Untold story: Coach Benson shares wise words with team
Coach Benson gives advice to baseball players sophomore Clay Folks, sophomore Owen Wells, junior Ben Nack, freshman Brady Schemehorn, junior Chance Wills, and junior Henry Anderson during the game against the Pearl City Wolves. The team came out on top with a score of 3-2. Evan Kruse was a notable player of the game with a walk off. Both the coaches and the players are excited to see what the season holds.
There has been a long history of sports game victories at Galena High School since the doors first opened in 1957. Baseball has been a huge asset to the GHS Wall of Fame since 2008, thanks to dedication and perseverance from both the coaches and the players.
Michael Benson is the coach of the high school varsity, junior varsity,7th-8th grade, and sluggers little league teams. It is hard to predict the future success of a high school baseball team. Each year the team gets new players to replace the graduating seniors who leave. However, Coach Benson believes,“This team has all of the elements it takes to be special. Senior leadership, young and hungry freshman who are eager to succeed and prove themselves, as well as four year starters which is a critical role.”
Teams dream about going to state, but sometimes coaches have a more realistic outcome for their players.“My expectations for this season is a regional championship,” Coach Benson elaborated. “We continually adjust our goals to achieve more. My goal for the players is to continue to learn that everyone has a role and learn to accept it and make the most of it. I also would like to see them become closer as a team. We need good chemistry to make a deep run this year, and try not to let outside distractions affect the overall goal.”
New team members can bring tension between team members and the coach. These new members can also bring new motivations for the other players as well.
“For whatever reason, most of which I don’t understand,” Benson stated, “we always get players who join the team (outside of freshman) whom I have worked with at younger levels. They give us competition amongst one another. When there is competition it breeds better play, better practice, and even more moving parts in the game.”
Coach Benson and his team can always be seen bringing up the weaker links and encouraging one another to continue to build up from failures as a team. Handling failures as a single player can be difficult, but managing a whole team of them can be even more to bare.
“As a team it’s not the mistakes we make, but it’s what we learn from them.” Benson said. “We will have times where the game doesn’t go our way, and it takes chemistry and good leadership within the team to get through it.” he informed. “Baseball is hard. Sometimes it’s cold and you might have other things going on. But being mentally tough enough to leave it all out on the field, and be able to look back when all the dust has settled, that’s what’s important.”
The solidified future of Coach Benson and his team are yet to be determined. The team is constantly working on creating and building an unbreakable bond. So, their wins and feats aren’t just loss, but a learning experience for the whole team. As well as working together to achieve more than was even considered for them in the beginning of the season.
