Since the prior Oxford Middle School baseball coach left for a different school, OMS Mississippi Studies teacher Shaune Holiday took the head coaching job at the beginning of the school year. Having won three state championships in his baseball career–two as a coach and one as a player–he knows what it takes to succeed in this sport.
“A lot of people measure their goals on wins and losses, I am not that guy,” Holiday said. “I just want to see constant improvement. Every time we go out we need to get better. I also want to see them being good teammates. As long as we do that, the wins and losses will take care of themselves.”
The players have been working hard in practice and are excited to see their efforts pay off. They are not only looking forward to playing but also to learning from a coach they look up to.
“I am very excited to see him coaching a game because I have heard that he gets really intense,” eighth-grade player Kee Graham said.
Holiday believes in coaching the old-school way. While his style may come across as tough, he is always there to support his players.
“I am very in your face but yet I am also the first one to hug you when you do something right,” Holiday said. “I am going to be the first one to get on to you when you mess up but I am also holding you accountable.”
Holiday values connecting with his players on a personal level. This approach fosters a more cohesive team environment that feels like family and gives players the confidence to do their best during the game and beyond it.
“I really like doing things together, so we do a lot of stuff together away from the field,” Holiday said. “That helps because not only do you need to know that person on the field, you need to know them off the field. I try to build a relationship with each one of my players. I want them to know that I care more about them, not just as baseball players but also as an individual. I care about grades and I care about what they do away from the field.”
Holiday always makes sure the whole team stays motivated and synchronized. He is all about making sure no one feels behind, and everyone gets the help they need to improve.
“I really like how Coach Holiday is always trying to inspire us,” eighth-grade player Wyatt Lauzon said. “If someone is struggling, he will stop everything and show everybody what we need to do. It is nice because it feels like we are all learning together.”
This is the first middle school team Holiday has coached, and he believes it is the perfect way to start. The mentality of the team is just what a coach wants, and he is grateful for them.
“First, I love how hard all the kids work on the team,” Holiday said. “I have a hard-working group of kids and they listen to everything that we are trying to teach. I feel like the program is going to be something that we can all be proud of.”
