Growing Charleston organization marks 10 years of baseball

Charleston Fighting Squirrels coach Michael Minner recalled his team's first trip to a regional after their first of six state championships as one of the program's greatest memories before rattling off several other major moments in the organization's 10-year history -- the first trip to the Senior Babe Ruth World Series and hosting their first regional game to name a few.

The Fighting Squirrels, who took that name in 2005, now have set their sights higher in some aspects, but the general purpose of the team remains the same for Minner, who is also the Charleston High School baseball coach.

"Our ultimate goal now is to win the World Series," Minner said. "We've been there, we've tasted it, and now we go to the good tournaments and we've taken some strides and put ourselves in positions to be one of the better programs around.

"We're always trying to get kids an opportunity to play college baseball and further their education and get to stick around the baseball game as long as they can and hopefully some of these kids will get an opportunity to coach at maybe their local high school, maybe here. ... In the end it won't be about wins and losses, it'll be about the memories."

In addition to the Fighting Squirrels 19 and under team, the organization has grown over the years and includes 16 and under, 15 and under, 12 and under and 8 and under machine-pitch teams, and a 19 and over team -- the Charleston Riverdogs, who split a doubleheader against the Squirrels on Monday night at Hillhouse Park. The Squirrels lost the opener 20-3 before winning the second game 4-3 in eight innings.

Riverdogs baserunner Blake Gaddis rounds third on his way to score against the Fighting Squirrels during the first game of Monday’s doubleheader in Charleston, Mo. The Riverdogs won the first game 20-3, but the Fighting Squirrels won the nightcap 4-3. (Fred Lynch)

Minner wants to give his players what he had growing up -- the opportunity to play for a coach that genuinely loves the game of baseball.

There's no doubt his players believe that's what they're getting as a member of the Squirrels.

"He's just one of those coaches that knows the game," Chaffee graduate and Fighting Squirrel Cody Payne said. "I mean, he's going to put you in a situation where if you follow through with it, you're going to win the ballgame. He always puts together a good team. He's just one of those coaches that you just really enjoy playing for and you don't show up to the ballpark like, 'Oh, man, I've got to play for this guy again.' He's going to sit around here and have fun with you before the game, but whenever he gets serious, it's time to get serious about it."

Scott City graduate Ryan Fortner said Minner demands his player's respect, and that he and his teammates have no problem giving that to their coach because he shows a similar respect for them.

"Like he doesn't ask for it because he doesn't have to. We just respect him," Fortner said. "He'll stand up for his players all the time. It doesn't matter the situation -- he'll stand up for you. You want to play for that guy. You don't want to play for some scrub who's not going to stand up for you."

Fighting Squirrels starter Bruce Simmons pitches to a Riverdogs batter during the first game of Monday’s doubleheader in Charleston, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

Minner -- a 1998 graduate of Central -- considers himself lucky to have played for coaches like Steve Williams, Chris Stanfield and Bob Coons at Central, and his dad, Robin Minner, who he called "the greatest Little League coach of all time," and tries to pass on what he learned from them to his players.

His dad is the person who has put baseball into perspective for him, and helped him understand that a team's record isn't the most important thing.

"The wins and losses are always going to come, but it's always about competing at the end of the year and having your team be the most focused that they can be when it comes [time] to be focused. You're going to take losses along the way," Minner said. "Ultimately, you know, that's taught me a lot about life because it's not about the start, it's always about how you finish. We try to get these guys to do the right thing and keep the big picture in mind, trying to do things that would represent ourselves with the utmost class, and God's looked down on us and put me in a great position to be around great people."

It's been 10 years since the start of the Squirrels, who had a record of 8-25 that first season and have only ascended.

"I hope that this just continues to become something special," Minner said. "I hope it's as special to other people as it is to me. We want every kid that gets an opportunity to play in this program to go play college baseball. We want every kid that plays in this program to want to come back and be a part of alumni games and be a part of going to watch the Squirrels play.

"Ultimately we try to get better each year and try to serve kids in the area, our local kids, and we're trying to get young kids to want to be a part of the greatest game that was ever created. It's an ongoing process. I hope that whenever I can't walk and I'm sitting in the stands watching, I hope that somebody has taken this over and has the passion that I have for being around kids and being around the game and wanting to just continue something great. I hope this is something that lasts an eternity."