With the announcement of our new head coach, Dylan Smith, this is an extremely exciting time for Spartan Baseball. Our new head Coach has a great vision for the Damien Baseball program and he comes with a ton of baseball experience.
Coach Dylan Smith brings a diverse background in high school, collegiate, professional, and player-development baseball to Damien High School. Before joining Damien, Smith served as the head varsity baseball coach at Upland High School, where he helped rebuild the program and led the Scots to their first CIF playoff appearance and playoff victory in more than a decade.
Smith began his playing career at the collegiate level at Minot State University and later continued his development as a coach at Chaffey College. His baseball background also includes working in professional baseball as an MLB Video Scout with Baseball Info Solutions and as a TrackMan operator with the Cincinnati Reds organization. Through his work in the private sector and travel baseball, Smith has gained extensive experience in player development, technology, recruiting, scouting, and the overall development of young athletes.
Smith has also spent years working with high school players through PFA Baseball and MVP Hustle, helping athletes navigate the development and recruiting process while preparing them for the next level.
MISSION & VISION
My Vision for Damien Baseball I am extremely excited and honored to be the Head Varsity Baseball Coach at Damien High School. I believe Damien has everything necessary to build a special baseball program, and I am committed to helping create a culture that our players, families, alumni, and community can be proud of.
My vision is to build Damien Baseball into a program that consistently competes for league championships and CIF Southern Section titles while developing young men who represent Damien the right way.
I want our program to be known for player development, preparation, toughness, accountability, faith, and doing things the right way.
I believe baseball is a tremendous vehicle for teaching young men how to handle adversity, work with others, take responsibility, and pursue something bigger than themselves. Winning will always be important, but I want our players to understand that the habits and values they develop through baseball will have a much greater impact on their lives.
Ultimately, I want our players to leave Damien as better baseball players, better teammates, and better young men.
My Diamond Club Goals The Diamond Club has an incredible opportunity to help us build a first-class baseball experience for our players and community. My goals are centered around improving our facility and creating an environment that reflects the level of program we want Damien Baseball to become.
Turf the Outfield One of my biggest priorities is to turf the outfield. This would provide a more consistent playing surface, improve the overall field, and allow our players to train and compete at a higher level throughout the year.
Outfield Stadium Padding I would like to add professional stadium padding around the outfield fence. This would improve player safety while also transforming the look of the field and giving Damien Baseball a true collegiate-style atmosphere.
Video Board in Right-Center Field Another major goal is to install a video board in right-center field. This would allow us to showcase our players, recognize our sponsors, enhance the game-day experience, and create a first-class atmosphere for our families and fans.
Building Something That Lasts
These improvements are about much more than making our field look better. They are about creating a home for Damien Baseball that our players can be proud of and that future generations of Spartans can enjoy.
I want our players to walk onto our field and feel like they are part of something special. I want our families and alumni to be proud to come back and watch Damien Baseball. Most importantly, I want us to build a program and facility that will continue to benefit Damien for years to come.
