Tomcat720

I was very disappointed to hear of Ashland administration's choice to lead our baseball team. As well documented on other threads, I am a supporter of Coach Walter and what I believe he can do for our boys. I truly hope these boys have a good experience playing for a former major leaguer. However, I am concerned that my previously stated concerns with Coach Lemaster may be well founded based on on recent posts. The fact that this coaching team shopped themselves around for over a year with no takers (especially in their own backyard) is a huge red flag. And it seems that 1967 rs/ss poster knows much more than we do about the situation. I wish he was able to relay that information so we as parents could have the full story about the men that will be interacting with our kids. It is a shame that administration has burned their bridge with a loyal, dedicated Tomcat that would have taken our young team great places.

Whilee you're on here insulting a coach you don't know regarding a situation that will not affect you or your kids in the least, some of us care who is going to be coaching our kids. My agenda is that these kids get the coach they deserve. Now your patient in room 2 needs a filling so get back to work.

Class act.

The players can tell you who made the difference. Ask any of them and they will tell you Coach Walter was the difference in winning those games. He has the ability to inspire players to work at unexpected levels of play to maximize and surpass talent levels.

Wonder why Prestonsburg didn't jump on the Lemaster/Ratliff duo since they are from that area? Seems like a red flag...

Playing well enough to be in the major leagues does not always translate to coaching well. I think administration at Ashland would be fools to jump on a Father in law/Son in law combo shopping themselves around to everyone. If that coaching team is quality, then schools would be seeking them out. (Rumor is that Boyd County already passed on their sales pitch). From what I understand Lemaster did not do a very good job as Pikeville College's baseball coach where he had the ability to recruit. How will he do trying to coach and inspire a team of young players? I still think Walter is the best man for the job. Administration is making a huge mistake if this info about Lemaster is true.

So we agree....the best candidate should get the job. Not based on history with the program or years spent coaching within the system, but based on ability to inspire kids to perform beyond what is expected, based on a willingness to go above and beyond to help players improve (and not with paid private lessons either), based on a dedication to the program that can't be matched. We agree the best candidate should get the job. The best candidate by far is Dwight Walter.

My opinion is not speculation. It is a conclusion based on my personal experience and direct observation. Based on the respect and love the players have for Coach Walter. Based on the intensity, patience, and insight I have personally witnessed in his coaching of our players. And maybe I hit the nail on the head with my "agenda" comment. It certainly seems to have hit a sensitive spot with you. At the end of the day, I hope administration makes the right choice and Coach Walter is named head coach of the Ashland Tomcat Baseball program. Enough said.

At least my "agenda" is that the team has the best coach possible. My opinions and choices are not fueled by a selfish agenda of getting "my pick" in there so I have a position as an assistant coach or anything of that nature.

Very fair statement. Loyalty and history are not the only things I consider when I say Coach Walter is the best man for the job. I am also factoring in his relationship with the players, his ability to communicate with and inspire players, his baseball knowledge, and his overall coaching abilities. I would never be one to say the hometown guy should get the job just because he's hometown and has history with the program. Dwight Walter should get the job because he deserves it and is simply the best man for the job. Ashland doesn't need to go looking elsewhere for their baseball coach. The best candidate happens to be right here and will do a great job building a young team to greatness.

As a parent and with a vested interest in who gets this job, my only "agenda" is to have the best man coaching my child. I don't consider that "weak" at all.

Dwight Walter absolutely deserves his chance to take Ashland baseball into the future. He is a loyal and dedicated Tomcat, always has been and always will be. He has 14 years of varsity baseball coaching and would definitely lead the team in new directions. As the parent of a player, I know that these young men love and respect Coach Walter and would follow his direction without hesitation. He is the parents choice, the players choice, and should be administration's obvious choice too. It would be a great injustice to the program, to the players, and to Coach Walter to overlook the best candidate in favor of an outsider that has no tradition here at Ashland or loyalty to our kids. Coach Walter would walk through fire for our kids and without a doubt is the best "fit" for the job. Those of you on this site or out in the public that have stated otherwise either have your own agenda to push or haven't had the experience of having Coach Walter interact with your kids.

Wilcox and his staff gave Ashland year after year of success. Dwight Walter absolutely deserves his chance to take Ashland baseball into the future. He is a loyal and dedicated Tomcat, always has been and always will be. He has 14 years of varsity baseball coaching and would definitely lead the team in new directions. As the parent of a player, I know that these young men love and respect Coach Walter and would follow his direction without hesitation. He is the parents choice, the players choice, and should be administration's obvious choice too.