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05/04/2017 12:00 AMBrian Drinkard has coached a few different baseball teams throughout the last several years, but no matter who he’s coaching, Brian’s mission remains the same: Prepare his athletes for the next level. As a physical education instructor at Deep River Elementary School, Brian has taught many of the athletes that he now works with as the head coach of the JV baseball team at Valley Regional High School. Brian says that he has a great group of kids on his team and feels that bodes well for the future of the Warriors’ varsity squad.
“I love this team. This is my favorite group of kids,” says Brian. “We’re mostly freshmen. The kids have bought in and they’re working hard at practice. We’re 5-1 on the year so far and some of that is luck, but the harder you work, the luckier you get.”
Brian faces an interesting situation as Valley’s JV skipper. He enjoys helping his players improve so they can advance to the varsity level, although that takes those same players away from his JV team. However, Brian isn’t bothered in the slightest about any voids in his lineup or pitching staff.
“Even though we are trying to win, winning’s not everything. Everybody needs to get on the field at some point during the week of games,” Brian says. “I’m not necessarily running my top nine and leaving them out there to win games. I believe if you practice hard and work hard, then the wins will take care of themselves, no matter what level you play at.”
Brian cut his teeth coaching Little League in his hometown of Waterford when he was in he high school. Inspired by local coaching legend John Susi—who led his first team to an undefeated season and championship at the age of 18—Brian decided to try and do the same when he was that age. As a bonus, he completed a community service requirement for his high school graduation.
“That’s when I realized I loved coaching,” says Brian. “Little League is the best brand of baseball. I got to see a lot of kids come through Waterford baseball and go on to be really successful.”
Brian took time off from coaching when he attended Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, where he played for its golf team for two seasons. After that, he studied physical education at Eastern Connecticut State University, while holding down a full-time job. Brian’s degree was especially meaningful to him since it was his mother’s dream for him to become a physical education teacher.
“It makes me feel good that even though my mom didn’t get to do it, I know she’s proud that her son did,” he says.
After Brian finished school, his friend Gary Ballestrini asked him to join the coaching staff of the American Legion baseball program in Norwich. In turn, Brian convinced Ballestrini to apply for the job as head coach of Valley baseball in 2012. When Ballestrini got the position, he asked Brian to come aboard. Now Ballestrini has moved on, and Gary Marineau is in his third season as Valley’s head coach. Marineau felt that Brian would be valuable asset, and so he wanted him to stay with the Warriors.
“I talked to some of the kids, and they said they really liked him. Then I met him and talked to him, and I really liked him, too,” says Marineau. “He loves the game, and he’s always trying to learn new techniques and drills. He’s going to make a great head coach someday.”
Brian joins Marineau on the bench when the varsity team plays at home. Brian’s role is a bit different at the varsity games than when he’s coaching the JV contests.
“I try to kind of talk kids up,” says Brian. “Keep their heads in the game and not let them get too high or too low. That’s my baseball philosophy.”
Those are the moments when Brian sees new varsity athletes start to succeed, and that makes coaching such a rewarding experience for him.
“I’m definitely pulling for those guys. I’m pulling for this whole program, but it really tugs at my heartstrings when you see a guy like [recent sophomore call-up Garrhett Watrous] go up there and go 3-for-3,” Brian says. “I remember when he didn’t get the call at the beginning of the season. I was talking to him and said, ‘Hey, it’s not over. You keep working and, if you hit, you’ll get the call.’”
There are several factors that have to fall into place for one to succeed at the varsity level. An athlete’s ability to hit the ball a long way or throw it past batters are a huge help, but playing smart also plays a huge role in winning ballgames. Knowing this, Brian tries to get his players to grasp the strategy of baseball better.
“I try to get kids thinking baseball and knowing the different situations of the game,” says Brian. “Don’t make the first or last out at third. Don’t throw home if you’re trying protect a lead and the tying run may be coming to second. I try to get them to answer questions like ‘Why do we bunt with a guy on first and second with nobody out?’”
Sometimes Brian gets to see his kids thrive on the diamond and other times he’s trying to help someone stick around when there’s log jam at a position. Any way you slice it, Brian embraces both sides of his job as a baseball coach at Valley Regional and loves every second of it.
“The not-so-glamorous part of my job is trying to help kids learn when it’s time to try to change a position or learn a new position when three other kids are ahead in the depth chart,” Brian says. “Like any job in life, if you’re not so specialized, and you do more than one thing well, then you are more valuable.”