Coach Rod Baker Inducted into MHSFCA Hall of Fame

April 1, 2009

On Saturday, March 28, 2009, Rod Baker, NATS Michigan State Director and Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Coordinator for Riverview High School, was, along with thirteen of his colleagues, inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

In recognition of this tremendous honor, NATS took a moment to speak with Coach Baker and talk with him about his feelings on being named to the MHSFCA Hall of Fame, his take on the current state of high school football recruitment, and his opinion on the role that NATS plays in the lives of student-athletes within the broader scope of the recruiting process.

NATS: Coach Baker, describe your feelings heading into the next few weeks, knowing that you'll be entering the Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame?

Baker: Very excited, a little nervous.

NATS: What was the reaction of your family to the news that you'd be entering the MHSFCA Hall of Fame?

Baker: They were really pumped up! Very happy for me and eager to be involved.

NATS: Is there a current member of the Hall of Fame that you consider an inspiration? If so, who and why?

Baker: I coached for four men who are in the Hall of Fame: Mike Pascuzzi at Wyandotte, Jack Castignola at Trenton, Jim Buttson at Woodhaven and Jeff Stergalas at Fordson and now at Riverview. All four have been instrumental in my coaching and teaching careers.

NATS: How -- if at all -- do you think your life may change as a result of receiving the honor of entering the Hall of Fame?

Baker: I do get to wear a fantastic ring that was purchased for me! Really, now my name will always have that MHSFCA HOF in front of it; it means I belong to a pretty select group that I am proud to be a part of.

NATS: What would you like those who've played under you to remember most about you as a coach?

Baker: The fact that I have always been a teacher and tried to teach young men life lessons past just football. I really tried to make them fine young men and teach them to do things the right way.

NATS: What are some of the most memorable moments you've had so far in your coaching career?

Baker: Taking over in my alma mater, Wyandotte, and becoming the coach with the most wins and most years as a head coach in school history. [Also, there is taking] the 2001 team to the semifinals, the farthest a Wyandotte team has ever gotten in any sport.

NATS: What are some of the achievements/difficulties you've faced since becoming a high school football coach?

Baker: Dealing with parents and changing athletic directors has always been a problem. Parents always think their son is the best player on the field. Obviously, that is not always true.

NATS: What defines a "good" football player in your mind? Is it athletic ability? Determination? Intelligence?

Baker: A combination of all the above – but to tell you the truth, I have never had a really top notch player who wasn't intelligent. Most of the time, a combination of all the above is necessary.

NATS: Have you seen a difference in the type of player you originally coached at the start of your career versus those you currently come into contact with? If so, how are they different?

Baker: Everybody questions the coach these days. People watch on TV and listen to announcers and think they know everything about the game. It seems like there is a lack of respect for coaches at times.

NATS: In your opinion, what role does a head coach play in the recruitment of his players coming out of high school? How involved / not involved do you find most coaches are?

Baker: I had real success getting kids in college for one reason: I worked at it. I felt that if I could make a tape for a kid or talk to as many coaches as I could, [if] I could convince a coach to take a chance on a player, then I would do it. I started combines in my area for just that reason and was prepared for the coaches who came in. I did not send an assistant; I did it myself.

NATS: What role do you believe combines play in the recruitment process?

Baker: They are huge. It gives the college coach a chance to get results that he can compare to other players he may see at the same position. You can't beat film, but the combines are right there with film in importance.

NATS: What trends do you find most positive as it relates to the current recruitment of high school football players by college programs? At the same time, are there any negative elements in the recruiting process you'd like to see changed?

Baker: I would really like to see an early signing date so there would not be as much backhanded recruiting after a young man commits. Then schools would just go on to other players quicker and the whole process would be easier and [far] more simple for the players, families and the coaches.

NATS: What are some of the biggest mistakes you think student-athletes seeking to play football at the college level make in the process of their recruitment?

Baker: Players are getting smarter when it comes to playing time and are choosing schools [at which] to play sooner. Combines help colleges make decisions on young men; not going to a combine or a one-day camp are [both] huge mistakes [made] by players trying to get noticed.

NATS: How long have you been involved with NATS, and what was the most important reason why you elected to align yourself with the organization?

Baker: I started with NATS in 2005. I was the head of the MHSFCA Combine Committee and we were looking at putting on combines that would be [beneficial] for [both] athletes and coaches. We felt there were combines out there that were taking advantage of students . . . . NATS offered a great program that could get quality test results to a large number of colleges with us doing the testing.

NATS: What do you believe NATS provides student-athletes like your own which other groups like NATS do not?

Baker: Quality test results, [a] large number of colleges [which look] at each student/athlete, [and] all the perks of the player locker for the athlete. Nobody else comes close.

NATS: What plateaus / pitfalls do you believe lie ahead for the sport of high school football?

Baker: With the economy the way it is, more schools are going to pay-for-play and some schools are going to drop sports [altogether in order] to cut costs. This could be devastating to some school districts.