The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) annually bestows its Ethics in Coaching Award to two exemplary baseball coaches across the country who embody outstanding moral character. Named in honor of Dave Keilitz, the legendary student athlete-turned-trainer and inductee into the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame, a coach’s “highest calling” according to the ABCA is to instill honesty, integrity and respect in players.
Although it’s tempting to sacrifice personal ethics for a solid record, boys’ varsity baseball coach Dan Griesbaum takes immense pride in that he has never strayed from a strict moral code, all while maintaining an above-average roster with upwards of 20 members.
“Simply following what my faith teaches me to do in terms of how to treat others and how to conduct myself gave me such a solid coaching foundation,” Griesbaum said. “I try to put the needs of others ahead of my own and treat others the way I would like to be treated.”
Nailing the mental aspect is just as important, if not more than physical fitness in baseball, Griesbaum explained. A player can be an excellent pitcher or batter, but if he lacks confidence, he is not very effective. That is why molding character is fundamental to success.
“As a coach, you need to spend enough time developing confidence and mental toughness in your players,” Griesbaum said. “I’ve had better teams talent wise that didn’t accomplish as much because they lacked the mental toughness to succeed at a high level.”
In a closed enrollment district, Griesbaum considers two state championships, one runner-up finish and eight final four appearances combined the mother of all accomplishments. The team has held strong against private schools where top athletes from all over Michigan cluster to form elite sports programs.
“Perhaps the most important thing I try to get across with my players is that they need to put the welfare of the team ahead of any individual goals,” Griesbaum said. “Selfish teams never accomplish much because they are only concerned with individual goals and it creates problems with your team culture. I want everyone to come to work every day with the objective of making the team better.”
Griesbaum credits his faith for helping him make appropriate and impartial decisions. He would like to emphasize that the honor does not belong to him, but rather to all those who have been along for the ride collectively.
“I owe the award to the South baseball community for their support, our administration at South for their unwavering trust, my great assistant coaches over the years, my family—especially my wife, Paulette—our parents and mostly the hundreds of players I’ve coached in 42 years,” Griesbaum said. “They make it easy to do the right thing.”
