News
Mville Coach selected for Israel Baseball League
4.12.2007
Manhattanville assistant coach Eric Holtz was recently honored with an offer to play for the new Israel Baseball League over the summer after wowing scouts at a tryout. He will play the position of short-stop/third base and also serve as pitching coach for the team.
Eric Holtz has volunteered as assistant coach for Manhattanville’s baseball team for the past two years. This year he is assistant women’s softball Coach to Dale Martin. When you listen to Coach Holtz speak about these experiences, his passion for the sport shines through. “It’s a game that makes you think one step ahead of the situation,” he said, “when you talk baseball, whether its baseball or softball, to me it’s a character building team sport that provides a lifelong education.”
Eric had played baseball in college, and also plays on the Westchester Senior League, but injuries kept him from pursuing the sport professionally. So a few years ago when Manhattanville baseball coach Jeff Caulfield offered him the chance to act as volunteer coach for the Valiants, “I jumped at the chance,” said Holtz. “To get involved with the kids at this level was a tremendous challenge, a wonderful experience. I truly do this for the love of the game.”
He credits his time spent coaching at Manhattanville as part of the reason he made the IBL. “When I coach I like to be actively involved in the practices,” he said, “so I would often get out on the field with the students and hit and throw balls around. Trying to keep up with players half my age during practice motivated me to get into good shape, and after a while I realized that even at the age of 41 I could still do this.”
When asked how his students reacted to the news of their coach being drafted, Holtz laughed. “They were really excited for me,” he said. “In fact I discovered that for a long time their nickname for me was Hank, as in Hank Aaron.” He continued, “If there is one lesson that I would want my players to take from this, it is to realize that when their college career is over, it does not mean that they have to give up on their dreams. I have this wonderful opportunity because I decided to continue pursuing a lifelong passion of mine through volunteer work, and I hope that inspires them.”
For more information on the Israel Baseball League, and to view Eric Holtz’s player profile, visit www.israelbaseballleague.com.