By: Joe Chamberlin ’16
This year, Head Coach Max Engel and Prep Baseball will look to continue a tradition of excellence while adapting to changes in the playing and coaching line up. The team lost some key seniors to graduation last year, including three starting pitchers and the starting catcher. Not only will the team feel the loss of the skills of these players, but also their energy and enthusiasm and “love of Baseball” will be missed. , However, according to Coach Engel this change will allow for players to step up.
Three such players are Patrick Stanton, Jackson Hazzard, and John Roach, among others. Coach Engel also says that the key to success this season will be consistency, and that “we have the talent to compete, but we need to bring enthusiasm every day.” The team will look to senior captains Stuart Fairchild and Will Hall for enthusiasm and leadership by example; to show their teammates how the game should be played.
One of the biggest changes this year is the retirement of long time head coach and Washington State Baseball Coach’s Hall of Famer Ed Paulter, who has more than 400 wins at Seattle Prep. This will be the first season in twenty eight years that Paulter has not been the head coach, and has passed the position on to Coach Engel. The two coaches go way back; Engel and Paulter have been working together coaching for nine years, and Engel played for Paulter for four years when he was at Prep.
“It is an honor to take over for Coach Paulter” says Engel.
To be given control of the program, and to be trusted to continue the tradition that Coach Paulter has built in his many years at Prep is a huge responsibility that means a great deal to Engel. However, though Paulter is not head coach he is still a mentor for Coach Engel and active in the team. With the tradition of excellence built by Coach Paulter, the Baseball team has high hopes for the season.
“Every year we should enter hoping for a metro championship” says Coach Engel.
This year, the team hopes to play well and add another metro banner in the gym, and then move forward to the State Tournament.
