When you coach high school sports you are basically rebuilding every year as players come and go more so then at any other level of sports. Coaching is often the difference between success and failure.

Yes you have to have good players but the best coaches are the ones who get the most out of what they have as you don’t always have a group of all stars.

That’s why Ken Frank stands above the rest as for more than four decades he has gotten the best out of the baseball players that have worn the maroon and white of Toms River High School South.  In his 42nd season his career record of 869-283-3 is not only the best in New Jersey history but among the best in the nation.

On Sunday I was among the few hundred who gathered the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College to watch the premiere of “South Baseball-The Spirit of Winning.” It’s a one hour film that spotlights Frank and the Indians baseball program as well as the passion that exists in a town with three public high schools and some Little League history as well.

I had the honor of introducing Sandy Levine, the filmmaker who spent two years working on the documentary which includes former South players like Todd Frazier as well as those on the Indians 2016 and 2017 teams that won back-to-back division titles.

Like those that gathered for the premiere I knew the subject matter but had little idea how it would play out on the big screen and I have to say I was very impressed.  In one hour Levine did a wonderful job of showing that Frank is demanding and intense but also letting you know that his players expect that and know it’s to make them not only successful on the field but off of it as well.

In full disclosure I am among those included in the film as my 38-year career here almost mirror’s Coach Frank’s tenure and we can both look back on those early days with great memories and big smiles.

“South Baseball-The Spirit of Winning” will be shown again locally in the near future and eventually on television.  For more information visit sandralevine.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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