The weather may not be in agreement with spring sports this year, but the games must go on. As baseball players prep themselves for the upcoming season, the new coach and field changes must be prepared as well.

New baseball coach Mark Manning has been coaching on and off over the past 35 years. With experience volunteering as a coach at Harvard, coaching and playing in the park league, and participating in spring training for the Baltimore Orioles and the Falmouth Commodores, baseball is second nature for Manning. In college, he played shortstop at UMASS Amherst and then signed for the NY Mets farm system.

Now focusing on the high school level, Manning is pleased with how the season has started. “The best part of this job is having the privilege to work with some great young men. I really enjoyed going to try-outs because honestly, they are terrific. I am very excited,” said Manning. Varsity players Jack Harrington and TJ Wardwell also are looking forward to the new season. Harrington will be the team’s designated hitter, due to an elbow surgery in October, and Wardwell is mostly playing second base. Both student athletes have high expectations for this years’ season and new coach.

“We have a very strong lineup, and I think that we have a good chance of running the table,” Harrington said, explaining the results of last year’s season. “This year we have the right group of guys, good chemistry, and everything is looking up,” said Harrington.

Wardwell, who said he has known the sport of baseball before he could walk, describes it as the most interesting game an athlete can take part in. With high hopes for the season, Wardwell said, “I’m looking forward to my last year representing Barnstable and wearing red and white. With all the history and success this school has had it’s really special to be a captain and put on that jersey and play in front of the greatest town in the state.”

As far as expectations for the new coach, both student athletes are very excited for their last season at BHS. “Coach Manning is a really knowledgeable guy when it comes to baseball,” Harrington said. “He knows more about the game than the majority of people who are involved in it,” Wardwell added. Both students look forward to learning more from him and “playing under his watch.”

Manning, also very excited for the new athletes, is able to relate. “ I have had a wonderful experience growing up with baseball. I have had some good coaches and some bad ones and because of that background I think it’s time I gave back a little bit,” Manning said.

Giving back is not only the reason Manning coaches, he is also very interested in keeping the baseball team’s reputation in check as well. “Coaching at a D1 high school like Barnstable, you have a big reason to try and get these kids at the next level which in my opinion is great.” With his background in baseball, Manning is very optimistic for his team’s future. Not only concerned about the here and the now, but also about the seniors dedicated to baseball who will be leaving this year Manning said, “ I do believe that if you can play at BHS for me, you can pretty much play in college.”

With entering a new high school as a coach, comes all new things. But what isn’t new is his coaching techniques. Although Manning was hesitant to give away his coaching skills, he said, “From where I see it, coaching is a personality trait, it is who you are as a person. Based on who you are, where you have been, and what you have done in a lifetime.” He added, “It is a lot about experience, I have four kids and three grandchildren and because of that, I am a very different coach than I was when I was 25 years old.”

Manning, interested in not only his upcoming season but also the conditions of his new field, has decided to make some necessary changes.

“I am a baseball guy; what I want is a field that represents the players that are on it.” The new changes to the field include a new pitcher mound, which in Manning’s words was “totally necessary,” the bases, the home plate, and diamond are Manning’s main priorities. “Essentially, the outfield doesn’t matter to me, the dugouts don’t matter to me, what matters is that nobody gets hurt because of bad bounces or lips on our home field,” he said.

As far as expectations go, Manning just wants his team to succeed. “ I have no idea what I am dealing with, but I want to win the whole thing. That’s just who I am,” said Manning.  Baseball has started their season off strong with a record of 4-0. (As of Insight’s press date)