Veteran Argyle High baseball coach Ricky Griffin has been tabbed National Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) after leading the Eagles to their second straight Class 4A state title.
“It’s a real surprise and a real bigger honor,” Griffin told Texas Scorecard. “I had no idea it was coming and certainly didn’t expect it. One of the representatives just called me up and said I could be one of the regional coaches named and could be in the running for national honors.”
After leading the Eagles to a 40-1-1 season, Griffin was awarded top honors at the High School Division 11 level. Over the last two seasons, Argyle has gone 77-1-1.
“It’s probably the biggest award I’ve ever been given,” said Griffin, who nonetheless vowed to keep it all in perspective.
“It means a ton, but being head coach of the Argyle Eagles is my biggest honor,” he said. “All the other awards are because of that fact.”
While he is slated to be honored at the annual ABCA convention in Tennessee early next year, Griffin has already turned his attention to next season.
Despite graduating seven Division 1 recruits who finished their careers with a cumulative 130-10-2 record, Griffin said the Eagles figure to remain competitive behind returnees Cade Merka, Alex Gonzalez, Bo Hogeboom and Tate Van Poppel.
“I think people probably know what we graduated so hopefully they will think we’re done,” he said. “We will just go about our business the same way we always do. I don’t know what the results will be but our approach certainly won’t change.”
