Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby Bagboy » Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:20 am

Fargo Post 2 hires Rustad to replace Fiechtner

By: Eric Peterson, INFORUM

Luke Rustad has been named the new head coach for the Fargo Post 2 American Legion baseball team.

Rustad takes over for Jeff Fiechtner, who coached Post 2 for the previous three seasons.

“I’m excited. It’s a job that I have applied for before and one that I have aspired to have,” Rustad said. “(Fiechtner) not being there is going to be a change, but I’m still excited to take this opportunity.”

The news release that announced Rustad as Post 2 head coach didn’t specify if Fiechtner chose to leave his spot as head coach.

Phone messages left with Fiechtner and Jim Pettersen, the director of baseball operations for Fargo American Legion baseball, were not returned.

Rustad, 34, was head coach of the Fargo Bombers, Post 2’s junior Legion team, from 2004-07. He returned to that post in 2009.

Rustad led the Bombers to a North Dakota state championship last summer and had a 285-111 overall record. The Bombers also finished second at Mid-States Junior Legion tournament in August.

“There will be things that I will do differently,” said Rustad. “I thought (Fiechtner) had the program going in the right direction. I hope I can continue upon the things that he started.”


Thoughts???
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby anyballgame45 » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:37 pm

The coach may be gone but the problems within the program remain. If you want to know what to expect in 2012 the new coach said "the program is going in the right direction".

Expect more of the same. The program has more talent than it knows want to do with and yet wins only half the games they play. Again, expect more of the same.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby ndakotasports94 » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:44 pm

The program simply doesn't have the right mindset it seems. they put up tons of runs but can't stop anyone else, usually under acheiving.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby southpaw32 » Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:50 am

For a city with roughly twice the population, to draw players from, as their competitors. The fact that Post #2 has won state twice, in the last 21 years, says it all. This program has much deeper problems than the head coach. (though I have always thought it was a bad idea to have one of the local high school coaches running the summer program. Not just Fiechtner, but anyone tied to a school). Hopefully the new coach brings a new system of coaching and evaluation. And is independent enough not to be pulled back, into clearly what is not working.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby Ndbaseball999 » Fri Oct 07, 2011 9:20 am

southpaw32 wrote:For a city with roughly twice the population, to draw players from, as their competitors. The fact that Post #2 has won state twice, in the last 21 years, says it all. This program has much deeper problems than the head coach. (though I have always thought it was a bad idea to have one of the local high school coaches running the summer program. Not just Fiechtner, but anyone tied to a school). Hopefully the new coach brings a new system of coaching and evaluation. And is independent enough not to be pulled back, into clearly what is not working.


Fargo has good youngins comin up, they might be a tough team the next 2-4 years, rustad knows what it takes.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby ndakotasports94 » Sat Oct 08, 2011 9:54 am

Ndbaseball999 wrote:
southpaw32 wrote:For a city with roughly twice the population, to draw players from, as their competitors. The fact that Post #2 has won state twice, in the last 21 years, says it all. This program has much deeper problems than the head coach. (though I have always thought it was a bad idea to have one of the local high school coaches running the summer program. Not just Fiechtner, but anyone tied to a school). Hopefully the new coach brings a new system of coaching and evaluation. And is independent enough not to be pulled back, into clearly what is not working.


Fargo has good youngins comin up, they might be a tough team the next 2-4 years, rustad knows what it takes.


