New Flamingo’s Head Coach Eager to Coach after College Season Cancelled; An Interview with Collegiate Assistant Coach Nick White.
As the 2021 CLPB season approaches, coaches around the league are gearing up for the summer. Menlo College Assistant Coach Nick White is thrilled to get back on the diamond after more than a year away from the field due to COVID-19 protocols.
Several west coast schools had their entire college season cancelled! Menlo College, an NAIA school in Atherton, CA, was one of those schools.
After losing his 4th season with Menlo to COVID, it has officially been one year and three months since White last coached a collegiate baseball game. In fact, he has maintained his dedication to the sport through hair care.
“I’ve actually grown my hair out, paying homage to the baseball gods saying, ‘I will not cut my hair until I coach again.’ So, it’s down to my mid-back and I’m ready to cut it, I am ready to go!”
The Flamingo’s new coach is managing two of his collegiate players from Menlo; LHP Hobie Hood and INF Dylan Quitoriano. Even without a collegiate season, Menlo was able to practice all year to stay fresh. White hopes his players will stand out among the rest.
“I’m hoping that they’re going to be so hungry and so eager that I am going to have to taper them down rather than get them going ya know?”
As a hitting specialist at San Jose State in 2016, White has spent the past 5 years perfecting his hitting philosophy. Nick considers himself an “Agent of Chaos” regarding offense. He wants his team to be defined by two words; athleticism and competitiveness.
“I want teams to walk away from playing us saying to themselves, ‘What just happened?’ and it just be a whirlwind of athleticism and fun. Because that’s baseball man!”
Coach White has a mountain of recruiting experience as well. Also working as the Recruiting Coordinator for Menlo Baseball, he knows exactly what ways players can be recognized and ignored on and off the field.
White harps on the point of “being prepared”. Players that show signs of unpreparedness and play with too much emotion are ones that are immediately crossed off any scout’s list.
“That just shows me that the player was not prepared for their game that day… At some point this becomes a job, and to not be prepared for your job is a slap in the face to the coaches and players that do come prepared.”
For the athletes that are heavily recruited and recognized, White uses the phrase “Bulldog” to describe those potentially professional players.
“What I mean by that is that you’re out there competing in every way… Truly in control of your environment, the game is slowed down for you. Your peaks can’t be too high because that means your valleys are going to be really low.”
Coach Nick also plans to incorporate a personal and trustworthy culture within the Flamingos clubhouse. Using one on one conversations to help understand the goals of each player, Coach seeks to aid his players the best he can in their path to success. “…because that’s what I’m here for, I’m here to help them achieve whatever goal they want or prepare them for their next season.”
For the majority of college players, life after school ball does not entail professional baseball. Coach offers some very wise advice for that vast majority of collegiate players.
“From a really early age and especially in college, do things other than baseball. Go to concerts, movies, specifically internships if you can find them.”
With just 18 days until Opening Day, season expectations are beginning to stir for the baseball-hungry skipper.
“I want this team to be known as this giant ball of energy that takes out teams left and right…This summer is about going out there and playing this game of baseball in its purest form with energy and fun!”
White is quite the competitor, although he is a guy that coach’s baseball for all the right reasons. “…and of course I want to win every single game right? But I think the larger goal is how we go about our business.”
With plenty of hoopla starting to mount around several teams, we look forward to seeing Coach Nick White and the North Palm Beach Flamingos on Opening Day on June 4th!
Opening Day: June 4th, Wellington Colts vs. North Palm Beach Flamingos, 5:00pm EST at Ballpark of Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL.
Opening Day Coverage begins at 4:45pm EST on Gamekast.live