RECORDS
Varsity: 6-7
JV: 2-10
Freshman: 0-9
Varsity: 6-7
JV: 2-10
Freshman: 0-9
VARSITY GAME RECAPS
Rehobeth 7, Dothan 4: In game two, Anthony Rogers picked up the win, throwing 5 1/3 innings of relief and striking out two. Cobb was 2-for-3, Arroyo 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Ben Holloway 2-for-4 with one RBI. For Dothan (6-7) in game two, Blake Jones and Jay Jordan both had a single. Cooper Sellers drove in one run.
Rehobeth 8, Dothan 1: Seth Arroyo pitched a complete game no-hitter in the opener with eight strikeouts, allowing an unearned run off an error, to spark Rehobeth’s 8-1, 7-4 sweep of Dothan. Offensively for Rehobeth in the opener, Brandon Cobb was 2-for-4 and Jordan Brown, Logan Palmer and Brady Johnson had a hit and RBI each with Johnson’s hit a double. Blake Jones was the losing pitcher for Dothan. Alex Arriga pitched five innings of relief, allowing no earned runs and two hits, while striking out two. Matt Parker drove in the run.
Dothan 3, Walker 0: In the Terry Sikes tournament, Jay Jordan threw a complete game one-hitter for the Tigers, with eight strikeouts and two walks. Jordan also had a sacrifice fly to drive in a run. Reid Agrella had an RBI and Cooper Sellers had a hit.
Spain Park 9, Dothan 2: Spain Park benefitted from 12 free passes via walks or hit batters to beat the Tigers. Dothan scored both of its runs in the first inning. Jay Jordan scored a run and Matt Parker, who had one of two Tiger hits, scored the other run. Reid Agrella hit a double for Dothan’s other hit. Bubba McDaniel (2-1) took the loss, giving up three earned runs in four innings. Alex Arriaga pitched the final three innings and gave up just one earned run.
Dothan 4, Northridge 3: Bubba McDaniel singled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh to help Dothan defeat Northridge 4-3 in the Terry Sikes Memorial Tournament in Troy. It was the Tigers’ third walk-off victory of the season and improved their record to 5-4. Reid Agrella pitched six innings and got a no decision. He gave up four hits, walked four and struck out three. Jay Jordan (2-1) came in with runners on first and second in the top of the seventh and got the win. In the seventh, Dothan’s Tyler Tretchell and Jordan drew leadoff walks. Matt Parker advanced them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Agrella was intentionally walked to load the bases. McDaniel then singled to right-center. Jordan was 1-for-3 and scored a run. Agrella hit a double and drove in two runs. Blake Jones also doubled.
Southside 4, Dothan 3: In the first game, Dothan lost late, 4-3, to Southside Gadsden, which broke a 3-all tie in the bottom of the sixth to edge the Tigers. Parker pitched all seven innings for Dothan and didn’t give up an earned run. He gave up eight hits, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Agrella was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Trent Adams was 1-for-3 and scored a run. Jordan scored a run and drove one in with a sacrifice fly. Blake Jones also scored a run.
Dothan 3, Ariton 2: In the Ariton game, the Tigers tied the game in the sixth on a passed ball. In the bottom of the ninth, Jay Jordan walked, stole second and scored when Reid Agrella struck a single off the Purple Cat pitcher. Bubba McDaniel (2-0) picked up the win in relief, striking out two in two innings pitched. He relieved Blake Jones, who struck out seven in seven innings of work and allowed no earned runs.
Dothan 19, Pike County 3:
In the win over Pike County, Agrella had two hits, three RBIs and a run scored, while Matt Parker scored three runs and drove in another. Cooper Sellers had two runs scored and two RBIs. Jordan (1-1) picked up the win on the mound.
Dothan 5, Wakulla, FL 4: Dothan, the home team, scored a run in the bottom of the 13th inning for the win. Jay Jordan singled to left to jumpstart the 13th. Bubba McDaniel bunted, but the Wakulla pitcher mishandled it, putting two runners on. Matt Parker laid down another bunt and the throw by the third baseman short hopped the first baseman and Jordan came around to score the game winning run. Jordan and Reid Agrella both had two hits for Dothan with Agrella driving in a run. McDaniel picked up the win, working 2/3 of an inning in the top of the 13.
