We're hoping to build a program so we can compete with some of the stronger teams. Ironically, it was Doane's retirement as Post 21 coach that changed the balance of power in our state. Chase is sensitive to the split we've seen with respect to Legion and Senior Babe Ruth baseball. He doesn't want to create a competitive atmosphere in the local paper, but the plain truth is that one does exist. Both teams draw from the same area and same age pool.
Legion does have some of the stronger competition.
I hope the kids see that and want to get involved with that sort of program. You have to have some success in order to draw kids. Doane retired as Big Blue coach after last summer, handing the controls over to his assistant, Sean Wheeler. It remains to be seen if Wheeler has the same influence over local ballplayers that Doane had. The hunch here is that it's doubtful, since Doane had so much on his resume for so long.