I managed to get over to Jack Williams a couple times to watch Rustad's Bombers team play this summer, and it was eye-opening. Although they hit the ball well, the defense was terrible a lot of the time. Even as the year went on they didn't seem to get any better at all. Eventually, i saw their defense cost them a regional championship against a defensively sound Minnetonka team. Also, I saw no character from them, coaches yelling at umpires and swearing, players thinking they were the David Ortiz, not sure where the arrogance starts at but if those kids ever hope to acheive what people think they should they'll have to have coaches who can control them and they'll need to get over themselves first.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby anyballgame45 » Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:38 pm

I agree with how the players act who play for Rustad but I believe it's the fault of the coach not the players. If your a coach you need to give the game of baseball the respect it deserves or things like attitude and attention to the little things on how you play the game go by the wayside. The previous comments on how they fall apart when crunch time comes is the result of not playing the game the right way. I've seen the Rustad coached teams crushing teams by huge margins yet he will not substiute players or stop stealing bases no matter what the score. All of this as well as the cussing and swearing shows the direction the program is going. When you don't respect the game and show some class the baseball gods have a way of getting even.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby ndakotasports94 » Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:28 pm

anyballgame45 wrote:I agree with how the players act who play for Rustad but I believe it's the fault of the coach not the players. If your a coach you need to give the game of baseball the respect it deserves or things like attitude and attention to the little things on how you play the game go by the wayside. The previous comments on how they fall apart when crunch time comes is the result of not playing the game the right way. I've seen the Rustad coached teams crushing teams by huge margins yet he will not substiute players or stop stealing bases no matter what the score. All of this as well as the cussing and swearing shows the direction the program is going. When you don't respect the game and show some class the baseball gods have a way of getting even.


You hit the nail on the head. Although the players have their own attitudes and personalities they often adapt to that of the situation they're put into. The coach has 100% control over the atmosphere and it wouldn't take more than a day to take care of the issues Rustad's teams seem to have. In the end, it's going to cost him and his players.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby InTheKnow » Mon Oct 10, 2011 10:58 am

I find the last two comments interesting considering the Fargo Bombers wont the last two state Junior Legion tournaments under Rustad and went farther in the regional then any other team in ND finishing 2nd last year.

Also take into consideration that Green, Hallock, Smith, and Quinlan all started regularly on Post 2 last year but were eligible to play another year of Bombers. Rustad had the program going in the right direction already as they would win at the Bomber level where he was the coach and then get passed by the past 2 years at the Post 2 level by nearly the rest of the state.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby ndakotasports94 » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:52 pm

Last year's Bomber team was actually the only one that won a state tournament. The Bombers were clearly a talented team last year, there's no disputing that, but the key is that they could have been far better than they were. Also, beyond the wins and losses, Rustad did not coach teams the right way. They were arrogant, visibly cocky on the field, crude, ran the score up, and didn't progress players and make them better. They may have won but if the brand of baseball/kids that is being produced is bad, what's that really worth? They may have finished 2nd in the region....but they could have been the best team in that tournament if they'd played the game right. The reason they are getting passed at the Post 2 level is because they aren't being made better ball-players or better people.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby gopackgo » Mon Oct 10, 2011 11:50 pm

ndakotasports94 wrote:Last year's Bomber team was actually the only one that won a state tournament. The Bombers were clearly a talented team last year, there's no disputing that, but the key is that they could have been far better than they were. Also, beyond the wins and losses, Rustad did not coach teams the right way. They were arrogant, visibly cocky on the field, crude, ran the score up, and didn't progress players and make them better. They may have won but if the brand of baseball/kids that is being produced is bad, what's that really worth? They may have finished 2nd in the region....but they could have been the best team in that tournament if they'd played the game right. The reason they are getting passed at the Post 2 level is because they aren't being made better ball-players or better people.


that's not arrogance, it's confidence.

anybody that watched those kids play in the spring and during the summer can see that they were exponentially better at the end of the summer compared to the spring. watching a bombers team develop is remarkable considering the short amount of time they are given to grow as individual athletes and as a team.

i watched a majority of their games at the regional tournament this past summer and guess what, they did play the game the right way, they just got beat by a good minnetonka team. it's the game of baseball and as the saying goes"sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains". losing happens.

the reason they weren't getting better at the varsity level is because the player development STOPPED once they got to post 2. Ibach and Fiechtner didn't do anything to make them better baseball players.

