Final Season Yields First Conference Crown
Few things in life are consistent. That thought is no further exemplified when discussing collegiate athletics. Whether it is the fact that players come and go every four to five years, or that dynasties come and go, change is ever-present in the world of college sports.
Grabbing the persona of change in the present-day is the seemingly endless movement regarding conference affiliation. With the Big Ten looking to expand to 12, 14, possibly 16, the Midwest conference is front in center in the latest instance of change. On a lesser scale trying to understand the landscape of NAIA universities is nearly are complicating.
With teams that have successfully made a transition to NCAA Division II, with teams who were unsuccessful in requests, or changing of conference status within NAIA, confusion is rampant.
What is crystal clear is in their last season in the American Mideast, Shawnee State was on a mission to change the direction of the program. Heading to the Mid-South Conference, the Bears are doing so on the rise after claiming their first AMC championship, saving the best for the last.
Back in November Shawnee State head coach Ted Tom took time to speak to Buckeye State Baseball. In what became our Shawnee State Program Spotlight Coach Tom made it clear he was on a mission to change the fortunes of his alma mater. Having just two seasons over .500 or better baseball in the last decade, to many the task would be overwhelming.
However Tom has shown he is not like others.
After spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana under head coach Tracy Smith, Tom saw the perfect opportunity to start his head coach tenure leaping at the chance to lead a program he was played for. Being a 2004 graduate of Shawnee State, Tom was a member of those two winning teams, and knows what hard work and dedication can yield as shown during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
With the pride of taking control of a once-proud program, his program, Tom made an immediate impact at the Portsmouth university, quickly laying the foundation for a successful program. After a 16-29 mark in his first season, the Bears went 25-30 in 2009 providing many to wonder what would be the next step under Tom, providing the bears with optimism and excitement heading into the 2010 season.
A winning record undoubtedly would be a realistic goal and perhaps a season many could expect from SSU. Perhaps a top three finish and berth to AMC tournament could come Shawnee’s way if the cards would fall right. To host the AMC Tournament after winning the conference championship? Outside of those in Blue and Gray, few saw that in the fortunes for this Bears team.
Yet, seeing is believing and there is no doubt now that under Tom Shawnee State has a bright future.
As the AMC Tournament kicks off today at Branch Rickey Park on the campus of Shawnee State with the Bears playing in their first conference tournament since 2004, Buckeye State Baseball was able to catch up with Coach Tom and speak to him about the season his Bears are having and how the 2010 Bears rose to the top of the conference, as well as what the conference championship means to his program, and him personally being a Bear.
Listen as BSB talks to SSU head coach Ted Tom
Filed under: NAIA
