Apr 25, 2012 10:55 AM
In the nine years I have been working at The Southampton Press, I’ve dealt with a lot of coaches, and seen a lot come and go.
But Pete Meehan has always been one of my favorites.
Meehan has been a fixture in the East End coaching community for two decades—he’s currently in his 20th season at the helm of the Hampton Bays varsity baseball program and just wrapped up his 17th season as the boys varsity basketball coach at the school.
Covering Meehan’s teams has always been a pleasure—he’s had good teams, average teams and mediocre teams, he’s had big wins and blowout losses, but regardless of his team’s talent or record, he’s always been gracious, forthcoming with information and easy to talk to. In addition to talking X’s and O’s, we’ve also... more
But Pete Meehan has always been one of my favorites.
Meehan has been a fixture in the East End coaching community for two decades—he’s currently in his 20th season at the helm of the Hampton Bays varsity baseball program and just wrapped up his 17th season as the boys varsity basketball coach at the school.
Covering Meehan’s teams has always been a pleasure—he’s had good teams, average teams and mediocre teams, he’s had big wins and blowout losses, but regardless of his team’s talent or record, he’s always been gracious, forthcoming with information and easy to talk to. In addition to talking X’s and O’s, we’ve also... more
During my seven years at the Press, I had my fair share of parents complaining about coaches and coverage and what’s fair and what’s not. I don’t know who the parents are who wrote the letters that prompted this article nor do I know their child’s status on the team, however, I do know that generally, those who complain have personal axes to grind and it’s not an accurate representation of what’s really going on.
Keep up the good work, Pete.
More than likely, they don't have the same abilities. The younger player is probably a better all around TEAM player. No one is exactly the same on the baseball field and Coach Meehan is an expert at reading the ability levels of his TEAM more so than anyone else that is involved with the program. The younger players are ...more more than likely playing because they may be hungrier, have more passion, put more time in before/after school, practice harder, and don't disrespect anyone on the team or the coach. Annnd, the younger player is probably better. I am assuming, knowing how Coach Meehan coaches and lives his life, that he is playing the best overall person to fill the role of the TEAM. He is a great coach.
It's true that our new generation has been brainwashed by travel leagues, and parents who grew up stars and want to see them be stars too. That's all great if you're that good but you must also be a LEADER. I've seen it before in other districts, parents who instill a false sense of entitlement to kids making them believe they are better than everybody else and can behave however they want, or if it comes their time to sit or help out, they're too good for that. It's a coaches responsibility to try to mold that negative personal outlook into a positive team outlook for the future of that player...it's that type of teaching that's refered to here as 'yelling' and 'insults', which is unfortunate. To an observer on the sideline any reaction can appear negative if you don't have the background...like a comment to an opposing coach where he's defending his players because the opposing coach was allowing his team to yell innapropriate comments towards HB which could be heard to the stands. And for the insulting remarks - that's absurd - he yells less than any coach I've watched. He tells the kids what they're doing wrong to fix it, followed by 'that a boys' when a player does there job.
These accusations are a single personal attempt to undermine the 20 year career of a man of lives and breaths baseball so our kids have a chance to play for free all year round.
Coach Meehan is a passionate man and he displays that everyday whether in practice or during games. He is an excellent teacher of the game and he always taught his players to think. People should be sending letters to the editor ...more about how great of a guy he is and how much time and effort he puts in to make the HB baseball program, and more importantly the student athletes, succeed.