‘Learning on the fly’
After basketball state title, Edmondson coach Dantzler takes over baseball team
Fresh off leading Edmondson boys basketball to a state championship, coach Darnell Dantzler Sr. never imagined he would be making pitching changes and chomping on sunflower seeds.
But 10 days after beating Baltimore City rival Lake Clifton for the Class 1A state crown, there he was, sporting an Edmondson baseball uniform and leading the Red Storm to a season-opening win at Reginald Lewis.
The fill-in request from school athletic director, Dewitt Doss, prompted by coach Donald Goodman’s leave of absence, was taken on a bit reluctantly by Dantzler, the 15-year basketball coach who has only watched baseball. He’s quickly learning on the go. After an 18-3 win over the Baltimore City rival Falcons, there were plenty of smiles on the bus ride home.
“Overall, it’s an overwhelming feeling but also a great experience,” Dantzler said. “It’s doing something for the better of the community to keep the kids active and just be a part of the program and family. I’m just trying to do my part to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. I’m really enjoying it.”
In the sudden bind, Doss immediately thought of Dantzler to help salvage the baseball season. For starters, five of the team’s returnees also play on the basketball team, and Dantzler then recruited two more hoopsters, including his son, Darnell Jr.
With three state basketball titles on his resume, the senior Dantzler has a proven track record for getting the most of the west Baltimore City school’s student-athletes. The Red Storm, who had a successful baseball season last year, are 2-1 going into Friday’s game at Forest Park.
“With Coach Dantzler, it’s just always about the kids. He always puts us first and wants to put us in a better situation. Him stepping up at that time was very big, and to do things that he hasn’t done before — all credit to Coach Dantzler.”
Kyrie Sherrod, Edmondson junior
“I just thought, what better person to ask to take over for the baseball coach while he’s taking care of business with other things right now?” Doss said. “Darnell’s excited about it. At first he was a little hesitant, but I thought it would be a perfect fit, and he’s been doing an amazing job so far.”
In getting up to speed, Dantzler has had to quickly take a lot in.
There’s the lineup card to fill out.
And the pitch-count limitations.
And all the signs needed to lay down a bunt or steal a base.
Every day on the diamond brings something new.
“I played in some softball leagues and I’ve watched a lot of baseball, but to actually coach it, yeah, I’m really learning on the fly,” he said.
“It can be frustrating not knowing things, but it’s been fun trying to learn. Some of the signs that we put in for steals are some of our basketball plays just to make it fun for the kids.”
Dantzler has received plenty of support that has come from an appreciative crowd.
Doss stayed close for the first week of practice before Dantzler said he was good to go. He’s called on his brother, Terrell, his basketball assistant who also coaches the softball team. The experienced players have chipped in as well.
Junior Kyrie Sherrod, a sharpshooting guard on the basketball team who pitches and plays shortstop, calls baseball his favorite sport.
He started playing when he was 6 years old and has proved to be one of the most valuable sources.
Before sharing the things he’s helped with — where players should bat in the order and what needs to be worked on at practice, among them — Sherrod gives his coach season-saving props.
“With Coach Dantzler, it’s just always about the kids,” said Sherrod, who went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs in the season opener. “He always puts us first and wants to put us in a better situation. Him stepping up at that time was very big, and to do things that he hasn’t done before — all credit to Coach
Dantzler.”
The Red Storm have 11 players on the roster, seven of whom played on the championship basketball team. All of them are non-seniors, which Dantzler sees as a great chance to further bond when next year’s basketball season rolls around.
Along with Sherrod, sophomores Deonte Green (pitcher-catcher-shortstop) and De’Andre Moore (pitcher-catcher) are the focal points. Junior Josiah Brown plays second base, with Xavier Davis seeing time at third base and outfield.
The younger Dantzler, a sophomore who earned All-Metro first-team honors in basketball as the Red Storm’s point guard, is playing center field.
Sophomore Marcus Jackson, a dominant 6-foot-9 sophomore forward in hoops, is playing outfield and first base. Dantzler Jr. only played T-ball and Jackson never put a baseball glove on until he signed up to play for the Red Storm this spring.
“Baseball has been a good experience and a chance for me to try something different,” Jackson said. “It’s a weird feeling, but a great feeling at the same time.
“I’m just practicing, still working at it. Being 6-9, I have to keep my focus on the ball when it’s coming at the different speeds. It’s tough.”
With his competitive juices carrying over from basketball, the younger Dantzler is making his way to batting cages for extra practice. He’s reached base with some walks in the early season and proved a terror on the base paths with a few stolen bases.
“This isn’t the same as T-ball — everybody is a lot bigger and stronger,” he said, laughing. “It’s just another learning experience and we’re having fun.”
Best of all, Dantzler added: “It’s more father-son time I get to share with my dad, and any moment we get to share together I’m going to take it.”
The elder Dantzler will take it too.
“I would think DJ would have been tired of me from basketball,” he said of his son. “But getting to spend more quality time with him, the bond is getting even stronger. We’re enjoying ourselves, eating sunflower seeds and playing baseball.”