Leon, FL 6, Dothan 1: Matt Parker was 2-for-4 with a double and Christian Hughey was 2-for-3 with a run scored for Dothan in the loss. Parker took the loss, though he allowed only two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Bainbridge, GA 5, Dothan 1: The Tigers scored their run in the top of the first inning. Matt Parker walked and went to third on Reid Agrella’s double. Parker scored on Christian Hughey’s sacrifice fly. Bainbridge scored once in the third and four times in the fourth inning. Agrella took the loss for Dothan. He worked 3 2/3 innings, giving up five walks and five runs while striking out three.
Dothan 10, Elba 0: Blake Jones allowed one hit and struck out six in 4 1/3 innings to help the Tigers split a three-team round robin on opening day. Christian Hughey went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs for the Tigers. Bubba McDaniel was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Jay Jordan had two hits and scored two runs in the win. Dothan scored two runs in the first and eight runs in the second.
Charles Henderson 7, Dothan 0: Henderson’s John Michael Stephens pitched a three-hit shutout against Dothan. Stephens struck out six and walked one. Dothan’s Matthew Parker went 2-for-3 and Jay Jordan had the Tigers’ other hit. Smartt went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Nick Lewis had two hits and also scored two runs for the Trojans. John Johnson and Austin Ingram each had a hit, a run scored and two RBIs in the win.
Rehobeth 8, Dothan 1: Seth Arroyo pitched a complete game no-hitter in the opener with eight strikeouts, allowing an unearned run off an error, to spark Rehobeth’s 8-1, 7-4 sweep of Dothan. Offensively for Rehobeth in the opener, Brandon Cobb was 2-for-4 and Jordan Brown, Logan Palmer and Brady Johnson had a hit and RBI each with Johnson’s hit a double. Blake Jones was the losing pitcher for Dothan. Alex Arriga pitched five innings of relief, allowing no earned runs and two hits, while striking out two. Matt Parker drove in the run.
Dothan 3, Walker 0: In the Terry Sikes tournament, Jay Jordan threw a complete game one-hitter for the Tigers, with eight strikeouts and two walks. Jordan also had a sacrifice fly to drive in a run. Reid Agrella had an RBI and Cooper Sellers had a hit.
Spain Park 9, Dothan 2: Spain Park benefitted from 12 free passes via walks or hit batters to beat the Tigers. Dothan scored both of its runs in the first inning. Jay Jordan scored a run and Matt Parker, who had one of two Tiger hits, scored the other run. Reid Agrella hit a double for Dothan’s other hit. Bubba McDaniel (2-1) took the loss, giving up three earned runs in four innings. Alex Arriaga pitched the final three innings and gave up just one earned run.
Dothan 4, Northridge 3: Bubba McDaniel singled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh to help Dothan defeat Northridge 4-3 in the Terry Sikes Memorial Tournament in Troy. It was the Tigers’ third walk-off victory of the season and improved their record to 5-4. Reid Agrella pitched six innings and got a no decision. He gave up four hits, walked four and struck out three. Jay Jordan (2-1) came in with runners on first and second in the top of the seventh and got the win. In the seventh, Dothan’s Tyler Tretchell and Jordan drew leadoff walks. Matt Parker advanced them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Agrella was intentionally walked to load the bases. McDaniel then singled to right-center. Jordan was 1-for-3 and scored a run. Agrella hit a double and drove in two runs. Blake Jones also doubled.
Southside 4, Dothan 3: In the first game, Dothan lost late, 4-3, to Southside Gadsden, which broke a 3-all tie in the bottom of the sixth to edge the Tigers. Parker pitched all seven innings for Dothan and didn’t give up an earned run. He gave up eight hits, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Agrella was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Trent Adams was 1-for-3 and scored a run. Jordan scored a run and drove one in with a sacrifice fly. Blake Jones also scored a run.
Dothan 3, Ariton 2: In the Ariton game, the Tigers tied the game in the sixth on a passed ball. In the bottom of the ninth, Jay Jordan walked, stole second and scored when Reid Agrella struck a single off the Purple Cat pitcher. Bubba McDaniel (2-0) picked up the win in relief, striking out two in two innings pitched. He relieved Blake Jones, who struck out seven in seven innings of work and allowed no earned runs.
