Feb. 12, 2015
By Mike Esse, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Leadership is key to any business, team, organization or program. Especially when a new direction is introduced. While Penn State head baseball coach Rob Cooper is in his second year as the Nittany Lions' skipper, he and his staff haven't been able to put their imprint on the baseball program by themselves.
In year one, they had leaders like Zach Ell, Alex Farkes and Steve Snyder to head the locker room and the diamond. Now, in year two, those three are gone and new leaders have come out of all directions for Cooper, much to his delight.
"Both Taylor Skerpon and Jack Anderson do a great job both from a position player and a pitching standpoint," Cooper said. "Christian Helsel has been a new addition that has done a good job just by how he goes about his business. James Coates obviously has done a good job. Nick Hedge has done a good job."
Not only is it important to have visible leaders for the freshman to recognize as approachable sources of knowledge, but also the whole team has welcomed their new teammates right away.
"The thing I have been happy about is the way that everybody's kind of accepted the new guys, too," Cooper said. "And you see some new guys that are kind of evolving into leadership roles from a standpoint of this is the way we do it and this is what's expected."
Cooper's freshman class is his first full recruiting class since arriving in Happy Valley. It features seven true freshmen, with five being from the state of Pennsylvania. Pair them with two redshirt freshman and Helsel, an Ole Miss transfer, nine players on the roster have yet to play see a game as a Nittany Lion.
To Cooper though, being newcomers shouldn't matter, as everyone on the roster should have the mindset of winning the job at their respective position.
"My big thing is I want them to put themselves in the best possible position to be successful," Cooper said of his freshman. "One of the things we try to tell them is to not make the mistake of just trying to fit in or trying to make the team. You need to come in and have the mindset that you are going to win a job, and that you can help.
My expectation is for them to not let age or their class determine whether or not they have a significant role on the team. It should be their efforts and their abilities."
Penn State is perhaps at its youngest with the pitching staff. Geoff Boylston and Nick Hedge are the lone lefties to return to the staff that had appearances in 2014. The righties do feature a little more experience, especially out of the bullpen with Anderson, Ryan Harper and Dakota Forsyth.
Freshman Mark Boricich, Taylor Lehman, Reid Frazier, Nick Distasio, Austin McMonagle and Sal Biasi are new pieces to the puzzle for Cooper and his staff.
Anderson, a junior reliever, said he has liked what he's seen from the new Nittany Lion arms.
"We've had a few people step up into leadership roles, and I think it has been important with a younger staff," Anderson said. "It's been exciting to see them grow, and learn as we go, as well. Helping them through that process has been exciting."
His help and guidance hasn't gone unnoticed from his head coach.
"Jack has done a phenomenal job educating these guys on how we do things," Cooper said. "Even though these guys are upperclassmen, last year they were freshmen in regards to they did not know what to expect from myself and our coaching staff. This year, they are able to explain to the new guys `this is how we do things,' so they've done a great job."
Penn State's first test is the season opener on Friday against Elon at 4 p.m.