THE DOGFATHER: Borger baseball coach Derek Odell keeps coming back to the game
There's a legendary line in "The Godfather Part III" in which Michael Corleone says, "Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in." That oft-quoted line might fit new Borger head baseball coach Derek Odell quite well.
Baseball was all Odell knew the first two decades of his life. A star for Canyon High School where he graduated in 2011, he was great enough to earn a scholarship to play at TCU. He was a member of two teams that advanced to the College World Series during his career there and hoped to play baseball professionally.
He never got the chance. After going undrafted in 2015, Odell says he was, "Forced into the real world."
"Baseball and I had a love-hate relationship at that point in my life," he said. "It was good and bad because I really wanted to still be playing and it was hard for me to be on the coaching side because my competitive juices were still flowing. It wasn’t easy for me to channel that yet."
"Yet" being the key word because when Derek Odell thought he was out, they pulled him back in.
The Offer
"Forced into the real world," as he put it, Odell found himself in Argyle where he began working at a baseball training facility that helped him channel those feelings he talked about. He credits his time in Argyle for molding him into the coach that he is as he worked with young players.
After four years there, Odell decided it was time for him, his wife McKenzie and his son Liam to move back home. It was around this time that Odell says he considered giving up youth coaching to get a "real" job. Once again, though, just when Derek Odell thought he was out, they pulled him back in.
After trying a few different jobs around the Panhandle, the pandemic hit and Odell felt that his simplest option was to go back to baseball. He joined up with Thunder Baseball Academy in Amarillo giving private lessons and eventually founded his own youth team.
For three years he continued to grow and build that program up until last month when he got a call from new Borger athletic director Dane Hamrick. Hamrick needed a new head baseball coach, Odell wanted a new challenge, and Odell found himself in charge of rebuilding the Bulldogs.
"I haven’t really been able to get myself away from baseball," Odell said. "There’s just something that keeps bringing me back. It’s truly just because it’s my first love and my passion. I’ve found a rerouted way of figuring out that baseball is that calling.”
Sleeping with the (dog)fishes
The Borger job isn't without its challenges. The Bulldogs went 0-14 in District 4-4A and were 4-23 overall. Playing in the same district as Randall, Canyon, West Plains and Hereford won't make it any easier. So why would Odell take on the job?
To borrow a line from the first "Godfather," Hamrick made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
“If you get to talk to coach (Dane) Hamrick for just a few minutes you’ll get to see the energy and compassion that he has for people," Odell said. "Working for someone like him is just an amazing opportunity. The situation that Borger is in right now is a culture rebuild. I’m just really proud and honored to offer my best to help with that culture change that the community of Borger so badly wants and needs.”
The second question might be how does Odell plan to build the Bulldogs into a winning program? While it may take time, his belief is that what he learned from his time teaching youth baseball will help him develop Borger into consistent competitors.
"It was an honor for me to provide a product of baseball for all of the families that wanted to be a part of it," Odell said. "It was a great opportunity for me to learn and build something of my own. That directly impacted my readiness for this opportunity. I’m excited to be able to use my knowledge, resources and connections from the higher level to help these kids understand baseball and have fun while making it their own.”
The Dogfather
As for what you can expect for next year's team, Odell wouldn't say. He has a unique perspective on expectations in the sense that he doesn't necessarily believe in them. He believes in holding his players accountable and doing his best to help them get the most out of their opportunities.
One thing he did say is that you can count on Borger baseball doing some special things soon. They'll already be getting back to work at their baseball camp July 17-20. To that end, the rest of District 4-4A may want to heed Michael Corleone's advice in "The Godfather Part II" and keep their friends close, but their enemies closer.
“If there’s any message I have for the community it’s that Borger athletics is about to be flipped on its backside," Odell said. "I hope everybody is ready because big things are coming.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: THE DOGFATHER: Borger baseball coach Derek Odell keeps coming back to the game