Dothan 19, Pike County 3:
In the win over Pike County, Agrella had two hits, three RBIs and a run scored, while Matt Parker scored three runs and drove in another. Cooper Sellers had two runs scored and two RBIs. Jordan (1-1) picked up the win on the mound.
Dothan 5, Wakulla, FL 4: Dothan, the home team, scored a run in the bottom of the 13th inning for the win. Jay Jordan singled to left to jumpstart the 13th. Bubba McDaniel bunted, but the Wakulla pitcher mishandled it, putting two runners on. Matt Parker laid down another bunt and the throw by the third baseman short hopped the first baseman and Jordan came around to score the game winning run. Jordan and Reid Agrella both had two hits for Dothan with Agrella driving in a run. McDaniel picked up the win, working 2/3 of an inning in the top of the 13.
Leon, FL 6, Dothan 1: Matt Parker was 2-for-4 with a double and Christian Hughey was 2-for-3 with a run scored for Dothan in the loss. Parker took the loss, though he allowed only two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Bainbridge, GA 5, Dothan 1: The Tigers scored their run in the top of the first inning. Matt Parker walked and went to third on Reid Agrella’s double. Parker scored on Christian Hughey’s sacrifice fly. Bainbridge scored once in the third and four times in the fourth inning. Agrella took the loss for Dothan. He worked 3 2/3 innings, giving up five walks and five runs while striking out three.
Dothan 10, Elba 0: Blake Jones allowed one hit and struck out six in 4 1/3 innings to help the Tigers split a three-team round robin on opening day. Christian Hughey went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs for the Tigers. Bubba McDaniel was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Jay Jordan had two hits and scored two runs in the win. Dothan scored two runs in the first and eight runs in the second.
Charles Henderson 7, Dothan 0: Henderson’s John Michael Stephens pitched a three-hit shutout against Dothan. Stephens struck out six and walked one. Dothan’s Matthew Parker went 2-for-3 and Jay Jordan had the Tigers’ other hit. Smartt went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Nick Lewis had two hits and also scored two runs for the Trojans. John Johnson and Austin Ingram each had a hit, a run scored and two RBIs in the win.
JUDY COLLINS THROWS OUT THE FIRST PITCH
Champions of the Montgomery Challenge - Team Whiteness
Runner-up of the Montgomery Challenge - Team Trock-n-Friends
Varsity players with Christmas gifts that they bought for a child in need.
Varsity players with their gifts from Dirty Santa
Baseball Players Painted Up in Support of Senior Football Players
Baseball Team and Diamond Dolls at the "Light the Night" Cancer Walk
DOTHAN BASEBALL IN THE NEWS
Smith Ready to Turn Around Dothan High Baseball - Dothan Eagle
Dothan Hires Jared Smith as New Baseball Coach - WTVY.com
PC Alum Gets Dothan Baseball Job - Franklin Free Press
Jared Smith Named Dothan Baseball Coach - Dothan First.com
2015 P/C Reid Agrella Named to 2013 AlaBCA Team Alabama - AlaBCA.org
Dothan Hires Jared Smith as New Baseball Coach - WTVY.com
PC Alum Gets Dothan Baseball Job - Franklin Free Press
Jared Smith Named Dothan Baseball Coach - Dothan First.com
2015 P/C Reid Agrella Named to 2013 AlaBCA Team Alabama - AlaBCA.org
Smith Ready to Turn Around Dothan High Baseball - Dothan Eagle
Jared Smith has heard about the Dothan High baseball program’s storied history – and its recent past.
The new Tiger head baseball coach, officially hired Monday night by the Dothan City School Board as a math teacher and coach, wants to rekindle the program’s proud tradition.
“I know in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, they were a perennial program under coach (Terry) Collins,” Smith said. “I want to get Dothan back to those days.”
Smith, who comes to Dothan after five years as an assistant coach at Class 6A Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, is also aware of the Tigers’ recent history, one that has featured no winning seasons since 2001.
