Coaching to the Standard

Lake Castle School principal and baseball coach Barry Butera joins Dan Canevari on Coaching to the Standard to discuss youth baseball development, middle school coaching, discipline, and building better athletes on and off the field. A former Tulane baseball player and professional baseball player in the Boston Red Sox organization, Butera shares decades of experience teaching, coaching, and developing young athletes in Louisiana.

Barry explains why great coaching starts with great teaching and how structure, accountability, hard work, and consistent practice help young baseball players reach their potential. He discusses the importance of developing fundamentals, preparing middle school athletes for high school baseball, and creating a culture where players take pride in their work, teammates, and facilities.

Dan and Barry also explore Nick Saban's process-oriented coaching philosophy, the difference between focusing on results and focusing on daily improvement, and why young athletes need honest feedback and high expectations. Barry shares the story of building Lake Castle's baseball program and how his family's passion for baseball continues through his son, Blake Butera, manager of the Washington Nationals.

Throughout the conversation, Barry emphasizes that baseball is about more than winning games. It's about teaching young people discipline, responsibility, resilience, and the life skills that will stay with them long after their playing careers end.

Coaching to the Standard goes beyond the scoreboard to explore the work, mindset, leadership, relationships, preparation, and coaching that build successful athletes, teams, and programs.

The show features conversations with coaches, athletes, sports professionals, and influential voices from across the sports world, with a particular connection to Louisiana and the Gulf South.

⚾ Subscribe to Coaching to the Standard for more conversations about youth baseball, coaching, player development, leadership, college athletics, and Louisiana sports.

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Archbishop Hannan High School basketball coach Errol Gauff joins Dan Canevari on Coaching to the Standard to discuss high school basketball, coaching, leadership, and developing better student-athletes on and off the court. Drawing from decades of experience coaching high school and college basketball in Louisiana, Gauff shares how discipline, accountability, and preparation help young athletes succeed in sports and life.

From his coaching career at St. Thomas Aquinas and Southeastern Louisiana University to his current role at Archbishop Hannan, Gauff explains why player development, work ethic, and attention to detail matter more than wins and losses alone. He discusses building a culture of excellence, teaching young athletes to compete with themselves rather than compare themselves to others, and preparing students for success beyond athletics.

Dan and Errol also explore the differences between high school and college basketball coaching, coaching boys' and girls' basketball, developing individual skills, and creating effective practices. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize how great coaches use sports to build confidence, character, leadership, and lifelong habits.

Coaching to the Standard goes beyond the scoreboard to explore the work, mindset, leadership, relationships, preparation, and coaching that build successful athletes, teams, and programs.

The show features conversations with coaches, athletes, sports professionals, and influential voices from across the sports world, with a particular connection to Louisiana and the Gulf South.

🏀 Subscribe to Coaching to the Standard for more conversations about high school sports, basketball coaching, athlete development, leadership, college athletics, and Louisiana sports.

#HighSchoolBasketball #BasketballCoaching #PlayerDevelopment #HighSchoolSports #CoachingLeadership #LouisianaBasketball #StudentAthletes #CoachingToTheStandard

Former LSU Baseball national champion and MLB player Ryan Schimpf joins Dan Canevari on Coaching to the Standard to talk LSU baseball, professional baseball, player development, and coaching the next generation of young athletes.

Schimpf looks back on his journey from St. Paul's School to LSU Baseball, where he was part of the Tigers' 2009 national championship team, and then into professional baseball. He shares what it was really like moving through the minor leagues, the financial and mental challenges players face, and what he learned on his way to the Major Leagues.

Ryan and Dan also discuss the mindset behind successful baseball: playing one pitch at a time, putting the team ahead of individual statistics, handling failure, practicing with purpose, and learning to enjoy the game while you have the opportunity to play it.

Now coaching youth baseball himself, Schimpf explains how his experiences at LSU and in professional baseball shape the way he works with young players. The conversation explores youth baseball, travel baseball, parental pressure, fundamentals, making mistakes, and why developing a love for the game matters as much as developing baseball skills.

Jay Artigues joins Dan Canevari on Coaching to the Standard to discuss leadership, coaching, and what it takes to build a winning culture in college athletics. The longtime athletic director and former college baseball coach shares his approach to hiring coaches, developing successful programs, improving facilities, and creating a culture that keeps athletes and coaches invested.

Artigues also breaks down how NIL and the transfer portal are changing college sports, especially for FCS and mid-major athletic programs. He explains why recruiting the right student-athletes, retaining players, and building strong relationships have become even more important in today's college athletics landscape.