coach rustad is an excellent coach and saying his coaching ability does not make the right brand of baseball players and young men is an insult and you should be ashamed for saying that.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby Ndbaseball999 » Tue Oct 11, 2011 3:28 pm

ndakotasports94 wrote:Last year's Bomber team was actually the only one that won a state tournament. The Bombers were clearly a talented team last year, there's no disputing that, but the key is that they could have been far better than they were. Also, beyond the wins and losses, Rustad did not coach teams the right way. They were arrogant, visibly cocky on the field, crude, ran the score up, and didn't progress players and make them better. They may have won but if the brand of baseball/kids that is being produced is bad, what's that really worth? They may have finished 2nd in the region....but they could have been the best team in that tournament if they'd played the game right. The reason they are getting passed at the Post 2 level is because they aren't being made better ball-players or better people.


since when does baseball have anything to do with being better people? so your saying the bombers team would have won the regional if they would have been nice to every team/person they played against? when your on the field you dont have any friends, EVER! and running up the score? you dont stop hitting, fielding or pitching. when you do that you get in bad habits, you always keep playing the game of baseball!
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby ndakotasports94 » Tue Oct 11, 2011 10:57 pm

Never said they should be "nice" to anyone, but they should show some respect to the game. I saw players dancing on the field as they were running bases and showing up opponents.Also, I do believe they would have, and should have, won that regional tournament had they decided to play a somewhat adequate defense. Errors cost them the entire time, all a result of poor preparation. Also, running up the score doesn't include quitting hitting, pitching, or fielding, but simply the way the game is played. The game of baseball is baseball, as always, which is why it deserves far more respect than it was given.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby Bamboozled » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:22 am

When did they ever dance? And do you think the players "decided" to play poor defense? I think 2nd place is impressive, especially after losing the first game and having to win their way out of the losers bracket.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby Run4Fun2009 » Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:03 am

Bamboozled wrote:When did they ever dance? And do you think the players "decided" to play poor defense? I think 2nd place is impressive, especially after losing the first game and having to win their way out of the losers bracket.


I was impressive...I do agree with ndakotasports94. There is a fine line between Confidence and Arrogance and many of the kids were walking that fine line, some were well over it, etc.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby rangersrule » Wed Oct 12, 2011 12:50 pm

InTheKnow wrote:I find the last two comments interesting considering the Fargo Bombers wont the last two state Junior Legion tournaments under Rustad and went farther in the regional then any other team in ND finishing 2nd last year.

Also take into consideration that Green, Hallock, Smith, and Quinlan all started regularly on Post 2 last year but were eligible to play another year of Bombers. Rustad had the program going in the right direction already as they would win at the Bomber level where he was the coach and then get passed by the past 2 years at the Post 2 level by nearly the rest of the state.


Isn't Hallock a senior at Shanley this year? Could he really have played Bombers last year, after his junior year of high school? Just curious.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby Run4Fun2009 » Wed Oct 12, 2011 12:58 pm

rangersrule wrote:
InTheKnow wrote:I find the last two comments interesting considering the Fargo Bombers wont the last two state Junior Legion tournaments under Rustad and went farther in the regional then any other team in ND finishing 2nd last year.

Also take into consideration that Green, Hallock, Smith, and Quinlan all started regularly on Post 2 last year but were eligible to play another year of Bombers. Rustad had the program going in the right direction already as they would win at the Bomber level where he was the coach and then get passed by the past 2 years at the Post 2 level by nearly the rest of the state.


Isn't Hallock a senior at Shanley this year? Could he really have played Bombers last year, after his junior year of high school? Just curious.


The only TWO that I heard were eligible to play Bombers was Smith and Quinlan.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby ndakotasports94 » Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:12 pm

Bamboozled wrote:When did they ever dance? And do you think the players "decided" to play poor defense? I think 2nd place is impressive, especially after losing the first game and having to win their way out of the losers bracket.