However, based on what he has heard, he feels the potential is there to put the Tiger program back on the winning side of the ledger.
“I researched it, calling a lot of coaches and friends in that area and not one of them said, ‘Don’t take it. You can’t win there,’” Smith said. “Everybody said they had what you look for and that things are in place to be successful.”
Smith has several ideas of how to turn the program around – starting first and foremost with work ethic, an area that he got the impression lacked at Dothan in recent years.
“We have to change the culture,” Smith said. “We have to outwork everybody. I know coaches say that, but we have to. We have to work hard year round and not just during the season.
“I understand Dothan had only one kid playing summer ball. We have to change that. We have to get after it in all phases and we have to get after it in the weight room.”
Smith feels he has experience to fall back. While at Northridge with head coach Travis Garner, the program won more than 100 games over five years after the team struggled under previous coaches. Former University of Alabama head coach Jim Wells helped in recent seasons.
“When we arrived there five years ago it was a similar situation as it is at Dothan now,” Smith said. “They had only won seven games the year before, but every year, coach Garner and I won 20 games or more and we won the area championship in two years, so I have been a part of turning a program around.”
Another part of creating a winning environment, said Smith, is getting kids to be excited again about being part of Tiger baseball.
“I understand there is a ton of talent in Dothan, but that a lot of it has transferred out,” Smith said. “We have to get Dothan kids that want to be at Dothan.”
Smith is optimistic that if the culture of work ethic and excitement changes, so will the results.
“I would not say we are rebuilding,” Smith said. “We can come in and work hard and if we do, we will see results quickly.
“I don’t have a set number of wins, but if we work hard, I do expect we will see immediate results (improvement). Now, whether it leads to wins and championships, we will see.”
Dothan principal Stan Eldridge and athletic director Kelvis White were upbeat about the hire of Smith, who replaces Jarett Maddox. Maddox resigned last month.
“He is a young, energetic coach who is ready to go,” Eldridge said of Smith. “He is ready to meet the players and meet the parents. He said he cares about the players. He wants to take care of them and he said he wants to do what is best for them. That impressed me, as did his organizational skills. He has a good plan.
“Coach White called all the references and the head coach said, ‘Don’t hire him because I don’t want to lose him,’ and the principal said, ‘Don’t hire because I don’t want to lose him as a math teacher,’ so that says a lot.”
White described Smith as “extremely organized and very intelligent.”
In addition to his five years at Northridge, Smith was a volunteer assistant at Hillcrest of Tuscaloosa when the Patriots won the 6A state championship in 2007.
He is a 2003 graduate of Phil Campbell High School in north Alabama where he played mostly second base and outfield, though he also pitched some.
Smith earned his bachelor and masters’ degrees from the University of Alabama in math and will complete an education leadership degree from the University of West Alabama later this month.
“I am real excited about going to work at Dothan High School,” Smith said. “It is a school rich with tradition. It has tremendous support from parents and administration. I feel it is a great opportunity.”
He expects his team to display several traits.
“We will instill core values, we will be disciplined, we will give maximum effort and be committed to the program,” Smith said.
On the field, Smith said he will focus on hitting and defense. He hopes to hire a coach to handle the pitching staff.
“Hitting and defense are my strong point,” Smith said. “Offensively, we will be aggressive and we will know when we need to be aggressive. Defensively, we will be fundamentally sound.”
Smith will be at Dothan High in the media center today at 5 p.m. to meet Tiger players and parents.
The new Tiger head baseball coach, officially hired Monday night by the Dothan City School Board as a math teacher and coach, wants to rekindle the program’s proud tradition.
“I know in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, they were a perennial program under coach (Terry) Collins,” Smith said. “I want to get Dothan back to those days.”
Smith, who comes to Dothan after five years as an assistant coach at Class 6A Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, is also aware of the Tigers’ recent history, one that has featured no winning seasons since 2001.
However, based on what he has heard, he feels the potential is there to put the Tiger program back on the winning side of the ledger.
“I researched it, calling a lot of coaches and friends in that area and not one of them said, ‘Don’t take it. You can’t win there,’” Smith said. “Everybody said they had what you look for and that things are in place to be successful.”
