Wednesday March 27th, 2024
TEXT_SIZE

An interview with Team Combat/Laser Vision/D2E/Supreme manager/sponsor Don Cooper

 Do n Cooper

ASA Managing/Playing History

USSSA Managing/Playing History

Why do you like the game of softball?  That's a tough question for me now.
10 years ago I would have said it is where I went to get away from the stress of Life and work.  But I got the great idea to combine my passion and work.  I thought that would be the greatest thing ever and some days it is and some days it's not.  I one thing is I can't go hide out at a softball tournament to get away from work anymore.

Who is the best softball player you have ever seen?
Tough question — I would have to answer with more than one.
Best pure hitter — Johnny McCraw — Most passionate about the game —
Jason Kendrick — Biggest impact player — Andy Purcell
Biggest desire to win – Don Dedonatis jr. — Best Teammate– Shane
McCullough/Rick Baker — Guy that can't live without it — Rusty Bumgardner
Hardest noised player – Robert Sena— Most respect for the game — Scott
Brown/ Hank Garris — Scariest person to pitch to — Howie Krause– Brett Helmer
Hardest working player- Dal Beggs -Most reliable – Jeff McGavin

Player I have the most respect for — Billy (softball man) Messina.

Where do you call home?
Kent, WA.

What do you do for a living?
Senior VP of Combat Sports


How did you get your start in softball and how did you get to the upper level?
I started as a pitcher and pretty much stayed that way.   I started on a E team in 1989.  We moved to "c" by the yearend.   Went to my first major tournament the next year and as soon as I saw that I knew that's where I wanted to be.   We started moving up through the next few years.   I eventually figured out I had to cut myself and get better players.

Who are you managing/sponsoring in 2011?
Team Combat/Laser Vision/Down2Earth/Supreme Auto

What does your roster and schedule look like?
Staff
Don Cooper
Pierre Alfred
Dan Fruwirth
Bill Tassanari

Players
John McCraw
Rick Baker
Brett Helmer
Scott Brown
Jason Kendrick
Robert Blackburn
Dal Beggs
Brian Wegman
Seth Stephens
Jeff Mcgavin
Dennis Rulli
Billy Messina
Rusty Bumgardner

Tentative Schedule
Las Vegas
Kissimmee double
Phoenix
Nashville
Joliet
Dudley
Kent double
Smoky
Cinncinnati
Last chance
Conf. Finals
Disney


What is your teams goal for 2011?
Have Fun!
Avoid Jail!!!!!
Be playing on Sunday at the major world series— The old saying a chip and a chair — The same goes for Disney if your there on Sunday you have a Chance.

Where do you look for talent?
Anywhere — There is a ton of really good young players coming up. T  he biggest thing is finding guys that can or will travel.   It sounds great until
you are on your forth redeye in 6 weeks, land at 6am and head straight to work on Monday.

Players I see coming on strong

Chente Granados
Joey Formosa
Jimmy Salas
Travis Clark
Scott Zaclewski
Seth Stephens
Adam Rockoff
Chad Mclamb
Anthony Dress
Franck Henrey
Casey Rogowski
Lee Powers
Sal Formosa
Just a short list of the top —- they are the future

What is more important, talent or attitude?
Combination of both — But without attitude and the desire to win talent is worthless.
Look at Don Dedonatis Jr he is the perfect combination of both.   Great talent but his desire to win separates him from the others.    You will find that same combination in Jason Kendrick, Andy Purcell, Rusty Bumgardner, Scott Brown, Dal Beggs, Dennis Rulli, and others.

How do you evaluate players?
You have to see them play more than once or twice — you also have to see them face Andy Purcell or Billy Messina when the chips are on the line.   Everyone hits in league but do you hit at the Dudley with everyone watching Wallace telling you everyone is watching and Andy is throwing Knuckle balls
or Softball man is on the mound and Brownie is reminding you about your shoes and grip.    People laugh when you say that, and say it is coming underhand who cares anyone can hit it.   I have heard many times about the next Brett Helmer or Mike Macenko we all rush out to see him and three weeks later he is gone.   There is a reason why the top players have stuck around so long.

What is your favorite sports team?
Cincinnati Reds
Seattle Mariners
Hendricks Motor Sports
University of Washington

What is your favorite sport other than softball?
Nascar

Do you have any superstitions and if so, what are they?
Everything I think Karma controls all. It always seems to get even with you.

What is your most memorable softball moment?
2002 and 2003 my women's team won back to back titles. They worked so hard and really played for all the right reasons.   Many are still playing and have
won many more titles.   They still play for the game it's not a job to them.   They raise money, work hard and love the game.

Is slowpitch softball a sport or a game?
It's both — It's the company picnic game or family reunion game or it's a sport– Major world series at Disney or the Border Battle those player are
playing a sport.

What is the best improvement upper level softball could make to bring in more sponsors?
More national sponsorship deals– Hotel chains offering deepest discounts – National Airline Deal – National Rental car deal.
All easier written than done, it's a cost issue more than anything today's economy has effected all sponsorship deals not just at the upper but many
local teams have lost sponsors, it's something that has hit everyone in softball.

What is your favorite non-World tournament?
Seattle Major- The Combat Double

What can be done to improve the Conference Championships?
Not sure — Teams and sponsors sharing their ideas with USSSA.   Senior has changed the format every year based on feedback from the teams trying to get
the right mix.   This year they looked at making B worlds the same weekend as the Conference finals to help with cost and eliminate a trip, but teams
wanted them kept separate.

Look at professional sports and even the NCAA. March Madness is probably the most popular sporting event in the US and this year the tweaked the brackets
trying to get it right.   NASCAR changed the whole points systems 6 years ago and just did again this year.   I don't think you can get something like this
perfect in the first few years and as the two above have done be willing to adapt 20 or 40 years into a program.

Is the game better or worse with homerun limits and why?
Better —  MORE TEAMS HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN —

Who was the best team in softball history?
  I worked with Mike Macenko for a few years and we had this conversation many times.   It's hard to compare the homerun limit era to the open homerun
period.  Not that the open homerun era did not have great athletes and great all around hitters because it did, but the game is just so different.   Many
players have played great in both Hank Garris, Jeff Wallace, Howie Krause, Rusty Bumgardner, Jason Kendrick etc..

The best limited homerun team — 2007 Resmondo
The Best Open homerun team — Ask Mike Macenko way more qualified them I to answer such a question.

What is the biggest bar tab you have ever picked up?
$3,800 —- JUST STUPID

How much money have you spent on bail on teammates?
Somewhere around 15k  — still some tied up in bonds.

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen on a softball field?

Two things both including Jerry Angel

1. Jerry decided to get thrown out of a game in Florida at the Hall of Fame classic.    After he got tossed he grabbed the garbage to toss it like Bobby
Knight – Problem was the can had a three foot chain on it chaining it to the dugout post.   Jerry grabbed the can and tried to toss it, the can stopped and
Jerry kept going he landed facedown.

2. Jerry decided that he had heard enough from Chaney — Chaney walked by and said something so we all started asking Jerry are you going to take
that… as we laughed.   Jerry snapped and ran out to the first base box and started kicking dirt on Chaney— Chaney said you better stop or I will
unleash on you… So picture a couple of 50 something guy's both with the body types of Gumby talking trash— Jerry kicked more dirt — and slap fest
2008 broke out — it truly looked like you put two 4 year old girls in a circle and said fight for the last Barbie.   Neither team knew what to do—
we all just laughed — I think they both at one point closed their eyes and slapped away. 


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.