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Montverde's baseball program is built on "simplicity". First, all members must accept that baseball is a privilege that God gives them - not a right. Second, it does not matter how many games we win if we can not represent Montverde Academy with character, honor and integrity. Third, we try to do four things every game to be successful - 1) throw strikes, 2) play defense, 3) hit with two strikes and 4) hustle. Fourth, by trying to improve every day, every members' efforts in the program and at the academy should culminate with their being prepared to play and succeed in college. If we follow this simple plan, the experience that every Montverde Academy varsity baseball player receives will be not only a positive one, but also a successful one.
Montverde's baseball program has grown in the last six years to a state runner-up in 2007. During this season, (Montverde's first season in a district since the 1980's), the team went 22-7 while winning both a district and a regional championship. After beating Jay in the state semi-final game, they fell in the championship game in Sarasota, 6-1. Montverde finished the season ranked seventh in the state and fifth in Central Florida.
From that team, seven seniors signed letters of intent to play baseball in college including three at Division I schools. Coach Parks is as involved athletically with the student-athletes as he is with their academics, holding study halls, tutoring in SAT's, communicating with college coaches, and keeping parents informed.
The spring season begins in mid-January and ends in May. The team routinely practices six times a week in-season and plays two pre-season classic games, twenty-five regular season games, and then begins the play-offs. After having built a solid baseball foundation, the Eagles should be perennial play-off contenders for years to come. |
Going into 2007-2008, Coach Parks has 17 years of baseball coaching experience at the high school and American Legion levels. His teams have a combined 37 - 16 record over the last two years, including district and regional championships, as well as, a state runner-up finish. He played college baseball at Washington College (Chestertown, MD) where he was a three-year starter and the infield captain his senior year. Over forty players he has coached at the high school and Legion levels have gone on to play college baseball including three who have signed pro contracts. He was named 2007 All-Area Coach of the Year by the Daily Commercial (Leesburg).
Coach Hand has 15 years of baseball coaching experience at the high school and college levels, including nine years at Lake-Sumter Community College. He has been a regular staff member on summer baseball instructional camps at Lake-Sumter CC, the University of Florida, Stetson University and the University of Miami. A dozen of his former players have signed pro baseball contracts and many, many more have gone on to play at four-year colleges and universities.
The JV baseball team plays a 14 game schedule and consists of members in the sixth through eleventh grades. |
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