Swackhamer takes curtain call as HHS baseball coach
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Last Friday was the final curtain call for Hillsboro baseball coach Rusty Swackhamer.
Swackhamer informed Hillsboro Athletic Director Dave Dietrick he was resigning as the varsity baseball coach due to job conflicts.
"It was something that had been on my mind for a while now," Swackhamer told The Highland County Press. "With my job at Time Warner Cable and more responsibilities at work, I am going back to school, so the time wasn't there to put into coaching.
"I've got to look at my family first. My kids are getting older and my daughter is starting to get into some activities and I don't want to miss that."
In looking back on his five seasons at the helm of the Indians program, Swackhamer said it was a wonderful time.
"When I took the job as coach, I wanted to do it as long as I could and as long as they wanted me around," Swackhamer said. "It was a great experience being a part of the program.
"Rick Earley was my coach ('93-'96) and we had fun. That is how I wanted to be as a coach. We accomplished a lot of good things, and with Rick, I learned things from him not only how to be a player, but how to be a coach."
Besides learning about the game from Earley, Swackhamer said he's had the opportunity to learn from some of the best to ever play the game.
"I've gotten to talk baseball with Don Mattingly, Tom Browning and Pete Rose," he said. "When I was with the Paints, I got to learn a lot about the game from different people in the Frontier League."
Swackhamer said coaching was a great experience.
"I loved every minute of it. I'm going to miss it. I love the game, but it is going to have to take a back seat right now."
Dietrick told The Highland County Press Friday afternoon that Swackhamer left the program due to his job away from baseball.
"We talked a good bit and this isn't something he wanted to do, but due to the hours he has to put in during his job, and the length of his day, it was going to be impossible to be the head coach of the baseball team," Dietrick said. "I've known Rusty for years and he is a great person.
"I've enjoyed working with him in the time I've been at Hillsboro, and I hate to see him move on."
When asked about memories, Swackhamer said there were too many to name.
"I could talk hours about memories. It's all been memorable. Just the camaraderie with the coaches and players. When it comes to baseball, it is completely different. The attitudes change and that is what I love about the game," Swackhamer said. "Just the camaraderie of the whole thing."
Dietrick said he had a favorite game involving Swackhamer as a coach, while talking about the decision process for Swackhamer.
"He's (Swackhamer) been going back-and-forth on his decision. He's spent a lot of time making his decision," Dietrick said. "He had a good run, won SCOL titles and was a part of one of the most exciting games I've seen, in the days (due to weather and darkness) it took to play McClain (HHS clinched a share of the title in the 10-9, 14-inning game at Shaffer Park)."
Swackhamer thanks all his coaches who've been with him during his time with the program.
"I couldn't have had a better bunch of coaches to coach with," he said. "They all brought a lot of knowledge. I also want to thank the high school for giving me the opportunity and everyone who has helped me along the way."
Swackhamer also had some more people to thank.
"Thanks to the parents for backing me up on everything," he said. "As a coach, there is a lot on the plate; but again, I'm going to miss it, but it is something I've got to do right now."
In his final two seasons, Swackhamer led the Indians to back-to-back SCOL championships (a co-SCOL title with McClain this season), going undefeated in the regular season in 2009.[[In-content Ad]]
Swackhamer informed Hillsboro Athletic Director Dave Dietrick he was resigning as the varsity baseball coach due to job conflicts.
"It was something that had been on my mind for a while now," Swackhamer told The Highland County Press. "With my job at Time Warner Cable and more responsibilities at work, I am going back to school, so the time wasn't there to put into coaching.
"I've got to look at my family first. My kids are getting older and my daughter is starting to get into some activities and I don't want to miss that."
In looking back on his five seasons at the helm of the Indians program, Swackhamer said it was a wonderful time.
"When I took the job as coach, I wanted to do it as long as I could and as long as they wanted me around," Swackhamer said. "It was a great experience being a part of the program.
"Rick Earley was my coach ('93-'96) and we had fun. That is how I wanted to be as a coach. We accomplished a lot of good things, and with Rick, I learned things from him not only how to be a player, but how to be a coach."
Besides learning about the game from Earley, Swackhamer said he's had the opportunity to learn from some of the best to ever play the game.
"I've gotten to talk baseball with Don Mattingly, Tom Browning and Pete Rose," he said. "When I was with the Paints, I got to learn a lot about the game from different people in the Frontier League."
Swackhamer said coaching was a great experience.
"I loved every minute of it. I'm going to miss it. I love the game, but it is going to have to take a back seat right now."
Dietrick told The Highland County Press Friday afternoon that Swackhamer left the program due to his job away from baseball.
"We talked a good bit and this isn't something he wanted to do, but due to the hours he has to put in during his job, and the length of his day, it was going to be impossible to be the head coach of the baseball team," Dietrick said. "I've known Rusty for years and he is a great person.
"I've enjoyed working with him in the time I've been at Hillsboro, and I hate to see him move on."
When asked about memories, Swackhamer said there were too many to name.
"I could talk hours about memories. It's all been memorable. Just the camaraderie with the coaches and players. When it comes to baseball, it is completely different. The attitudes change and that is what I love about the game," Swackhamer said. "Just the camaraderie of the whole thing."
Dietrick said he had a favorite game involving Swackhamer as a coach, while talking about the decision process for Swackhamer.
"He's (Swackhamer) been going back-and-forth on his decision. He's spent a lot of time making his decision," Dietrick said. "He had a good run, won SCOL titles and was a part of one of the most exciting games I've seen, in the days (due to weather and darkness) it took to play McClain (HHS clinched a share of the title in the 10-9, 14-inning game at Shaffer Park)."
Swackhamer thanks all his coaches who've been with him during his time with the program.
"I couldn't have had a better bunch of coaches to coach with," he said. "They all brought a lot of knowledge. I also want to thank the high school for giving me the opportunity and everyone who has helped me along the way."
Swackhamer also had some more people to thank.
"Thanks to the parents for backing me up on everything," he said. "As a coach, there is a lot on the plate; but again, I'm going to miss it, but it is something I've got to do right now."
In his final two seasons, Swackhamer led the Indians to back-to-back SCOL championships (a co-SCOL title with McClain this season), going undefeated in the regular season in 2009.[[In-content Ad]]