Jun 7, 2011

Volunteer coach

Ron and Dar Houle, our husband-wife Computer Information Technologgy instructional team at Central Lakes College, are on the go during the summer months as volunteer coach and scorebook-keeper/driver respectively. They're involved with youth baseball in a big way as they accompany a traveling Brainerd 13-under team on trips to games vs. opponents around the state, including Big Lake, Rogers, Zimmerman, and Cloquet. Some days the travel is a bit less, such as when they are hosting doubleheaders at Findorff Field on the CLC campus. Ron starts his players out in February with a fitness training schedule in area gyms and other functions to build the skills needed for a foundation to enjoy baseball for a lifetime. Their 15-year-old son helps coach his younger brother's team, and otherwise the Houles can expect their family to be at a ball field nearly every day of the week, watching big brother play as well. Sometimes they take their squad to the lake for some fun baseball-like competition that involves "swimming the bases" after hitting the whiffle ball with a modified flotation noodle -- all with the purpose of providing youngsters with positive interaction and a healthy way to enjoy summer.