Smith has several ideas of how to turn the program around – starting first and foremost with work ethic, an area that he got the impression lacked at Dothan in recent years.
“We have to change the culture,” Smith said. “We have to outwork everybody. I know coaches say that, but we have to. We have to work hard year round and not just during the season.
“I understand Dothan had only one kid playing summer ball. We have to change that. We have to get after it in all phases and we have to get after it in the weight room.”
Smith feels he has experience to fall back. While at Northridge with head coach Travis Garner, the program won more than 100 games over five years after the team struggled under previous coaches. Former University of Alabama head coach Jim Wells helped in recent seasons.
“When we arrived there five years ago it was a similar situation as it is at Dothan now,” Smith said. “They had only won seven games the year before, but every year, coach Garner and I won 20 games or more and we won the area championship in two years, so I have been a part of turning a program around.”
Another part of creating a winning environment, said Smith, is getting kids to be excited again about being part of Tiger baseball.
“I understand there is a ton of talent in Dothan, but that a lot of it has transferred out,” Smith said. “We have to get Dothan kids that want to be at Dothan.”
Smith is optimistic that if the culture of work ethic and excitement changes, so will the results.
“I would not say we are rebuilding,” Smith said. “We can come in and work hard and if we do, we will see results quickly.
“I don’t have a set number of wins, but if we work hard, I do expect we will see immediate results (improvement). Now, whether it leads to wins and championships, we will see.”
Dothan principal Stan Eldridge and athletic director Kelvis White were upbeat about the hire of Smith, who replaces Jarett Maddox. Maddox resigned last month.
“He is a young, energetic coach who is ready to go,” Eldridge said of Smith. “He is ready to meet the players and meet the parents. He said he cares about the players. He wants to take care of them and he said he wants to do what is best for them. That impressed me, as did his organizational skills. He has a good plan.
“Coach White called all the references and the head coach said, ‘Don’t hire him because I don’t want to lose him,’ and the principal said, ‘Don’t hire because I don’t want to lose him as a math teacher,’ so that says a lot.”
White described Smith as “extremely organized and very intelligent.”
In addition to his five years at Northridge, Smith was a volunteer assistant at Hillcrest of Tuscaloosa when the Patriots won the 6A state championship in 2007.
He is a 2003 graduate of Phil Campbell High School in north Alabama where he played mostly second base and outfield, though he also pitched some.
Smith earned his bachelor and masters’ degrees from the University of Alabama in math and will complete an education leadership degree from the University of West Alabama later this month.
“I am real excited about going to work at Dothan High School,” Smith said. “It is a school rich with tradition. It has tremendous support from parents and administration. I feel it is a great opportunity.”
He expects his team to display several traits.
“We will instill core values, we will be disciplined, we will give maximum effort and be committed to the program,” Smith said.
On the field, Smith said he will focus on hitting and defense. He hopes to hire a coach to handle the pitching staff.
“Hitting and defense are my strong point,” Smith said. “Offensively, we will be aggressive and we will know when we need to be aggressive. Defensively, we will be fundamentally sound.”
Smith will be at Dothan High in the media center today at 5 p.m. to meet Tiger players and parents.
Dothan Hires Jared Smith as New Baseball Coach
(DOTHAN) - Dothan's new baseball Coach, Jared Smith, says he hopes to help mold the Tigers back into the dominant 6A program they were in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
"I made a lot of phone calls to friends before I took this job and not a single person said 'Don't take it,' said Smith.
"I did some research and know what Terry Collins did for this program back in the day and I feel like we have the potential here," he said.
For the past five seasons Smith worked as an assistant coach at Northridge high school under head coach Travis Garner.
Smith helped the team to more than 100 wins over those five seasons. He's excited and feels like he can bring that experience to Dothan.
"I'm ready to evaluate every aspect of the program, see what we want to change and what we want to keep the same to keep this a premier program," said Smith.
"We're just going to go after it. Every Coach says that they're going to outwork people but you know we are going to do what it takes year-round to be a successful 6A program," he said.
Smith hopes to hold the first full week of practice and scrimmages the week of July 22nd.
"I made a lot of phone calls to friends before I took this job and not a single person said 'Don't take it,' said Smith.
