Action County: Will Jones

Will Jones thoroughly enjoyed his heyday as a high school and collegiate baseball player.

Now, the first-year Summit County resident is ready to pass it on.

Jones moved to Summit in January to pursue an internship at Breckenridge's Beaver Run and became the Summit Tigers American Legion baseball coach a few months later.

Perhaps more than wins and losses, the North Carolina native is interested in taking advantage of teachable moments with young people.

"I love seeing that moment when something clicks for one of my players," Jones said. "Let's say they're pitching and they suddenly get more pop in their pitch, hit a spot, or get a nice dive on their curve ball - you can see that light in their eyes. It keeps them intrigued in the game, and that to me is the most beneficial thing about being a coach."

As a 25-year-old, Jones' memories of his own Legion-playing days are not too distant. He said his Legion experience helped prepare him for the college game, which he discovered was a far cry from high-school ball.

"The one thing I noticed in going from high school to college is how much more of a business it was," said Jones, who played for both the University of North Carolina at Asheville and Brevard College (also in N.C.). "In high school, it's mostly about enjoying the game. The coaches are serious, but they're there for you, to help you develop your skills. Most of the time in college, coaches expect you to already have the skills. They're pretty much there to win games; that's their job. And if they're not winning games, they're going to let you know that's unacceptable. ... It starts taking away from the real meaning of the game - to have fun and play the game the way it's supposed to be played."

Jones transferred between schools twice as an undergraduate, ending up at North Carolina State, where he put his glove down and focused on earning a degree in parks, recreation and tourism management. Jones graduated in May after completing his internship at Beaver Run, where he is now a full-time employee in the concierge office.

Jones, who will marry Honor McManus, who he met in North Carolina, on Sept. 30, plans to continue coaching Summit's Legion squad and also has his sites set on the vacant high school position.

"I would love to be the high school coach," Jones said. "A lot of it would depend on if it would fit in with my work schedule."



Do you have a favorite baseball team?

"I'm more of a player fan - a lot of people don't really understand that. I guess I like pitchers the most because I was a pitcher and I learned a lot of what I know from watching guys like Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens. They were my inspiration growing up and if I picked one and said, 'I hate him because he plays for this team or that,' I would feel like I was betraying some of my role models. So I just stay open minded and pull for everybody. I'm a fan of the game, that's what I tell people. I know its kind of corny, but I don't care whose playing whether it's Little League, high school, college or the major leagues - if it's a baseball game, I'm all about it."

What's your take on the major leagues?

"It's probably even more business-oriented than the college game. It's up to the players to keep the fun in it. The really good players are the ones who can remember the true meaning of the game and maintain their passion. Guys like Maddux, Clemens and Schilling when he was pitching in the World Series with the bloody foot. ... If you watch closely, you can see the difference between the players who are out there to play the game and the ones who are just trying to look good."