Why Sports?

This week we sit down with CCAA champion and CSUMB Head Coach Walt White. 2023 marks Walt White’s 13th season at the helm of the CSUMB baseball program. He became the second baseball coach in university history in July of 2010 and made an immediate impact on the fortunes of Otter baseball. He took over a team that won just eight games the season before his arrival and has led the Otters to a 328–228 (.590) record with an average of 29 wins per season.

The 2022 season marked White’s third CCAA regular season championship, with a record of 38-17 and a program record 31-9 CCAA record. White was named CCAA Coach of the Year for the third time at the culmination of the season, and his freshman shortstop, Brady Miguel, became the first student-athlete in program history to be named CCAA Player of the Year. In total, seven student-athletes were named to the All-CCAA team, also a new program record.

It took White just three seasons to turn a team which had never posted a winning record before his arrival into CCAA Champions and NCAA Tournament participants. Entering the 2023 campaign, the Otters have reached the postseason in six of the last seven seasons.

White was selected Coach of the Year by NCWBA West Region and CCAA in 2013 after guiding the Otters to the program's first CCAA regular season title (29-11). The Otters also made their inaugural appearance in 2013 at the West Region Tournament and CCAA Tournament after finishing on top of the West Regional poll.

The 2013 squad did not lose a single series while nabbing five sweeps including then No. 23 Sonoma State. The Otters concluded the regular season winning 13 of their final 14 games.

In his 13 seasons, White has had 21 student-athletes named all–region and 52 players named to the All-CCAA teams. Included in those lists were 2012 NBWCA West Region Freshman Pitcher of the Year Jeff Owen and 2012 Gold glove winner Brian Haggett.

On the academic side, 2013 brought CSUMB's its first ever Capitol One Academic All-American® first team (Brian Haggett) and three student-athletes earned Capitol One Academic All-District®.

In his first year guiding Otter baseball, White quickly made his mark on the program. His historic 2011 squad broke the school record for total wins, winning percentage and conference wins. A tripleheader sweep of White’s alma mater, Sonoma State, highlighted the season; marking the first time the program won a series from SSU.

White joined the Otter raft after 15 seasons as the associate head coach at Sonoma State University. While at SSU, White was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the program, including infield play, team defense, base running and hitting. He also served as the program’s recruiting coordinator. He was instrumental in SSU’s 2008 run to the NCAA Division II College World Series and a third place national finish. While coaching at SSU, White’s Seawolves won six conference championships and made eight NCAA regional appearances.

A 1990 graduate of Saugus High School, White began his collegiate playing career at College of the Canyons, where he was an All–Western State Conference performer. After his time at COC, White transferred to Sonoma State where he played for current Seawolf coach John Goelz. White started at shortstop for SSU in 1993 and 1994 and was a member of the 2008 SSU hall of fame induction class.

After his stellar collegiate career ended, the Florida Marlins made White their 32nd round draft choice. He spent five seasons in the Marlins organization, reaching Double A ball before being dealt to Arizona, where he spent three seasons playing for the Diamondbacks’ Triple A affiliate.

Following his playing career, White returned to Sonoma State to finish his degree in kinesiology. He continued his education by earning a master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix.

This week we sit down with my mentor and UC Davis Hall of Famer, Bob Williams. The former head men's basketball coach at the UC Santa Barbara.He is sometimes referred to as the Dean of the Big West Conference's basketball coaches.He was previously the head coach at the UC Davis, winning the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship in 1998. Williams is the all-time winningest coach at UC Santa Barbara with a 19-year record of 313–260.

Justin sits down with Nick Wilcox, fresh off off stringing together two of the most successful seasons in Stevenson baseball history, culminating in a section championship this May. They dissect the near two decades in the process leading up to recent success, following in his father's footsteps and learning to focus on the big picture

A repeat episode from 2021 where Steve Kenyon, owner of Speed Strength Training, football coach for over 40 years in the Sacramento area joins the podcast to discuss the importance of strength training, speed of movement, positive behavior intervention and the best way to integrate lifting into your program when you are pressed for time. He also shares THE SYSTEM, which he created as a curriculum that can be applied to any program over the course of a year.

A repeat from last year where Sam Allen, director of PGC, founder of Blue Collar Basketball, and the host of the Hardwood Hustle Podcast joins the show. In this episode, Sam helps explain the vital pillars of coaching, and how making important growth for others is achieved by growing yourself. We may not always know what to expect, but Sam's advice can help us solve many scenarios that may be faced.

A revisit with Jake Thompson, the Chief encouragement officer at Compete Every Day, speaker, and author joins the podcast. Jake teaches teams and coaches how to be accountable, how to learn from lessons, and how to pursue your best self. We are presenting this again as JJake and Justin's conversation on this episode is a great listen.

Carsen Williams, Graduate Assistant Coach at BYU for Men's Basketball joins the podcast. In this episode, Carsen and Justin have a conversation all things basketball and tackle the best approaches to coaching in all aspects.

Derek Swafford joins the podcast with Justin this episode! Derek is the top-notch Athletic Director at Fortune Early College High School in Elk Grove. Listen to all he has to say about his experience with guiding players and coaches from his position as an Athletic Director and all sorts of lessons that anyone can take from.

Richie Lynch, Athletic Director of Edison High School is on this episode of Contacts Coaching Podcast! Richie is telling all his expertises learned from being an Athletic Director at Edison High School. If you want to learn the valuable skills that Richie has got, make sure to listen!

831 native and Hartnell College assistant coach Steven Terry joins Justin to talk about his career in coaching and the community, what he has learned along the way and how his influences impact his daily teachings.