El Toro’s Mike Gonzales is the high school baseball coach of the year
Lake Forest El Toro High baseball players were celebrating on the field at Dodger Stadium after winning the Southern Section Division 1 championship. Coach Mike Gonzales and his staff stood back and let them enjoy the moment.
“This is about them,” he said.
El Toro didn’t finish No. 1 in Southern California by accident. It was the meetings, communication and sacrifices by players and coaches that made the dream season happen.
Gonzales, who led the way, has been chosen as The Times’ coach of the year in high school baseball.
He pulled off a rare feat in that his team’s two star pitchers, Jake Jackson and Erik Tolman, never pitched the previous year. They were position players who waited their turn. And when opportunity came, both delivered. It was a sensitive, touchy situation because they surpassed veteran pitchers.
“It’s always a concern when roles change and you have so many seniors on a team,” Gonzales said. “To their credit, we talked about being unselfish and for the good of the team. This was one of the best benches and team chemistry I’ve ever been a part of.”
Gonzales said the creation of team chemistry comes with making sure the players can trust the coach when news — good or bad — is delivered.
“It’s hard,” he said. “It’s emotional and disappointing. There’s a range of emotion that goes through a kid’s head. Communication is the key, trust and loyalty.
“If players know you care about them, they’re going to trust you and they’re going to be unselfish.”
Follow Eric Sondheimer on Twitter @latsondheimer
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