"I did some research and know what Terry Collins did for this program back in the day and I feel like we have the potential here," he said.
For the past five seasons Smith worked as an assistant coach at Northridge high school under head coach Travis Garner.
Smith helped the team to more than 100 wins over those five seasons. He's excited and feels like he can bring that experience to Dothan.
"I'm ready to evaluate every aspect of the program, see what we want to change and what we want to keep the same to keep this a premier program," said Smith.
"We're just going to go after it. Every Coach says that they're going to outwork people but you know we are going to do what it takes year-round to be a successful 6A program," he said.
Smith hopes to hold the first full week of practice and scrimmages the week of July 22nd.
PC Alum Gets Dothan Baseball Job
Even as a 14-year-old kid at East Franklin Junior High, Jared Smith knew exactly what he wanted to do for a living.
It was in his blood.
“Pretty much everybody in my family has been involved in teaching and coaching,” said Smith, who played baseball at Phil Campbell before graduating in 2003. “There was never any doubt that’s what I wanted to do. I’ve always been pretty good at math, and some people wanted me to be an engineer. But that never really interested me.
“I love being around the game and being around the kids. Ever since the ninth or tenth grade, I’ve known this is what I wanted to do.”
Smith’s mother, Vickie King, retired from education after teaching at East Franklin and Tharptown. His father, Alan Smith, is the head baseball coach at Winfield High School.
Smith’s grandmother taught at Phil Campbell, and he has aunts and uncles still working in the field of education. It was no surprise, then, when Smith chose to pursue a degree in math from the University of Alabama with the aim of becoming a teacher and a baseball coach.
After earning his bachelor’s, Smith broke into the coaching ranks in 2007 as an assistant at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, where he helped the Patriots win the Class 6A state title. He returned to the University to get his Master’s degree (also in math) and then spent the past five seasons as an assistant coach at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa.
On July 8, Smith officially became a head coach for the first time when he was hired to take over the baseball program at Dothan High School.
“I’m really excited,” Smith said last week. “It’s been a whirlwind trying to get moved down there, get the schedule worked out and meet the kids. I haven’t had a chance to evaluate the players, but I’m ready to get going and hopefully evaluate the whole program really soon.”
Dothan, once a perennial baseball powerhouse, has struggled in recent years. The Tigers have just one winning season since 2001 and one playoff appearance since 2002.
“They were very good for a long time,” Smith said. “They won a state championship in 1978 and had some really good teams in the 80s and 90s, too. They made the playoffs a lot and made a deep run every once in a while. The last ten years or so, they’ve fallen off a little bit, for whatever reason. Our goal is to turn things around and help Dothan become a premier program again.”
Smith said there is plenty of baseball talent in Dothan; there are also plenty of options for where those student-athletes can attend school.
“There’s a ton of baseball talent in Dothan,” he said. “There are two schools in the city, Dothan High and Northview, which is pretty much the northern half of Dothan. There are a few private schools in town, and then there are some really good county programs, too, like G.W. Long, that have won a lot in the last few years.
“Dothan High has lost some talent to other schools. Our goal will be to keep the ones we’ve got there now and hopefully eventually get it to the point where nobody’s leaving. We want those kids to want to be at Dothan.”
Smith has some experience when it comes to building a program. At Northridge, he helped head coach Travis Garner transform the Jaguars from a seven-win team in 2008 to a team that has won 20 or more games in each of the past five seasons. Two years ago, Northridge won the first area championship in the school’s brief history.
Smith believes a similar turnaround is possible at Dothan, where the Tigers won just 12 games last year. And he has very specific ideas about how to get it done.
“Offensively, I believe in being aggressive,” Smith said. “The bats have changed, and the game has changed. We’ll bunt, we’ll hit-and-run, we’ll steal bases. We’ll do the small things right. The days of people hitting a bunch of home runs in high school baseball are pretty much over, unless they change something. Everybody likes to see a ball go over the fence, but doing the little things right and playing small ball will be the key.
“Defensively, we’ll be sound. You have to make the routine plays. There aren’t a lot of 12-10 games any more. If you can make all the routine plays, that can help you win a game 2-1 or 3-2.
