The first nickname I can remember being handed was by one of my grandmothers. Before I could even play baseball, she called me Dugout Doug. I’m not sure if she could see the future, or if she sealed my fate, but that moniker fit right into my life. It feels like the one constant theme for me has been baseball.
My young baseball life was spent in the vicinity of a baseball complex. From summer travel ball to high school, my life revolved around the next baseball game and checking weather reports to make sure there wasn't rain in the forecast.
Health issues forced an early retirement from my playing days. I quickly found my way back into the dugout and started coaching youth baseball when I was just 19. While I was teaching school, I coached high school baseball. Once my son expressed interest in playing, I shifted to coaching some of his youth teams.
After serving as the pitching coach for Dolores High School in 2004, I received the San Juan Basin League Coach of the Year for Baseball. The pitching staff led the Bears deep Into the playoffs and was topped off with a win over perennial powerhouse Paonia.
When my son decided he liked hitting, I was stumped. All of my previous expertise was coaching pitching. I set out on a quest to figure out how to teach hitting, and the answer came through Mike and Jake Epstein. Epstein Hitting is one of the biggest names in hitting instruction. In 2015, I attended my first Epstein Instructor Certification training and came away with the skills to develop hitters. I have attended the training several times since then and continue to work closely with Jake.
For several years, I have worked closely with Seattle Mariners infield coach, Perry Hill. Perry is widely considered the top infield coach in all of Major League Baseball. One of the best teachers I have ever observed on a ball field, Perry has given me the skills to teach infield. I have also been able to apply those teaching skills when working with hitters and training umpires.
One of the best developments in my baseball life was deciding to start umpiring. While being a lightning rod for parents and coaches is a challenge, the new perspective for participating in the game has added an appreciation for coaches that treat their players and the game with the respect they deserve. Time and time again, I am shown that the best coaches truly develop everyone on their team and don't just chase wins with superstar players.
Things at The Hut have gotten very busy. With varying schedules and needs, it is hard to build a consistent schedule for offering lessons. So as of November 2022, I am no longer offering private lessons.
If things smooth out, I will consider building a schedule once again. In the meantime, I’m happy to answer questions and share tips to help your players find success on the diamond.
Kind regards,
Doug
