When the junior varsity baseball team took the field on May 11, it was for the last time this season. One last pre-game warm-up, one last sprint onto the field, one last first inning, one last break after the game, one last walk to the locker room. But for the team’s players, there is always next year. For JV Head Coach Terry Hiebert, however, the game marked his final time as coach of the JV team.

Ten years and nearly 150 games after joining the Atoms during the 2001-2002 school year, Hiebert has made the decision to retire from the team. For Hiebert, this means moving to Colorado, where he and his wife hope to “explore the West and see the beautiful parts of the country” they have not yet visited.

Although he will be moving cross-country, Hiebert is sure to be held close in the hearts and minds of the AHS community.

“Coach Hiebert meant a lot to me as a coach and a friend,” sophomore Nolan Gilbert said. “I have known him for several years and he will surely be missed.”

“He was a great coach. I can’t imagine AHS baseball without him guiding us, but he left the team in good hands,” senior Greg Nielsen said. “Nearly every person playing varsity had him as a coach and he made each and everyone a better player.”

Feelings between Hiebert and the community are mutual, however, as Hiebert has enjoyed his time as a member of the AHS community and Atoms coaching staff.

“The experiences I have had coaching here have been invaluable,” Hiebert said. “My relationships with the players and the coaches who I worked with will always be a part of me.”

Hiebert, who moved to Annandale in 1985 and has coached both Little League and Babe Ruth teams in the community, also acknowledges that he has learned a lot during his time with the Atoms.

“I have learned the value of little victories, seeing improvement in skill levels or motivation in my players,” said Hiebert. “Different players are motivated by different things, some need to be pushed harder, some need more positive reinforcement in order to bring out the best in them.”

In addition to preparing players for the varsity level, Hiebert has also tried to impart valuable life lessons to his teams.

“I hope the players who were on my teams learned life lessons along with baseball lessons that they can carry on in the future,” he said.

“One of my favorite coaching sayings is “How good do you want to be and how hard are you willing to work to achieve that?” Hiebert added. “It is a lesson for life as well as sports.”
These lessons seem to have been effective, as many of his players agree that he has taught them not just about baseball, but about life as well.

“I learned that baseball isn’t just a sport, but also a lifestyle,” sophomore Jonathan Pratt said. “He also taught his teams life lessons.”

“He helped me with problems I had on and off the field; he taught me how to never give up no matter what,” Gilbert said.

Assistant Coach Danny Brown, who is set to replace Hiebert as JV head coach in 2012, also acknowledges that he has learned a great deal from his mentor.

“I have learned from Coach Hiebert that developing players’ skills in on-field abilities and personal character are important to the program’s goal of winning on and off of the field,” he said.

Although Hiebert is retiring from his coaching position with the Atoms, he has no intentions of leaving behind the sport.

“I will probably approach the local schools in Fremont County, Colorado to see if they need some coaching help,” he said.

“I know that Coach Hiebert will remain very interested in the development of our student athletes and the AHS baseball program,” Brown added. “The rest of the coaches and I will make sure that he receives news of all of the successes and championships that are ahead for our program.”

Come next spring, when the Atoms take the field, they will once again be hard at work in preparation for their season. They will go through their drills, practice their hitting and compete each and everyday. All will be back to normal. All except for the presence of Hiebert in the dugout and the unique lessons, about both baseball and life, that he has used to help players grow for the past ten years.