Q&A with Ellensburg High School head baseball coach Todd Gibson
ELLENSBURG, Wash. — A Q&A with Todd Gibson who is the head coach for the Ellensburg High School baseball team.
How long have you been coaching?
Todd Gibson: I’ve been coaching high school baseball for 26 years total
What are one or two things that the team does in training that are keys to their success?
Gibson: Our daily practices are structured for refining the details of the game and our kids are really good at executing that on a daily basis with really good energy.聽 I would say another important component is our mental approach to the game is captured in the classroom and on the field at a very high level for high school kids.聽 This has been passed down through our players’ leadership and then the responsibility of underclassmen to carry that tradition on.
Please describe the most memorable games/tournaments/championships.
Gibson: Our most memorable games would have to be the 3 State Championships our teams have won.聽 Each was different and came about in each team’s journey to get there.聽 All the State Tournament games have a special place because the stakes are so high in that only the winner moves on.聽 We have done that 18 out of the last 22 games I think and that’s against the toughest competition you will face so that’s special.
Tell us about the accomplishments of this year鈥檚 team.
Gibson: Our League record was 9-3, our overall record was 16-11.聽 We played 3 teams that played for State Titles in the midst of the toughest non league schedule we’ve ever played.
We got 2nd place in League, won the District Tournament Championship, Regional Championship and finished 4th in the State out of 61 teams.聽 It’s our 5th top 4 finish in the last 7 years with 3 State Championships (2014, 2017 and 2018), one third (2016) and this year’s 4th place finish.
We had 5 players receive聽All League Honors.聽 Ryker Fortier (1st team All League, Feeder Game participant and All State nomination), Cade Gibson (1st Team All League, Feeder Game participant and All State nomination), Jack Morrill (2nd Team All League),聽 Luke Sterkel (2nd Team All League),聽 Garrett Loen (All League Honorable Mention),聽 Ty Estey (All League Honorable Mention), Riley Gibson ( Feeder Game participant and All State nomination).
What legacy do you hope to leave as a coach?
Gibson: Funny you should use the word “Legacy”, we have our kids fill out a Legacy paper every year that has their individual and team goals…it’s a huge part of our program and standard we live by.聽 I would hope that when I’m done that my character is looked at as someone who loved his town, school, ball players and this baseball program enough to spend 30 years coaching high school baseball.聽 I would hope that we’ve built up enough tradition and expectations to have the next in line carry it forward and that would maybe be a former player of the program that knows the history of what it took to get there.聽 I care about our players way beyond the baseball field and even if their goals were not fulfilled on the field they developed the work ethic and attitude to pursue other life goals with the tenacity and grit exemplified in our baseball program.
Anything else you’d like to add about this year’s team/individual?
Gibson: I would only add I am so thankful for all the coaches, players, parents and extended family for being supportive of what we have tried to accomplish.聽 The success and foundation of our program is built on all those people and I know I am lucky to be a part of it.
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