ALAMOSA — The Mean Moose have named Bryce Strecker the new head baseball coach. Strecker attended high school at Trinity Catholic School in Hutchinson, KS.  But his connection to the diamond goes back further, “I fell in love with (baseball) when I was 2 or 3 and couldn’t put it down” Strecker said of his connection to the game.

Unfortunately Trinity did not offer a baseball team. Strecker wouldn't let that stop him. The American Legion offered an opportunity for Strecker to get back on the field and he took it. During his high school years he would play for the Buhler Nationals. And while he didn’t play for an official high school program again he found a way to stay on the field. Strecker earned a scholarship to play for McPherson College, playing baseball all four years while attaining his degree.

And for many athletes that’s where it stops, but his timing was perfect as Alamosa had an opening. Regarding the opportunity he was afforded Strecker said “Then when I had to hang it up last spring it was nice to have a quick turnaround and be able to get back into it, especially from the other side”. Now he has been named head coach for the Mean Moose.

Last year the Moose won the Intermountain League for the first time in 28 years.  Former Head Coach Jason Romero left a head coaching vacancy when he took a teaching position for Lewis Palmer and is currently coaching the Rangers wrestling team. At 2018’s state tournament Lewis Palmer finished 29th with 15 points in the 4A class.

This year the Alamosa baseball club still boasts plenty of talent having only graduated two seniors. Strecker had plenty of good things to say about the team he’ll be leading this spring. “Meeting some of the older guys and even some of the younger guys. Very mature group of kids, very hard working, very excited from what I’ve seen thus far.”

One look at Coach Strecker and it’s not hard to see. He’s a young man. Having graduated from McPherson College in the spring of 2018 he has the oldest players on his team beat by around 5 years. Not one to shy away from a challenge Strecker doesn’t see his youth as a weakness. “I don’t have all the (same) experience as an older guy. But at the same time I can relate to these high school kids cause I was just there yesterday. So it kind of breaks some of those barriers between coach and player a little bit” he went spoke further of Alamosa's impression of him “They brought up that I’ve  got the most current knowledge on the X’s and O’s.”

Manning the helm would likely be a daunting task, and with recent success, expectations have added extra weight but Strecker seems to have donned the correct mindset, meeting that pressure head on. “I don’t feel a whole lot of pressure, I just want the best for (these kids) I know my three assistants Tim Hillis, Paul Duarte and Ty Crowther - we’re all in the same boat, and we want these kids to succeed and have fun all spring and see where it’ll take us.”