For the first time since 1982, Crawfordsville baseball has a new skipper.
Former Athenian and 1995 Indiana All-State shortstop Brett Motz replaces longtime hall-fame coach John Froedge this spring following Froedge’s retirement.
After a lost 2020 season, Motz is excited at the opportunity to get the Athenian program back and rolling.
“The mindset is to work as hard as we can while enjoying the process to keep the Athenian Baseball train running in the right direction,” he said. “There is no doubt this is a unique season where several kids who did not play travel baseball have not competed on a baseball field for 20 months. The coaches can definitely see the eagerness to compete again.”
Crawfordsville won the Sagamore Conference and posted a 21-7 record in 2019, and return six seniors this season — including Caleb Coons, Zach Fichter, and Andrew Martin — who all return varsity experience along with junior Austin Motz. Coach Motz expects these players and senior Keegan Abney along with several underclassmen stepping up as well.
“The coaches expect several young players to step up throughout the season and have a positive impact on the team,” he said. “With six seniors this will be a veteran team, but we will definitely be looking for some younger guys to establish themselves as varsity contenders. It is fun to watch competition bring out the best in players.”
Crawfordsville opens the season on Friday, April 2 at home against Riverton Parke. Crawfordsville is hoping to repeat as Sagamore Conference champions and chase their first sectional title since 2013.
“My goals are to use the game of baseball as a platform to help our players become men of elite character that will be better husbands, fathers, and employees,” Motz said. “I want them to feel confident jumping into a foxhole with any teammate or coach. Finally, at the end of the season, I want them to love each other and their experience as a Crawfordsville Baseball player. My expectations are that every player, manager, coach and parent will try their best to have a positive impact on the culture of the Crawfordsville Baseball Program.”
Crawfordsville is 0-1 and hosts Seeger tonight.