“Our pitchers will throw strikes. I hate it when pitchers walk people. As a pitcher, you have to attack the strike zone and see if a high school hitter is good enough to beat you. I want our pitchers to be able to throw three pitches for strikes.”
Smith started at second base for Phil Campbell as a senior in 2003, helping head coach Michael Beck lay the foundation for teams that would make back-to-back trips to the state finals in 2005 and 2006.
“I graduated right before they made those two runs to the state finals,” Smith said. “We were 3A when I played, and then they dropped down to 2A, which helped out a ton. They did very well. I hate I missed out on that.
“I really enjoyed playing for Coach Beck. He was a big drill guy when it came to hitting. I’ve been around three or four coaches with different approaches, and I’ve tried to take something from each one. Coach Beck’s style was very aggressive. He knew how to get the most out of his kids—that’s why they had two state runner-up teams. I took a lot from the hitting aspect of the game, with all the drill work we did. He was really big on that.”
Smith spent his entire playing career at the small-school level, but all of his coaching jobs to date have been at 6A schools.
“I was fortunate to be at Hillcrest in 2007 when they won a state championship,” he said. “I took a year off to get my Master’s, and I’ve been in 6A ball ever since. I haven’t been in small-school ball since Phil Campbell. It’s different. There’s some good and some bad with both. At a small school, the community support is unbelievable. Everything just revolves around the school and athletics. It’s not quite like that at a larger school. They don’t shut down the whole town for a playoff game. There’s too much to do, I guess.
“Dothan kind of has that small-school atmosphere, though. They really want the program to be successful, and everybody wants to be a part of that success.”
The Tigers’ schedule for 2014 is pretty much set, but Smith already has an eye on a potential meeting some time down the road with Winfield, where his dad has led the Pirates to state quarterfinal appearances each of the past two seasons.
“Man, we were gonna try to make it work, but it was a little late in the game to make that happen,” Smith said. “Hopefully we can get that next year.
It was in his blood.
“Pretty much everybody in my family has been involved in teaching and coaching,” said Smith, who played baseball at Phil Campbell before graduating in 2003. “There was never any doubt that’s what I wanted to do. I’ve always been pretty good at math, and some people wanted me to be an engineer. But that never really interested me.
“I love being around the game and being around the kids. Ever since the ninth or tenth grade, I’ve known this is what I wanted to do.”
Smith’s mother, Vickie King, retired from education after teaching at East Franklin and Tharptown. His father, Alan Smith, is the head baseball coach at Winfield High School.
Smith’s grandmother taught at Phil Campbell, and he has aunts and uncles still working in the field of education. It was no surprise, then, when Smith chose to pursue a degree in math from the University of Alabama with the aim of becoming a teacher and a baseball coach.
After earning his bachelor’s, Smith broke into the coaching ranks in 2007 as an assistant at Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, where he helped the Patriots win the Class 6A state title. He returned to the University to get his Master’s degree (also in math) and then spent the past five seasons as an assistant coach at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa.
On July 8, Smith officially became a head coach for the first time when he was hired to take over the baseball program at Dothan High School.
“I’m really excited,” Smith said last week. “It’s been a whirlwind trying to get moved down there, get the schedule worked out and meet the kids. I haven’t had a chance to evaluate the players, but I’m ready to get going and hopefully evaluate the whole program really soon.”
Dothan, once a perennial baseball powerhouse, has struggled in recent years. The Tigers have just one winning season since 2001 and one playoff appearance since 2002.
“They were very good for a long time,” Smith said. “They won a state championship in 1978 and had some really good teams in the 80s and 90s, too. They made the playoffs a lot and made a deep run every once in a while. The last ten years or so, they’ve fallen off a little bit, for whatever reason. Our goal is to turn things around and help Dothan become a premier program again.”
Smith said there is plenty of baseball talent in Dothan; there are also plenty of options for where those student-athletes can attend school.
“There’s a ton of baseball talent in Dothan,” he said. “There are two schools in the city, Dothan High and Northview, which is pretty much the northern half of Dothan. There are a few private schools in town, and then there are some really good county programs, too, like G.W. Long, that have won a lot in the last few years.
