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Manahan Will Miss The Game He Loves

COLUMBUS - Now in his 25th season at Watterson, Scott Manahan is calling it quits after this season.

“I’ve done a lot of things I’ve wanted in this game,” said the personable Manahan, whose team is rated 10th in the state in Division II and off to a 10-2 start this year. “Right now they’re resurfacing our field, so that’s going to be different. I’ve been around too long for different.”

It has been a changing game in the eyes of the 56-year-old head coach, who announced his plans to step down back in March.

“If I could just practice, hang with the kids and not worry about wins I could do this for 10 more years,” explained Manahan, who currently has won 629 career games as head coach. “But the game has changed drastically.”

Bat restrictions are part of it.

“In the summer leagues I’m watching them drive it over the fence,” Manahan said. “But in the spring, it’s more small ball. Back in the day my arm was sore we scored so many runs. But not any more.”

There are other items the admitted “old-school” Manahan is not fond of in the modern game.

“I’m not a believer in launch-angle with high school kids,” Manahan said. “In watching the pros, you see so many of them are flipping their bats. I guess I’m starting to show my age.”

But that has not changed his relationship with players.

“The kids are the same and the parents are still good, although some of the younger parents don’t always get the commitment needed at first,” noted Manahan, a member of the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Plans ahead are to become a full-time alumni director raising money for Watterson, where he has coached from 1992-2007 and again from 2011 until today after coaching at Hamilton Township from 2008-10.

“I’ve been blessed here at Watterson,” explained Manahan, whose first head baseball coaching position came in 1986 at Ontario at the age of 23. “I’ve had some great assistants. They understand what I need.”

While still enjoying his job as coach - Watterson has been to state four times under his direction including a state title in 1997 - Manahan can not help but look ahead to the future.

“I love the day to day part of the season with practice, but I almost dread games,” pointed out Manahan, who last took Watterson to the state tournament in 2015. “At this stage I remember  the losses way more than the wins. If we lose ... I’m pissed off.

“But I’m gonna miss the kids. I’m going to miss all those relationships with the kids and sitting around talking with the coaches.”

The chance to see former players is a plus Manahan sees with stepping down.

“I can go watch some of my kids play college baseball,” Manahan said in reference to Watterson grads playing at the next level. “That will be nice.”

Until now, that only happened in the summer outside of the high school season.

“I’m out watching ball in the summer and I see former players that have kids now that are playing ball,” Manahan said. “When you see that and they come up to you, it makes it worth every ounce the sweat you’ve put into it.”

There will also be more time for those he loves most.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the family a lot more,” Manahan said. “I missed them playing sports (in college) but I’m going to get to spend more time with them as adults.”