Let me first say that AAU was the absolute best. They really do a great job of putting on a quality event. I expect to return to AAU in the next few years. This year, however, AAU does not offer a Division II beyond the 16 and Under Division. When you compete at National Tournaments, you need to be able to compete on a level playing field. We can play with anyone in the country on a game-by-game basis, but when you have to compete in a tournament, we're just not at that level yet. USSSA offers a class AA and a class AAA in the 17 and Under Division. We will go to the National Tournament in one of those two divisions. Honestly, we are a class AA program when you look at our demographics and where we draw our players from, but with our reputation and past success, we may be required to play in class AAA. Whatever they decide will be fine with me.

Chip Langston will handle our pitchers and has done so for the past two seasons. The bottom line is he is the best! His record speaks for itself. Not only does he handle our pitchers, he is my sounding board and very rarely do I make a decision that is contrary to what he thinks. He and I have made a very good duo. We think of the game in very similar ways and I'm proud to have him with us. I really enjoy his family. He's got a supportive wife, and great kids. We're on the road so much that it's important for all of us to get along and we do!

Jody Sellars will be joining us this year and will work with our hitters. He's a young guy with a lot of energy. The kids really like him and remember him as a player. Together, we will all try to lead these young men in a direction that is positive.

Tammie knew when she married me that sports was a huge part of my life. She enjoys being at the ball park and being around the team. She doesn't like the road trips too much, but she has learned to endure them. My kids have grown up at the ball park and I'm glad. Lexie and Ashleigh love the Travelers. They have never known anything different. It's what they do in the summer. While all of that is well and good, I understand that it's a sacrifice on their part each year and I'm grateful that they allow me to do it. The impact that I hope it has on them is that they will be proud that I'm trying to have a positive influence on others. It's a balancing act for sure, and I don't always do a good job of making sure they are the most important part of my summer. I'm trying to do better at that - but make no mistake about it, we all love Americus Travelers baseball and the relationships it has brought to all of us.

The heart of our team will be behind the plate. Adam Fussell has developed into an incredible catcher. Will Raines joins us this year, and I would be willing to say that there isn't another team in America in our division with two catchers of this quality. Colton Glover and Jess Alexander will anchor first base. Colton has tremendous power at the plate. Jess gives us a huge target over there. The middle infield of Michael Swain and Will Webb is fun to watch. They form the best double play combination we've ever had and I enjoy watching them work their magic.

Miles Lee will be used as a utility middle infielder when one of those two guys pitch. Miles handles himself well defensively, but he's most fun to watch when he gets on base. This guy understands baserunning, he reads pitchers well, and gets great jumps. Pitchers hate it when he gets on. Will Gordon will play third base, along with Will Raines occasionally. Gordon is strong defensively, and usually hits for a high average. In the outfield, Easton Glover will play left and has an absolute cannon of an arm. He runs well for a big guy and hopefully will provide some punch at the plate.

Howell White will play centerfield and reads the ball extremely well off the bat. In right field, Fuller Timmerman and Josh Brown will split time to start the season and we'll take a look at who is hitting the baseball at the midway point. On our pitching staff, David Byrd and Howell White will be our lefties, while Chad Crook, Russ Williams, Chandler Holloway, Michael Swain, Will Raines and a few others will throw. We're going to ask Jess Alexander to be a closer/reliever this summer, and I really hope that he has a good summer. I believe we'll be deep in arms, but we'll need to find four guys who can be counted on for quality starts. All in all, we have got a lot of talent. The tough job this year will be getting everyone to gel together.

The plans right now are for this year's team to be the final year of this age division. We plan to drop back down and get another 15-year-old group and follow them through their high school career. This has been a successful group and now that they are moving on to college, we'd like to do that with the next group. I don't know right now if I'll be back in the head coach role, but I will at least remain at the Director of Operations, if not as the head coach. We have always worked hard to make this program one that is full of class and is respected by all. Next year, we will increase our mission by affiliating with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. My heart is leaning more and more in that direction so we're going to pursue it. The FCA has a rich history of promoting Christian values in athletics and that is exactly what I want people to think of when they think Americus Travelers baseball.

Well, I'd like to say Thank You to their parents. They have trusted me with their children and given me the honor of being an influence on them and I hope they can all look back and say it's been a good thing. I have developed friendships with the parents that I will cherish for a long time. To the players I'd say...job well done. You guys have represented yourselves and your families well. You have been exactly what Americus Travelers baseball needs to be. I look forward to watching these colleges recruit you as a senior in high school. While I don't expect any glory for myself, I hope you will speak highly of the Americus Travelers program. We've tried very hard to make it a program that truly prepares you for the college level of play and, even more, prepares you for life.

It has been an absolute pleasure for me to be called your coach. Coach Langston, former Coach Stephen Gordon, and Coach Sellars have all played a part in the rebuilding of this program and should receive a lot of credit for where we are right now. I hope as you guys enter college that you will be better young men because you've been a part of this awesome baseball program.