|
PRESSBOX
PLAYING CAREER
- All-conference, All-state at Redwood HS
- Texas A&M University, earned two varsity Letters as
a pitcher, all-conference, SWC tournament most valuable player, C. E.
"Pat" Olsen MVP
- Texas Rangers (Omaha City AAA) Guadalajara Mexico
- Salt Lake City Trappers (A)
- Montreal Expos (Burlington, Iowa A)
COACHING CAREER
- Texas A&M University student assistant, 1987
- College of San Mateo pitching coach, 1991
- San Francisco State University pitching coach, 1992
and 1993
- College of Marin pitching coach, 1994-1996
- College of Marin head coach, 19971999
- San Jacinto College North Career: Assistant coach,
2000; Head coach, 2001present
With four trips in five seasons to the NJCAA World Series, San Jacinto
College head baseball coach Tom Arrington has asserted himself as one of the
game's top leaders.
Since taking over just prior to the 2002 season, Arrington has put together
an overall record of 265-99. Add the four trips to the JUCO series, and
Arrington has done himself proud alongside the names of Wayne Graham and
Chris Rupp, two men who preceded Arrington as head coach.
Graham won five national titles from 1985-1990, and while the team hasnt
come back from Grand Junction, Colorado with the winner's trophy since then,
San Jacinto still rates as one of the nation's top programs.
"We do have a great tradition here at San Jacinto", Arrington said. "We take
the approach that winning is extremely important. Wayne and Chris did a
great job before me, and Im trying to continue the legacy. We identify
getting to Grand Junction as being the ultimate indicator of how successful
our season is. Once you get there you have to have the talent to win but
also some luck along the way. Maybe our day is coming this season."
Arrington once pitched in the Southwest Conference for Texas A&M University
and went on to compete at the Class AAA level in the Montreal Expos and
Texas Rangers organizations. He began his coaching career in 1991 at the
College of Mateo and found himself on the campus at San Jacinto College
prior to the 2001 season. A season later, he was named the Gators'
third-ever head coach.
As a former pitcher, Arrington obviously spends quite a bit of time with the
teams hurlers but is constantly in tune with what the team needs.
"We certainly don't measure ourselves against other opponents or identify a
true rival," Arrington said. "On a day-to-day basis we're working on getting
ourselves better. You're going to make some mistakes along the course of a
season. For instance, last year we got off to a slow start and were 13-13 at
one point. We knew things would come around and they did. Its because we
knew what we had to get better at doing, and we did it."
Arrington is surrounded by top assistant Jimmy Durham, who handles much of
the recruiting efforts, as well as bullpen coach Alan Orgain, catching
assistant Kory Koehler as well as outfield coach and first base coach D.J.
Wilson, the senior member of the staff whos now in his 11th season. For
Arrington, the group provides him with confidence the team is getting the
leadership it needs to be successful.
Its still about helping these players get to the next level, Arrington
said. Right now we have Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte in the big leagues
from the 1980s and 1990s and pitchers Jesse Crain, Mike Gonzalez and Matt
Albers more recently. There are also 18 others in the minor leagues right
now. I think we have done a pretty good job here.
|
