Conversations with College Coaches: Dickinson College
Dan Mooney, our Senior Director of College Recruiting, recently caught up with Head Coach Craig Hanson from Dickinson College. Dickinson plays in the Centennial Conference (Division III). Check out what Coach Hanson looks for in a recruit, how he uses video to recruit players and what recruits can expect for fall practices.
1. How long have you been coaching? How long at Dickinson College?
I began coaching American Legion in Vermont after my freshman year in College. During my senior year, I did an internship at Stanford University with their baseball program, and after I graduated from Middlebury in 2003, I took a job as the Director of Baseball Operations for Stanford. During the summer of 2004, I took a job as an assistant Coach at Davidson College, and after spending two seasons there, I was hired as the Head Coach at Dickinson. This is my 7th season at Dickinson.
2. Who are some of your mentors or coaches that you look up to?
I have been very fortunate to have been around some very successful coaches over the past 10 years, all who have provided tremendous insight. My first baseball mentor was Bill Hageman. He coached me from Little League, through American Legion and was my pitching coach at Middlebury. Through him, I learned the importance of hard work, and respect for the game of baseball. When I was at Stanford, Mark Marquess and Dean Stotz were incredible mentors and taught me a lot about the game, and what it takes to be successful at the highest level of competition. During my time at Davidson, I learned a ton about recruiting from Dick Cooke and how to organize and structure a baseball program. I am a firm believer in surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people and learning as much as you can from those people. I feel like I have taken something from each of my mentors, and that they are each, indirectly, a part of our program at Dickinson.
3. What is the first thing about your school and program that you’d want a recruit to know about?
Academically, Dickinson is one of the best liberal arts schools in the country and our graduates go on to do great things in a broad spectrum of fields. Athletically, our team goal every year is to win the Centennial Conference and represent Dickinson on the national stage. Should you decide to attend Dickinson, we will do everything we can to ensure you reach your individual potential as a player, and that you graduate in good academic standing.
4. What qualities do you look for in a prospect on the field? Off the field?
First and foremost, we are looking for talented student athletes, who will excel in the classroom, and help us win baseball games. On the field, we are looking for talent, and potential. We look for players with a tremendous work ethic, and who are willing to compete. Off of the field, we are looking for strong students, and leaders, who will make good decisions, and represent our program and Dickinson College in a positive way.
5. How has video helped your recruiting?
Video can be very helpful in recruiting. While we attend numerous camps and showcases over the course of the year, it is impossible to see every potential player in person, so we utilize video to get a feel for what a potential recruit may bring to the program. It can give us a basic understanding of whether a recruit has the tools to be successful at our level, and with players we have seen in person, helps us prioritize, and confirm where a recruit stands on our recruiting depth chart.
6. Do you recruit from Junior Colleges?
No.
7. Can you break down your fall practice schedule? What will you try to accomplish?
The fall is a great opportunity for evaluating the incoming players and for assessing the progress made by our returning players. Our walk-on tryouts are held in the fall as well. By NCAA rules, we are allowed 16 practice dates in the fall, and we will go 4 times a week for 4 weeks. We are also allowed one day of outside competition. We concentrate on instruction and the development of our players and making any mechanical corrections that are required. We also do a lot of scrimmaging to see how our players perform in competitive situations. The fall is very important to our program, and helps us prepare for a successful spring season.
8. Do you have a strength and conditioning coach?
Yes we do. Bob Jazwinski is our strength and conditioning coach, and he does a great job with our sports programs. Our guys lift throughout the summer and off season, and then do a modified version of our strength and conditioning program during the season. Our goals for the off season are to gain speed/strength/flexibility, and to be as functionally strong as possible. During the season, we focus more on maintaining that strength and preventing injury. Our strength and conditioning program is a very important part of our baseball program.
9. Anything planned for your facilities (upgrades, changes, etc.)?
It is an exciting time at Dickinson. We are currently under construction on two big projects. The first is an addition to our current indoor athletic facility. It will include a brand new weight room, 5 new squash courts, meeting rooms, new Hall of Fame area, Sports Café, etc…The second project is a renovation of the locker room facility at Biddle Field. In addition to new locker rooms, training room and meeting rooms for many of our sports, it will also include a brand new weight room for varsity athletes.
10. Is there anything you would like to add about your assistant coaches, recruits, parents, or program that we have not asked you about?
Dickinson Baseball has come a long way in the last few years. This has been the most successful four year stretch in the history of the program and we look forward to continuing to build on the progress we have made. We are always looking for talented student athletes who are committed to working hard and who share our same goals. I am very fortunate to have a great group of assistant coaches, who are dedicated to the betterment of our program and to maximizing the potential of our players. Our success wouldn’t be possible without their tireless work ethic and they are a great asset to our program. I would like to thank the Baseball Factory for this opportunity to discuss Dickinson College and the Red Devil Baseball Program. I appreciate all that they do to help match potential recruits to the right school and athletic program!
If there are any questions that you'd like to see our staff ask in future installments of "Conversations with College Coaches" or any schools that you'd like to see featured, please contact us at [email protected].
