Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Sports

In his 15th year at the helm of the Eastern baseball program, Jim Schmitz has brought the Panthers to national prominence. After winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship last spring, the Eastern baseball team achieved a national ranking for the first time in program history this year, rising as high as No. 26 in the nation. (Audrey Sawyer/The Daily Eastern News)

Jim Schmitz doesn't like to argue as much as he used to. He's a lot more loose, more relaxed. He still works hard, but he doesn't get as stressed as he used to.

For the Eastern head baseball coach, this has translated into a good thing to his players and his assistant coaches.

"The players need to play loose and have fun," Schmitz said. "Players really respond to you. If a coach is relaxed and has confidence in them, then you really go out and play better."

Schmitz has led the baseball team to 37 wins in their last 50 games, its first national ranking in program history earlier this season, an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship at the end of last season with an NCAA Regionals appearance last season, and a strong chance at the NCAA Regionals this season

That is why Schmitz is the 2008-2009 Daily Eastern News Coach of the Year.

Those players and coaches have led the Panthers (32-10, 10-3 OVC) to a current first-place standing in the OVC.

Schmitz said Eastern's run to be an elite program happened after the 2005 season ended when the Panthers missed the OVC Tournament after they finished tied for sixth.

Since then, the Panthers have reached two of three conference tournaments and are embarking on a third conference tournament appearance in three years.

Oh, and add the talent that's in this program. That will help win some games, too.

"He did a good job of getting a good mix of players," said senior pitcher Alex Guttosch.

But Schmitz said getting the players wasn't easy, and he couldn't have done that without the work of his assistant coaches.

Assistant coach Sean Lyons has done a lot of the recruiting, along with pitching coach Skylar Meade.

Lyons has been an assistant for five years, which Schmitz said is rare.

Schmitz said having Lyons has created stability in his life, and he actually can take a break during the summer.

"We've been fortunate to find the guys that fit EIU baseball," Lyons said. "And with our style, he's done a great job molding those players and the philosophy he wants. We've got on board buying into that system and that scheme and that philosophy, and I think (it has) shown."

Part of getting everyone on the same page is communication and getting everyone to bond together, which is what led to the implementation of the OVC Challenge.

The fall event is the testing of everyone's fitness and endurance through a series of strength, agility and is a unique strength challenge - essentially a unique event that one might see on ESPN2 on a Sunday afternoon.

"That's something that's really pushed our guys," Lyons said.

Schmitz also started throwing out phrases like, "Go the Extra Mile," and "Ante Up," and a lot of the players have taken that to heart and have developed a carefree relaxed attitude like Schmitz.

"We're kind of his backbone," said Eastern senior centerfielder Brett Nommensen.

While Schmitz will get on his players for not playing the game right, Nommensen and Eastern senior Jordan Kreke act as the go-between with Schmitz and the rest of the team.

Nommensen said last year in the OVC Tournament, they remained calm instead of freaking out.

Another part of this team progressing to a national stage was the other steps it took off the field.

Nommensen said since he arrived in Fall 2005, they began to hit the weight room, and the dividends have paid off.

The Panthers are hitting .365 with 79 home runs this season.

This season, the Panthers earned their first national ranking.

Schmitz put notice to the team right away, something he said he would not necessarily do in the past.

"That's a huge accomplishment for him," Kreke said. "He's been trying to get us to that point."

A key aspect to Eastern's success within the past two years is the pitching.

Schmitz just didn't want to take care of pitching. He got fed up with it.

He brought in Meade, a former Louisville pitcher, who helped the Cardinals to NCAA College World Series in 2007.

Meade pretty much handles all aspects of the pitching, and this has translated well for Eastern. The Panthers led the league in ERA last season with a 4.57 ERA and lead the league in ERA again this season with a 4.77 team ERA.

"(Schmitz) gave me a lot of freedom, and it's worked really well," Meade said. "He doesn't really have to worry about that aspect. It just makes things work a lot more smoothly on staff."

But Meade noticed the environment Schmitz has produced is an environment he saw at Louisville in final season.

"It's been a great atmosphere here the whole time," Meade said.

Schmitz said getting more than 30 people on the same page isn't easy.

"It's been very fun," he said. "But it's very difficult."

Kreke said having a family atmosphere has been the key.

But Schmitz has tried to find the balance of being a father figure to many, but harp on them when the players aren't approaching situations.

"We've even noticed how calm and steady he is," Meade said. "That really rubs off on the team. Things aren't always going to be on the up and up. He really has become so steady. Whatever the reason is, it is making things go great."


Coach of the Year Winners

2009: Jim Schmitz (Baseball)

2008: Brady Sallee (Basketball)


Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.

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