Dan and Jay also discuss college baseball, football, athletic administration, facility development, and Louisiana sports, along with the lessons Jay has learned transitioning from a successful baseball coach into athletic department leadership.

Lane Pitre of USSSA joins Dan Canevari on Coaching to the Standard to talk youth baseball, tournament baseball, rec league development, and how coaches and parents can create better opportunities for young players. From choosing between recreational and travel/tournament baseball to running USSSA events, developing umpires, and keeping kids engaged in the game, Pitre offers an inside look at youth baseball in Louisiana and across the country.

As a longtime youth baseball organizer in the Baton Rouge area with responsibilities in USSSA baseball at both the Louisiana and national levels, Pitre has spent more than two decades around young players, coaches, parents, leagues, and tournaments. He explains what actually goes into producing a youth baseball tournament, including pool play, bracket seeding, scheduling, travel considerations, weather, facilities, and the challenge of recruiting and developing umpires.

Dan and Lane also dig into an important issue for baseball parents and youth coaches: player development. When should a child move from rec league baseball to tournament baseball? Does playing more tournaments automatically make a young player better? And how much competition is appropriate for 9- and 10-year-old players?

Pitre argues that recreational baseball still has an important place in the game and that parents should evaluate what is right for their individual child and family. The conversation explores why young players need time to learn fundamentals, overcome the fear of being hit by a pitch, understand baserunning and defense, and develop a genuine desire to keep playing before baseball becomes an overwhelming commitment.

The episode also includes the Coaching to the Standard Louisiana sports report, with Dan and Lane discussing LSU, Southeastern Louisiana and Tulane athletics, along with the importance of coaching to a consistent standard regardless of the opponent.

Delgado baseball coach and athletic director Joe Scheuermann joins Dan Canevari to explain why JUCO baseball may matter more than ever in today's college recruiting landscape. From NIL and the transfer portal to changing eligibility rules and recruiting strategies, Scheuermann breaks down how the path from high school baseball to college has evolved.

The conversation also explores the history of Delgado baseball, the Scheuermann family's connection to the program, Kirsch-Rooney Stadium, and the continued investment in facilities and player development. Joe shares how junior college can give players an opportunity to develop, compete, earn transferable college credits, and position themselves for their next step.

Dan Canevari and Joe also discuss Louisiana sports and programs including LSU, Tulane and Southeastern Louisiana, along with Skip Bertman's impact on baseball across the state. They examine how better facilities, instruction and coaching have helped transform Louisiana baseball and create more opportunities for young players.

In the very first episode of Coaching to the Standard, we honor the life, legacy, and lasting impact of legendary LSU Baseball coach Skip Bertman through the stories of the people who knew him best.

Skip Bertman didn't just win championships. He built a culture, transformed LSU Baseball into a national powerhouse, and established a standard of excellence that influenced generations of players, coaches, and leaders.

Hosts Dan Canevari and Tommy Krysan are joined by an incredible group of former players, coaches, colleagues, and friends who share personal stories about Skip, his leadership, preparation, attention to detail, sense of humor, and the lessons he taught that stayed with them long after baseball.

Featured guests include:

Bhrett McCabe — Former Player, Sports Psychologist, The MindSide
Pete Bush — Former Player, Horizon Financial Group
Ronnie Rantz — Former Player, Louisiana Hall of Fame, Radio & TV Broadcaster, Baton Rouge Rougarou
Herb Vincent — Former LSU Assistant Athletic Director, SEC Associate Commissioner
Mike Archer — Former University of Miami & LSU Football Coach
Dave Scott — Former Assistant Coach, University of Miami
Mike Daly — Former Player, San Diego Padres
Mike Bianco — Former Player & Coach, Head Baseball Coach at Ole Miss
Doug Thompson — Former Player, CEO of the Louisiana Firefighters Association

Together, they take us behind the championships and into the stories that made Skip Bertman an LSU Baseball legend. From his time at the University of Miami to building one of the greatest programs in college baseball history at LSU, you'll hear firsthand accounts of the moments, relationships, coaching philosophies, and expectations that defined his career.

Some stories will make you laugh. Others reveal just how deeply Coach Bertman impacted the people around him.

This isn't simply a look back at a legendary baseball coach. It's a conversation about leadership, coaching, relationships, expectations, and what it truly means to coach to a standard.

Welcome to Episode 1 of Coaching to the Standard.

Ep. 01: Skip Bertman — The Stories Behind an LSU Baseball Legend