By Steve Gunn
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Community College baseball team, in the middle of a great season, will have to navigate the rest of its schedule with a new coach.
Carl “Cap” Pohlman, the Jayhawks’ veteran head coach, resigned suddenly on Monday morning, according to MCC Athletic Director Marty McDermott.
Assistant Coach Brody Anderson also resigned, McDermott said.
The team will be coached by Greg Guzman, a former longtime assistant coach who last worked with the team in 2013. Guzman will have the title of interim coach and will finish the season with the Jayhawks.
Guzman will accompany the team on its road game to Glen Oaks Community College today.
“This took us all by surprise,” McDermott told Local Sports Journal. “I got a call yesterday morning from Cap saying he was resigning, that he couldn’t do it anymore. His team is obviously playing very well, but he had a tough time reaching this group (of players).
“I don’t know if that’s why he decided he couldn’t continue. He always told me if he couldn’t get through to the kids he wasn’t going to do it.
“He had a great run here. I wish he was still here.”
Pohlman, contacted at his home Monday morning, said there were a “number of reasons” for his sudden resignation.
He acknowledged he was unhappy with the way that some players had treated Anderson, his assistant coach, who played on the team last season.
“It was a longstanding thing,” Pohlman said. “The best way to put it is that we had differences (with school administrators) in regard to the direction of the program. (McDermott) is correct in saying there were incidents in terms of disrespect, especially toward the guy who was helping me. It was a longstanding problem that got worse and worse.”
Pohlman, who was in his 17th season as MCC coach, expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s schedule. He mentioned that the Jayhawks had recently played four doubleheaders in a row, returned home after midnight from two games in the Detroit area Sunday, and was scheduled to play in Flint on Monday before the game was rained out.
He also expressed unhappiness about the MCC administration outside the athletic department, without being specific.
“You’ve probably noticed that a number of coaches have resigned over there,” Pohlman said. “I don’t think the higher-ups know how to treat coaches over there.”
Pohlman said the fact that the team is playing so well affected the timing of his resignation. The Jayhawks are currently 18-8 overall and 7-1 in league play.
“I wouldn’t have resigned if we were 1-7 in the league,” he said. “That would have come across as quitting. I felt the time was right.”
Pohlman had tremendous success with the MCC baseball program. His teams won two Michigan Community College Athletic Association championships during his career, including last year’s title.
The Jayhawks qualified for regional play in 13 of his 16 complete seasons and only had one losing season.
Last spring Pohlman celebrated his 500th career victory as MCC coach.
Guzman faces the challenge of taking over the MCC baseball squad with no advance preparation, in the middle of the season.
McDermott said he’s confident that Guzman is up to the task.
“This is really tough on everyone involved,” McDermott said. “But Coach Guzman has a relationship with a lot of the kids on the team. He recruited some of them, or had given some of them lessons when they were younger. He’s been tied into the local baseball scene for a long time.”
amazing turn of events Kind of sad
That was the best coach those kids will ever have.
Probably the best coach any kid could ever have, especially a great pitching coach. Unfortunately MCC not only lost a wonderful mentor but a very decent man with morals. Best wishes to youCap.
Congratulations Greg!!!!!
You have no idea! If you haven't heard him coach in the past few years…. omg. He has helped a select few!! But has destroyed the love of baseball for many…. I wish I could repeat the damaging things I've heard in the past two years…. He many have been a good guy at one time…. I'm glad some have good memories, ours are very different. Glad to see him go….
I had the privilege of playing for Coach Pohlman and this is undoubtedly very sad news. He was not only a great coach but a person that cared about each and every one of his players. I am honored to have called him 'coach' and feel indebted that he gave me the opportunity to play college baseball. I am a better man and husband for what he taught me in two short years! Thanks coach for the memories and mentorship that you gave to me and the rest of your players. They should all feel as lucky as I do!
This MCC baseball team has some of the most polite and respectful young men that I've ever met–you get respect when you give respect!! Cap Pohlman taught those boys a lot about baseball but he also called them every 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8- letter word that I have ever heard. Yes-very sad!
Congratulations "Gus". Thank you and glad to have you back!
Oops–"Guz"
Thank you Nancy for giving these boys a voice.
I think it is very sad that the public only gets Pohlmans side. These young men played hard everyday because they love the game of baseball. The consequence of any errors, well I won't make this worse. Press on JayHawks you represent MCC you are a family and I know you will survive. You all have so far and that is huge. Your fans are proud.
I don't know one single parent that is posting comments on the decision Coach Cap made, but without knowing I would bet that all the parent ( Not Players) are a big part of his decision, probably mostly freshman Parent that there kid is not playing.. When you have a coach that has coached this long in a program and has been as successful, HE IS DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.. Remember A coach is there to not only to win baseball games but to teach life lessons. If the SPOILED BRATS PARENTS CANT HANDLE IT COACHES LEAVE…
I think you would lose money on your bet because we are very much aware its college baseball and there is no crying in sports after elementary school. You, or any of us, for that matter have any idea why a coach would quit during the middle of the season. Why speculate publicly if you dont know anything about the coach or players.
Well Joe. I'm sorry you feel that way but you know nothing about this situation. This has nothing to do with the parents. It's about a coach and his team and I along with the other parents are just trying to figure out what went so wrong that he felt that leaving in the middle of the season was his only option
These great players deserve a decent man coaching them, if you haven't seen him coach, or haven't played for him (in the past few years) you have no idea. He repeatedly berated this players. The parents should win awards for keeping quiet. As a past baseball parent, I kept quiet if fear of him taking it out on my son.
I played for this man in high school and it sounds like he never changed. A very knowledgeable baseball man, especially as it pertains to pitching, but below average when dealing with people in general. He was stubborn, to a fault, and it was his way or nothing, not surprised he quit when things became difficult. I am not just a guy who needed playing time with an ax to grind, I was the MVP of a championship team with several awards, I am just calling it as I see it, even 30 years later.