Steve Bainer

Believer ✝️, Husband to @MrsBainer_, and #GirlDad to Gabby and Addie // @WRHSHawkBase History/Social Studies Teacher, and Head Baseball Coach

[CIAC Sports @ciacsports]

Woodland Baseball advances to the CIAC Quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory over Valley Regional. ⚾️

#ctbase

[WRHS Hawks Baseball @WRHSHawkBase]

Woodland defeats Seymour 3-2 in 8 innings in the Quarterfinals of the NVL Tournament. Charlie Napoleone (4-2) threw 8 innings striking out 10 and scattering 3 hits. Jordan Giambra with a big 2B in the 8th, which ended up being the winning run scoring on a balk. #ctbase

[krobertsHCMG @RAkevinroberts]

The senior captain played in his first game about six and a half months after major knee surgery #ctbase #NVL @erik_pulkk @WRHSHawkBase @WRHShawks @CoachBainer https://t.co/TFNlwnXbL0

[GametimeCT @GametimeCT]

Photos from Woodland baseball's win over Oxford at Dunkin Park in Hartford https://t.co/HspvwVlh37 #ctbase

[Woodland Hawks @WRHShawks]

It was a great night tonight at Dunkin' Park as Woodland defeated Oxford 3-1! Thank you to all who came out to support, especially to all the Little Leaguers and families from Prospect, Beacon Falls, and Oxford! #HawkPRIDE

[WRHS Hawks Baseball @WRHSHawkBase]

Woodland finishes the season 15-5 with a 3-1 win over Oxford. Jack Schwenger picks up his 4th win of the season on the mound. Erik Pulkkinen notched the save w/ a clean 7th. Michael Landrigan was 3-3 on the day. #ctbase

[Blain Crain @Blain_Crain]

God, I’m sick of playoff expansion talk. NIL lawsuits, millions spent on rosters, quarterbacks gambling on Chinese ping pong at 3 a.m….can we please just kick the ball off and play football…..PLEASE!!!!

[WRHS Hawks Baseball @WRHSHawkBase]

The Hawks defeat Notre Dame West Haven 14-6 in non-conference play to climb to 14-5. Woodland travels to Dunkin’ Park for a 6:30 start tomorrow to take on Oxford in the regular season finale. #ctbase

[Steve Bainer @CoachBainer]

Well done Coach! These are the most important wins as a coach right here. The affirmation that you made an impact on your players, and they see you as the best person to describe their character to an employer is the best feedback you can get. This is the good stuff!

[Coach Hill @CoachMarcusHill]

“Hi Marcus this is Detective X with the Middletown Police Department. I’m calling regarding one of your former players that you also employed as a coach last year he has applied to be an officer here and I just have a few questions”

That’s why we coach.

[WRHS Hawks Baseball @WRHSHawkBase]

The Hawks win a walkoff 3-2 over Watertown on Senior Day to grow to 12-5. We honored an incredible group of 9 seniors today - Jacob Trumbley, Cole Sansone, Adam Setaro, Jack Schwenger, Ben Pugliese, George Mudry, Jordan Giambra, Jack Brunetti, and Erik Pulkkinen. #ctbase

[Greg Berge @GregBerge]

Everyone wants the credit.
Few want the mirror.

“We need to look at ourselves when we have failure and point to other people when we have success.”

- Marcus Freeman

That’s real leadership.👇

[WRHS Hawks Baseball @WRHSHawkBase]

The Hawks are participating in the Penguin Plunge tomorrow to support the Special Olympics and Woodland Unified Sports. Below is our team page -a number of our players are taking the plunge. Please consider making a donation to support this fundraiser. https://t.co/PpW6cK5G2Z

[WRHS Hawks Baseball @WRHSHawkBase]

Woodland (11-5) defeats St. Paul 12-2. Charlie Napoleone picks up the win on the mound to improve to 2-2, going 1-3 with a 2-RBI double at the plate. Jack Schwenger was 3-4 with 2 runs driven in. The Hawks will celebrate their seniors at home against Watertown tomorrow. #ctbase

[Brian Kight @BrianKight]

A phrase coaches should repeat 1000x:

"Don't mistake good results for permission to abandon the process."

[Steve Bainer @CoachBainer]

Awesome perspective. Love this message. As a coach - how do I put this person in a position to win, rather than how do I win today… well put Coach!

[Clint Hurdle @ClintHurdle13]

50+ years in baseball. 17 as an MLB manager. over 2,500 games from the dugout.

I won Manager of the Year and also lost more games than I want to count.

I led teams through losing seasons and took a team to the World Series.

The biggest difference was leadership.

If I could go back to my first day as a leader, here are the 5 lessons I'd whisper in my own ear:

Lesson 1: Be a window when it's good, a mirror when it's bad.

The leaders I respected most shared every win and absorbed every hit.

What this looks like in practice:

• Wins: name the people who made it happen
• Losses: say "that's on me" before anyone asks
• Locker room: spotlight the effort before the outcome

Your team will fight harder for a leader who deflects credit and absorbs blame.

Lesson 2: Nobody hands you trust. You earn it before you coach it.

Early in my career, plenty of coaches tried to fix my swing.

I tuned out every one I didn't trust.

Get to know your people before you try to develop them.

Their hobbies, their family, what makes them tick.

Then the coaching lands.

Lesson 3: Shower well after every loss.

After a losing streak in Colorado, our team president asked me how I kept the clubhouse together.

This was my rule:

• Self-evaluate honestly, were we prepared, did we execute?
• Shower well, wash off the grit, grime, and angst before you walk out
• Be present for whoever you're going home to

Tomorrow is a new opportunity. Don't drag yesterday into it.

Lesson 4: Lead transformationally, not transactionally.

Transactional leaders ask: what can this person do for me?

Transformational leaders ask: how do I put this person in a position to win?

The first builds compliance.

The second builds careers.

When your people start chasing growth instead of your approval, you've crossed over.

Lesson 5: Stay humble before life humbles you.

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who are humble, and those who are about to be.

Discipline keeps you in the first group:

Skill gets you in the room. Humility keeps you there.

50 years taught me leadership isn't about you.

It's about the people you serve.

@Rockies

[BaseballHistoryNut @nut_history]

Words Tim Wakefield wrote in his phone before he passed away a few years ago.

Posted shortly by his wife. Powerful words we should all live by.

[krobertsHCMG @RAkevinroberts]

The @WRHShawks softball team (and its only head coach Loren Luddy) earned win No. 400 in program history today at Kennedy. Senior pitcher Caitlyn Braun notched her 200th career strikeout #ctsb

[Coach Swit @CoachSwit]

The majority of high school baseball coaches aren’t in it for the paycheck.
The hours don’t match. The stress doesn’t match. The pay doesn’t match.
They do it for the love of the game, most people don’t realize that.

[WRHS Hawks Baseball @WRHSHawkBase]

Woodland beats Holy Cross 8-1. Jack Schwenger throws a 3rd consecutive CG w/ 10+ strikeouts to climb to 3-0 this year (7 IP, 4 H, BB, 13 Ks). Nick Calabro was 3-4 with 2 2Bs, and Erik Pulkkinen was 1-3 with a triple in his season debut. Woodland is now 9-4. #ctbase