|
|
AUG. 5 — Best
Accepts Promotion As New Head Coach
Leafs'
long-time assistant coach moves into new role within baseball
program |
Goshen,
IN — The Goshen College athletic department announced Thursday
that assistant coach and former Minnesota Twin Jayson Best will take
over the reins of the Goshen College baseball program this fall, giving
the Leafs a familiar and steady voice for the future. Best spent the
last five seasons as Goshen’s head assistant coach, the last
four of which under Brent Hoober, who resigned in June due
to personal reasons.
“There is no question that we feel good about Jayson Best’s ability
to continue to lead our baseball program in the upward direction that it has
been heading,” said Bill Born, Goshen College vice president for student
life. “Jason’s baseball knowledge is second to none, and his familiarity
with the program and the institution is beneficial. He has had a tremendous mentor
in Brent Hoober, and we look forward to Jayson continuing the positive ideals
that have been built within the program during Brent’s time here.”
Best was instrumental in helping Hoober turn the program around during
Hoober’s
four-year tenure as head coach, improving the team from six wins in Hoober’s
first season to 24 wins in 2004, the program’s third-highest win total
in school history. Best was also the Leafs’ top assistant in 2000, working
under head coach Todd Bacon in his final season at the college. Best becomes
Goshen’s eighth head coach in the program’s 48-year history.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue what has been started
here, and hope to take the program to an elite level,” Best said on Thursday. “Brent
Hoober did an unbelievable job of laying the foundation over the last four seasons,
and it’s my hope that I can create both continuity and improvement over
the next few years. I’m very excited to be the new head baseball coach
at Goshen College.”
Best enters his first collegiate head coaching role with a wealth of baseball
experiences, perhaps none larger than his five-year stint in the Minnesota Twins
organization. A right-handed pitcher, Best signed with the Twins as a free agent
in the spring of 1989, following a stellar three-year career at Milligan College
(Milligan, TN). After four seasons of pitching in the minor leagues, Best completed
spring training and was a member of the 1989 Twins major league roster. Unfortunately,
just a week into the regular season Best tore tendons in his throwing elbow,
an injury that eventually ended his professional playing career.
Since that time, Best has traveled Indiana coaching at various high schools and
baseball clinics, including stints as an assistant coach at Benton Central High
School (1986 and 1995 seasons) and as a pitching instructor at the Indiana Baseball
Academy and the Tippecanoe Baseball Academy. Prior to arriving at Goshen, Best
served as the head baseball coach at Attica High School (Attica, IN) during the
1999 season.
“I think my experiences from my playing days have given me a knowledge
of the game that can help our players,” Best said. “Fortunately,
we have players who are anxious and hungry to learn. It’s my hope that
I can help them become the best baseball players that they can be and that I
can help them get to the level they want to get to.”
Best said that he intends to continue to recruit the same types of players
that
he was under Hoober’s direction — a strong work ethic and commitment
to fundamentals are two of the top qualities Best will look for in potential
players. Best said he also will place a strong emphasis on playing smart and
execution.
“Brent and I have a similar coaching philosophy,” he said. “We
look for guys that go hard between the lines and do things fundamentally soundly.
I’m a firm believer that you can’t get better without practicing
like you play, and I aspire to continue to have a team that displays those traits.”
Best inherits a Goshen team that lost just four seniors from its 24-20
campaign in 2004, as the Leafs narrowly missed out on an NAIA post-season
berth. Only
Goshen’s 1991 team (25-15) and 1995 squad (32-21) posted better records
than the Leafs’ 2004 club, which set new team records in home runs (62)
and RBI (275). Best has already appointed Josh Keister — one of Goshen’s
seniors from this past year — as the program’s new head assistant
coach. Keister finished his career as the Leafs’ career leader in batting
average (.412), hits (203), doubles (44) and runs scored (133).
“I’ve been going at about 100 miles an hour trying to finish up recruiting
for this upcoming year to complement the guys we have coming back,” Best
said. “My biggest thing as I start my head coaching career is finding players
that want to come to the institution for four years, get a degree and graduate.
If I can provide them with an enjoyable, rewarding baseball playing experience,
it’s all the better.”
Best graduated from Benton Central High School in 1985, and spent three years
at Milligan before moving on to the Twins organization. He was an NAIA All-District
selection following his sophomore season, and attended Indiana University in
working towards his degree after his playing career was completed. Best is married
to his wife of six years, Dawn. They reside with their four-year old son, Dawson,
in Mishawaka.
|
 Jayson
Best
|
|
|
|
|
|
