, etc.); and/or the attitude of the team at large.  In my four years in the program, I could not tell you a single season’s record for the team.  I know that we have steadily improved, but this hasn’t come from a huge influx of talent into the program.  I have witnessed it come from constant improvements on those four categories (and perhaps one or two more that I am unable to pinpoint currently).  In my mind, my greatest contributions were never on the field during games or practices, or in the gym during workouts: my best contributions have always arisen from my relationships with other players and coaches – I have taken pride in being an open, friendly person who always keeps a positive attitude.  While it is easy to question how this can help a baseball program win games, I can only respond with, “This program is stronger now than when I entered it, and I helped do that.”

Class of 2005

“Steddy” Teddy Bloch

Pitcher

Class of 2005

University of Princeton

Blue collar baseball is taking what you have and doing the most with it. We may not have players who will play professionally, but we will work hard and come together as a team. Blue collar baseball means that the team is not made up of individual players; instead, the team is one unit, in which each player must make sacrifices for the good of the team. Blue collar means perfecting the fundamentals and taking pride in doing the little things right. It is running, throwing, and lifting weights in the off-season when the other schools are sitting at home. The extra ground ball and the extra swing will take us to the next level. Blue collar baseball is how a small school like Pembroke Hill can compete with the Class 5A or 6A schools.

In most sports at most schools, the freshman are treated as if they are much less important than anyone else. They must pick up the equipment and be ordered around by the upperclassmen. If the equipment is not put away, it is the freshmen’s fault. At Pembroke Hill, it is exactly the opposite. The seniors are the ones who are responsible for seeing that the equipment is put away properly. The freshmen are not the servants of the upperclassmen. They are the future of the program.

A successful career would be one in which a player has no regrets. He should leave knowing he has done everything in his power to not only improve individually but also to help the team as much as possible. He should leave knowing that he has been an integral part of the team. Each player has his own role, whether it is playing on the field or cheering and helping his teammates from the bench. A successful career should not be measured in wins and losses. Although these are important, the contribution that the individual player has made to the team is most important. If a player leaves the baseball program after four years of hard work and dedication to the team, then he can consider it a successful career.

Jack “Big Dawg” Dempsey

Pitcher

Class of 2005

Played baseball at Rockhurst University

To me, the motto “Blue Collar Baseball” means sacrificing your individual self for the greater good of the team.  The motto describes appreciating and doing “little things” in order to help your team win.  As a freshman, the motto teaches you that if you focus, hustle, and work hard, success WILL pay off.  “Blue Collar Baseball” highlights “going the extra mile”.  Arriving at practices on time, working in the weight room, running in the off-season, and even having good relationships with your teammates entail what it means to be a Pembroke Hill “Blue Collar” baseball player.  This philosophy solidified my respect for the game of baseball and helped me take pride in doing the little things correctly.  This motto has helped me become a successful varsity pitcher and soon-to-be college pitcher.  Believe that hard work DOES pay off.

Expect to have fun while working hard.  If you want to truly be a successful varsity player, consider optional practices and after-school workouts mandatory.  Develop a good relationship with Coach Diskin, the other coaches, and your teammates.  Be focused and hustle in practices.  Do the little things correctly.  This starts by listening to the coach’s instructions and focus on proper technique.  If you are an outfielder, always hit your cut-off man accurately.  If you are an infielder, make a clean scoop and clean throw on grounders.  Always slide into bases properly.  Expect that having fun and working hard should coincide.  Hard work in practice will pay off in games.

You can do anything that revolves around the sport of baseball.  However, to be truly successful at the high school level, you need to have a passion for the game.  You need to have a hunger for success.  That passion and hunger starts in the off-season.  Work out two to four times a week in the weight room and play long toss with friends several times a week.  Schedule hitting lessons, fielding lessons, or pitching lessons (if you are a pitcher) with an instructor to work on proper form and mechanics.  Don’t overwork yourself, but recognize that you need to spend time outside of spring practices getting better in any way, shape, or form.  If you are a pitcher, know that the qualities to be successful at the high school varsity level are control and command, not velocity.  As a pitcher, I guarantee that if you hit your spots and throw strikes, you will find success at this level.  Most importantly, have fun while having a positive attitude.  From a personal standpoint, there is nothing that satisfies me more than pitching in a high school varsity level game.  Your philosophies should be similar to mine: passion for the game and hunger for success.

Michael Steinhaus

1st Base

Class of 2005

Harvard University

To me, Blue Collar Baseball is how the game was always meant to be played.  It’s about coming together with your teammates, putting time in at the margins, and doing the little things.  To succeed in baseball, it’s incredibly important to develop a sense of team that can only be attained by spending time together.  To elaborate, time at the margins is the most effective and gratifying – baseball is won at the margins.  That is, practicing in the cold or the rain and on the weekends brings teams together like nothing else can. Finally, doing the little things is infinitely more helpful than glossing over techniques.  A consequence of doing the little things is that every player on the field is thinking about what he will do if the ball comes to him in any situation.  Repetition after repetition in

practice translates to success in games.  In this way, Blue Collar Baseball can make a team that is incapable of recruiting very talented players able to contend with and defeat even the most skillful of teams.

A freshman coming into the Pembroke Hill program should expect to have a ton of fun, while developing skills on the baseball field as well as character off the field.  Baseball is a big time commitment, yet the time spent at practice is well worth it.  There’s a reason why the baseball program has grown over the past four years and why so many members spend all four years on the team.

Class of 2004

Toby Salinger

Infielder

Class of 2004

University of Texas

More than anything, Blue Collar Baseball means doing your job. Every play in baseball, ever player on the field has some sort of responsibility. A Blue Collar baseball player is aware of every job to be done and takes care of it without fanfare or assistance.

A freshman coming into the program should expect to work hard every day on every aspect of the game-the preparation, the game itself, and the off-the-field game. At the end of the day, you can expect to feel like you made the most of your time, no matter if you struck out three times or hit three homeruns.

A player should, first and foremost, master every fundamental. By fundamentals, I mean the fundamentals of all athletics-strength and training-as well as the techniques of baseball. Everything flows from catch and throw. Once you have done all you can to prepare, you should feel relaxed and confident. Above all, just play baseball.