BlueRidgeNow.com
May 10, 2008
West's Hyatt deserves a big salute
In Henderson County sports lore, names like Tom Pryor, Jim Pardue, Jan Stanley and Rick Wood are synonymous with sustained athletic excellence. After securing his 400th career coaching victory on May 2, while simultaneously clinching his team's seventh consecutive conference championship, West Henderson's veteran head baseball coach, Jim Hyatt, is beyond worthy of having his name etched alongside these individuals.
John Fields
Be Our Guest
In Henderson County sports lore, names like Tom Pryor, Jim Pardue, Jan Stanley and Rick Wood are synonymous with sustained athletic excellence. After securing his 400th career coaching victory on May 2, while simultaneously clinching his team's seventh consecutive conference championship, West Henderson's veteran head baseball coach, Jim Hyatt, is beyond worthy of having his name etched alongside these individuals.As Times-News sportswriters will attest, try talking to the man about such notable professional accomplishments and you will be met by the old coach with resounding alacrity that these accomplishments are the result of players, assistant coaches, community support and school administrators and due not so much to his own contributions. Perhaps, but only to a certain extent.Having been closely associated with the Hyatt family for the better part of two decades, I can unequivocally affirm that more credit is due to the man at the top of West Henderson's baseball helm than he is willing to bestow upon himself publicly.Hyatt has won numerous conference championships as well as a state championship during his tenure at West. He has won with great players; he has won with average players. He has won despite the occasional problem parent; he has won despite losing the previous season's "star" players. He has won while he and his family have had to deal with gut wrenching personal adversity and he has won when all indications were he shouldn't have been able to win. Simply stated, he has won -- 400 games in 17 plus seasons.Consider the following: since taking over the varsity baseball program in 1991, Hyatt's teams have never had a losing season -- never. They have never had a "tailing off" period as so may other successful sports teams have eventually encountered. The most losses a Jim Hyatt West Henderson baseball team has had in a season is seven.Consider, for example, another perspective. For ever 100 games a Hyatt-lead West Henderson baseball team has taken the field since the inaugural season, the Falcons have walk off the diamond victorious, on average, 85 times.The late Hendersonville High coaching legend, Jim Pardue, told me one time years ago while we were discussing Hyatt's then-notable accomplishments, "I don't know him well, but I'll tell you one thing, I'll always root for a coach like that because he's like I was in a lot of ways. The main thing is he's in this thing we call 'coaching' with both feet; not just a couple of toes like so many others I've known." To be in coaching "with both feet," as Coach Pardue stated, hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head when referring to Coach Hyatt.In addition to the scores of coaching accolades Hyatt has enjoyed, he has taken extraordinary pride in ensuring that the West Henderson baseball facility has become -- and remains -- one of the finest complexes in the state. This has been accomplished by countless hours of dedicated work before and after school, as well as on weekends -- twelve months out of the year. Maintenance at the West Henderson baseball field does not cease with the season's final out.There is no question that Henderson County has other talented coaches but no coach in Henderson County works as diligently as Hyatt from both the coaching and facilities maintenance aspects of his job, period.Admittedly, many others have been instrumental in the continued success of West Henderson Baseball during the Hyatt era. The one individual, however, who has without question complimented Hyatt's career more than any player or assistant coach has been his charming wife of more than twenty years, Charlotte. She is the quintessential "coach's wife."Well, the Falcons, as usual, will be continuing their season as they enter the state playoffs this week and Jim Hyatt will be vying for yet another victory. Past history suggests he just might get it.In closing, sincere congratulations to you, Coach Hyatt, on your 400th career win. The dozens of current and former players you have directed during your distinguished career are fortunate to have been able to call you "Coach;" I'm more fortunate, though, because I get to call you "Friend."
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