By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
Three weeks after firing Madisonville-North Hopkins baseball coach Scott Vance, the Maroons athletic department announced its replacement in assistant Bobby Sandidge.
Sandidge, who served the past two seasons as a North assistant, earned the department's recommendation on Monday and will assume the duties of leading one of the school's most successful programs.
"I think we're going to pick up where we left off," Sandidge said. "I know I'm a young coach. I know some people may have their doubts because I am a young coach, but I'm very motivated. I'm a hard worker, and I look for the guys to expect nothing less."
Sandidge will fill the void left by Vance, who maintained a successful Maroon squad during his seven years as coach. Many of the program's supporters were upset when Vance was not retained on June 8.
"The main thing I want to address is I'm a team player, and I'm not here to say I'm the answer to anything," Sandidge said. "I'm here for the kids. I'm here to better these guys as young men. I'm here to win baseball games, and basically I think you can't go wrong if you make it about the kids."
Athletics Director Gale Travis told The Messenger in a release that an in-house hire like Sandidge proved ideal.
"He has worked closely with the program, the players, and the boosters, so his hiring should insure a smooth transition for all parties," Travis said.
Sandidge, who served the past two seasons as a North assistant, earned the department's recommendation on Monday and will assume the duties of leading one of the school's most successful programs.
"I think we're going to pick up where we left off," Sandidge said. "I know I'm a young coach. I know some people may have their doubts because I am a young coach, but I'm very motivated. I'm a hard worker, and I look for the guys to expect nothing less."
Sandidge will fill the void left by Vance, who maintained a successful Maroon squad during his seven years as coach. Many of the program's supporters were upset when Vance was not retained on June 8.
"The main thing I want to address is I'm a team player, and I'm not here to say I'm the answer to anything," Sandidge said. "I'm here for the kids. I'm here to better these guys as young men. I'm here to win baseball games, and basically I think you can't go wrong if you make it about the kids."
Athletics Director Gale Travis told The Messenger in a release that an in-house hire like Sandidge proved ideal.
"He has worked closely with the program, the players, and the boosters, so his hiring should insure a smooth transition for all parties," Travis said.
Sandidge, a 1999 Hopkins County Central graduate, maintained an assistant role with the Storm baseball program from 2007-2008. Sandidge played shortstop for North for two years before moving to Central as part of the district's restructuring for three more seasons. During his junior and senior season, Sandidge was an all-state selection.
After high school, Sandidge earned all-conference honors at Brescia University his freshman year before ending his playing career. Once Sandidge stepped away as a player, he said it took him a few years to realize the desire to maintain an aspect of baseball in his life and decided to take up coaching.
Sandidge's promotion will mark his first head coaching job, but he said he's prepared after years of studying the game from individuals like his high school coach, Scott Marks, and alongside Vance and Lee James.
"(Vance) knows the game of baseball better than anybody I know around here anyway," Sandidge said. "He's a very intelligent person on the field, and I learned some things from him, but I'm also my own person ... I think every coach is different, and I've learned things from the three coaches I've been around, coach Marks probably the most."
This summer, Sandidge has been helping the American Legion Post 6 Madisonville Miners team as an assistant under Marks.
As for characteristics of a Sandidge-coached team, the newly hired skipper said he plans to blend the skills he has learned.
"I do like coach Vance's aggressive style of baseball, but I also believe you have to adapt your style to whatever kind of team you possess," he said. "Next year, we're going to have some young guys, we'll have some speed. I think smaller ball next year will be more of what you'll see.
"We're going to play as a team and win as a team. There's not going to be any individual efforts. We're going to win as one and lose as one."
Sandidge said assistant coach Sean Watts will continue with the program. Sandidge said he will be looking to fill positions for another assistant's job and head junior varsity coach.
After high school, Sandidge earned all-conference honors at Brescia University his freshman year before ending his playing career. Once Sandidge stepped away as a player, he said it took him a few years to realize the desire to maintain an aspect of baseball in his life and decided to take up coaching.
Sandidge's promotion will mark his first head coaching job, but he said he's prepared after years of studying the game from individuals like his high school coach, Scott Marks, and alongside Vance and Lee James.
"(Vance) knows the game of baseball better than anybody I know around here anyway," Sandidge said. "He's a very intelligent person on the field, and I learned some things from him, but I'm also my own person ... I think every coach is different, and I've learned things from the three coaches I've been around, coach Marks probably the most."
This summer, Sandidge has been helping the American Legion Post 6 Madisonville Miners team as an assistant under Marks.
As for characteristics of a Sandidge-coached team, the newly hired skipper said he plans to blend the skills he has learned.
"I do like coach Vance's aggressive style of baseball, but I also believe you have to adapt your style to whatever kind of team you possess," he said. "Next year, we're going to have some young guys, we'll have some speed. I think smaller ball next year will be more of what you'll see.
"We're going to play as a team and win as a team. There's not going to be any individual efforts. We're going to win as one and lose as one."
Sandidge said assistant coach Sean Watts will continue with the program. Sandidge said he will be looking to fill positions for another assistant's job and head junior varsity coach.
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