“Dothan High has lost some talent to other schools. Our goal will be to keep the ones we’ve got there now and hopefully eventually get it to the point where nobody’s leaving. We want those kids to want to be at Dothan.”
Smith has some experience when it comes to building a program. At Northridge, he helped head coach Travis Garner transform the Jaguars from a seven-win team in 2008 to a team that has won 20 or more games in each of the past five seasons. Two years ago, Northridge won the first area championship in the school’s brief history.
Smith believes a similar turnaround is possible at Dothan, where the Tigers won just 12 games last year. And he has very specific ideas about how to get it done.
“Offensively, I believe in being aggressive,” Smith said. “The bats have changed, and the game has changed. We’ll bunt, we’ll hit-and-run, we’ll steal bases. We’ll do the small things right. The days of people hitting a bunch of home runs in high school baseball are pretty much over, unless they change something. Everybody likes to see a ball go over the fence, but doing the little things right and playing small ball will be the key.
“Defensively, we’ll be sound. You have to make the routine plays. There aren’t a lot of 12-10 games any more. If you can make all the routine plays, that can help you win a game 2-1 or 3-2.
“Our pitchers will throw strikes. I hate it when pitchers walk people. As a pitcher, you have to attack the strike zone and see if a high school hitter is good enough to beat you. I want our pitchers to be able to throw three pitches for strikes.”
Smith started at second base for Phil Campbell as a senior in 2003, helping head coach Michael Beck lay the foundation for teams that would make back-to-back trips to the state finals in 2005 and 2006.
“I graduated right before they made those two runs to the state finals,” Smith said. “We were 3A when I played, and then they dropped down to 2A, which helped out a ton. They did very well. I hate I missed out on that.
“I really enjoyed playing for Coach Beck. He was a big drill guy when it came to hitting. I’ve been around three or four coaches with different approaches, and I’ve tried to take something from each one. Coach Beck’s style was very aggressive. He knew how to get the most out of his kids—that’s why they had two state runner-up teams. I took a lot from the hitting aspect of the game, with all the drill work we did. He was really big on that.”
Smith spent his entire playing career at the small-school level, but all of his coaching jobs to date have been at 6A schools.
“I was fortunate to be at Hillcrest in 2007 when they won a state championship,” he said. “I took a year off to get my Master’s, and I’ve been in 6A ball ever since. I haven’t been in small-school ball since Phil Campbell. It’s different. There’s some good and some bad with both. At a small school, the community support is unbelievable. Everything just revolves around the school and athletics. It’s not quite like that at a larger school. They don’t shut down the whole town for a playoff game. There’s too much to do, I guess.
“Dothan kind of has that small-school atmosphere, though. They really want the program to be successful, and everybody wants to be a part of that success.”
The Tigers’ schedule for 2014 is pretty much set, but Smith already has an eye on a potential meeting some time down the road with Winfield, where his dad has led the Pirates to state quarterfinal appearances each of the past two seasons.
“Man, we were gonna try to make it work, but it was a little late in the game to make that happen,” Smith said. “Hopefully we can get that next year.
Jared Smith Named Dothan Baseball Coach
Jared Smith was officially hired as the next Dothan High baseball coach and as a math teacher on Monday night by the Dothan City School Board.
Smith comes to the Tigers after assisting at Northridge High for five years and as a volunteer at Hillcrest in Tuscaloosa.
He says in order to turn things around, the program is going to have to undergo a culture change.
Smith replaces Jarrett Maddox who resigned last month.
The Tigers have not produced a winning season since 2001.
Smith comes to the Tigers after assisting at Northridge High for five years and as a volunteer at Hillcrest in Tuscaloosa.
He says in order to turn things around, the program is going to have to undergo a culture change.
Smith replaces Jarrett Maddox who resigned last month.
The Tigers have not produced a winning season since 2001.
2015 P/C Reid Agrella Named to 2013 ALaBCA Team Alabama
2015 Dothan Pitcher and Catcher Reid Agrella was recently named to the ALaBCA Alabama All-Star Team. Agrella was picked from a pool of over 100 players after a tryout. Team Alabama will play the All-Star Team from Georgia and Tennessee.
