Even after a 14-year collegiate coaching career and while going into his 12th year as a Major League Baseball scout, Tom Myers continues to expand baseball on the Central Coast.
Myers, the current area scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers covering Central Los Angeles and Las Vegas, began his work on the Central Coast 12 years ago when he created the Santa Barbara Grizzlies Baseball Group.
For those years, Myers and the Grizzlies have led a summer baseball program where high school, community college and four-year college athletes can find repetitions, hone their skills and ultimately increase their chances of advancing to the next level.
“My vision has taken flight and now we have a system in place locally to grow the game year-round and provide opportunities for local players to receive professional coaching while pursuing their dreams to play high school, college and professional baseball,” Myers said.
The Coastal Dodgers is the organization’s collegiate team and, according to Myers, is made up of “some of the best high school, junior college and four-year players from the Central Coast.”
Some of these players played their high school years in the Santa Barbara area, including Owen Estabrook, Joaquin Sandoval, Emmet Speake, Isaac Veal, Erich Goebel, Miles Souza and Cal Wipf.
The Dodgers squad also features current players at Cuesta CC, Allan Hancock CC, Santa Barbara CC, Westmont College and a number of other four-year schools.
Coaching the Dodgers are former SBCC pitching coach Chris Joyce and former Ventura College assistant coach Steven Hardesty.
“We have been very fortunate to have passionate coaches in our program that are great teachers of the game,” Myers said. “Our players are in great hands with our staff.”
The Dodgers have begun their summer schedule against California Collegiate League teams, including the Santa Barbara Foresters, the SLO Blues and the Conejo Oaks.
The Foresters and the Dodgers will face off in a battle of local teams on Wednesday, July 26 at 6 p.m. at Pershing Park.
Meanwhile, the Golden Coast High School Wood Bat League is in its third summer season on the Central Coast, with high school players from Dos Pueblos, Santa Barbara, Bishop Diego, Dunn, Santa Ynez, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Righetti and Morro Bay will play for any of the eight teams in the league.
“Both leagues have been set in motion with the goal for players to improve their fundamental skills and baseball IQ,” Myers said.
Along with these leagues, the Grizzlies will continue the 14U development program during the summer months, including small group practices and individual lessons from the program’s local coaches.
The 14U program plays its competitive games during the fall and spring months, and the Grizzlies will begin to grow into the 12U baseball development arena starting in the fall of this year.
“It is a great time of growth and success for many of these players on the Central Coast,” Myers said. “I feel baseball is thriving because of the parents, coaches and players’ commitment to making the game great.”
For more about joining the Santa Barbara Grizzlies, visit www.sbgrizzliesbaseball.com. All rosters and schedules can be found at www.goldencoastcollegiatebaseballleague.com.