I do not recall the game specifically but it was after a home run and the player "Bernied" before reaching home plate. And they may not have decided to play poor defense but the decision was made to put a poor defensive team on the field, a coaches decision (which by the way is what the topic is) and it cost them a championship.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby gunslinger13 » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:51 am

Run4Fun2009 wrote:
rangersrule wrote:
InTheKnow wrote:I find the last two comments interesting considering the Fargo Bombers wont the last two state Junior Legion tournaments under Rustad and went farther in the regional then any other team in ND finishing 2nd last year.

Also take into consideration that Green, Hallock, Smith, and Quinlan all started regularly on Post 2 last year but were eligible to play another year of Bombers. Rustad had the program going in the right direction already as they would win at the Bomber level where he was the coach and then get passed by the past 2 years at the Post 2 level by nearly the rest of the state.


Isn't Hallock a senior at Shanley this year? Could he really have played Bombers last year, after his junior year of high school? Just curious.


The only TWO that I heard were eligible to play Bombers was Smith and Quinlan.

Actually Post 2 and 5 players eligible to play bombers. Quinlan, Green, Hallock, Nygaard and Smith.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby cheddar » Sun Nov 06, 2011 3:23 pm

It can be argued that the bombers team was the best in the region, the beat minnetonka 2 out of 3 times over the year. The only loss was in the 2nd championship game of regionals and that was because they ran out of pitching since they came out of the losers bracket. Voss threw a total of 14 innings in 5 games and tollefson threw 10 or 11. they were not cocky, they just had confidence in their game. Their defense was not that bad, they made a few errors here and there but everyone makes errors. Their hitting definitely made up for any errors. Rustad knows how to win and you will see that from Post #2 this year.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby ndakotasports94 » Sun Nov 06, 2011 9:22 pm

cheddar wrote:It can be argued that the bombers team was the best in the region, the beat minnetonka 2 out of 3 times over the year. The only loss was in the 2nd championship game of regionals and that was because they ran out of pitching since they came out of the losers bracket. Voss threw a total of 14 innings in 5 games and tollefson threw 10 or 11. they were not cocky, they just had confidence in their game. Their defense was not that bad, they made a few errors here and there but everyone makes errors. Their hitting definitely made up for any errors. Rustad knows how to win and you will see that from Post #2 this year.

If 6-7 errors in 6-7 innings is "not bad" defense, then the Bombers weren't bad. That team was more arrogant than any team I'd ever seen play. We'll see what the hitting makes up for when they're at the varsity level when pitching is FAR better, and the defense is facing much better hitters. I think they're in for a shock.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby Bamboozled » Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:32 pm

I think Post 2 will be fine next year. The bombers from last year know how to win, especially the guys from the travel team that won state together 3 times.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby cheddar » Mon Nov 07, 2011 10:29 pm

The bombers did not average 6-7 errors a game. I would say they averaged 1-2 a game. They were pretty solid at defense. Post two will be just fine, the class of 2013 traveling team won 3 state championships, most successful in traveling history and most of the players led the bombers to another state championship and a second place finish in regionals without quinlan, who is arguably the best pitcher in fargo or even the state, and smith who was one of post 2's top hitters, with them they would of easily won regionals.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby ndakotasports94 » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:34 am

They're good, there's no argueing that. But they haven't recieved good coaching lately, don't have they're heads on at all, and do not have the defense. They may not have averaged 6-7 errors, except when it counted, for instance, the regional championship game. Rustad doesn't develop players at all and these kids will be passed up.
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Re: Fiechtner out, Rustad in as Post #2 coach

Postby cheddar » Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:08 pm

Coach Rustad knows how to develop players. The bombers' defense was overlooked because of their high powered offense. Post #2's offense will be very potent and their defense will be able to keep them into the game. They will have a solid infield with salentine and smith up the middle and voss at third and either robley or linstaedt at first and have a fast outfield with strong arms with green quinlan schalow beyer and nygaard.
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