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In this episode of the 2025 Coaching Changes Series, we welcome John Martin back to Emporia State as the program's new head baseball coach. Martin, an alumnus and former coach, discusses the excitement of returning to his alma mater, a move that brings him and his family closer to home. He reflects on his time away and the experiences that prepared him for this new role.

Coach Martin talks about the challenge of inheriting a roster and the fast-paced process of getting to know his new team and staff. He describes his coaching philosophy as an effort to take "a bunch of puzzle pieces" and fit them together, a process that happens through a lot of competition and adversity. He emphasizes that a strong culture is built on selflessness, where every player is committed to the team's shared goal.

Looking ahead, Martin is focused on building depth across the roster and recruiting players who are committed to working hard and competing every day. He expresses his excitement about the program's strong alumni network and its tradition of winning. He also highlights the importance of the team's facilities, including a full turf field, which allows them to practice consistently regardless of the weather. Above all, Martin wants his team to play a fun, hard-nosed style of baseball that will make the community proud.

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In this early episode of the 2025 Coaching Changes series, Robert sits down with the fourth head coach in Missouri Western history, Michael Keeran, to discuss his background and his vision for the program. Keeran, who has a strong coaching history at the junior college and high school levels, explains what drew him to Missouri Western, citing the program's strong vision, good facilities, and the highly competitive MIAA conference.

Keeran talks about his "all-in" philosophy, which focuses on winning immediately and not wasting a year on a long-term plan. He discusses the challenges of recruiting an entirely new roster of 30 players in a single summer, relying on his staff's diverse connections and a "speed dating" approach to build a team quickly.

He also details his coaching philosophy, which emphasizes physicality, consistency, and "winning baseball" — a focus on fundamental skills like hitting behind the runner and laying down a drag bunt, which often get lost in today's game. He highlights the program's state-of-the-art facilities, including a turf field and indoor training area, as a key factor in player development. Finally, Keeran shares his commitment to community involvement and building lasting relationships with alumni, local youth, and school districts to ensure the program's long-term success.

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In this episode of the 2025 Coaching Changes Series, J.D. Hulse talks about his quick transition from assistant to head coach at Valdosta State, a move he made after working with former head coach Jan Weisberg for years, first as a player, then as a coach at Birmingham-Southern and then at Valdosta State. Hulse discusses his journey and the difficult experience of coaching Birmingham-Southern during their school's final months, a perspective he plans to use to teach his players to be grateful for what they have.

Hulse is excited to take on the challenge of leading a program with a championship tradition and high expectations. He highlights the benefits of playing in the highly competitive Gulf South and South regions, where every game is a chance to build a strong resume for a potential tournament bid.

Hulse then explains his priorities for the team, including his offensive philosophy which is centered on hitting for doubles and implementing a more aggressive base running style. He also touches on the importance of having a coaching staff that is passionate, knowledgeable, and organized. Above all, Hulse wants his team to be "gritty" and "tough" and to play with a championship-level mindset, on and off the field.

Don't miss this episode with Valdosta State Head Coach J.D. Hulse!