Kelly Shea

GLADSTONE – Kelly Shea knows he is stepping into huge footprints, but that only adds to the excitement and challenge of becoming the new baseball coach at Gladstone High School.

Shea, 57, recently was selected to succeed Don Lauscher as the Braves’ manager. He was Lauscher’s assistant last year and has worked with the program for all six years of its’ existence, with work at the jayvee level prior to joining the varsity.

“I am very lucky to have coached with Don the last few seasons. He taught the kids, and I teach the same things, all about fundamentals,” said Shea. “The little things that can win games for you. Don always pushed fundamentals, and I’m going to do the same thing.

“He’s developed Gladstone baseball into a top-notch program, and I’m going to do the same thing.”

Gladstone reached the state Division 3 semifinals last year after bowing out at the regional level in 2017.

“I have big shoes, no doubt, big shoes to fill,” said Shea.

“I think I know what it takes to win a high school baseball game. Don kept telling me he was grooming me to become a high school coach, then he retired.”

Lauscher, 63, stepped down because of back and knee issues. “There comes a time when your body can’t do it anymore,” he told the Daily Press upon retiring shortly after last season ended. He had a career mark of 288-77-1 while coaching the Braves and at Escanaba over 11 years.

“Don was so hands-on, but the older you get you can’t do that,” said Shea, speaking of pitching batting practice and hitting ground balls and fungoes to the outfield. “It takes a toll on you.”

Shea played Little League and Babe Ruth League baseball in Escanaba and graduated from Escanaba High School in 1980. He said he was not good enough to play American Legion baseball.

Shea is also excited about taking the helm in spring because the Great Northern Conference will sponsor baseball as a sport in 2019. “That will be so nice for the kids. They can get accolades now and kids will get more attention and there is more to play for now, more at stake playing against Escanaba and Marquette,” he said.

Shea said he is goal-oriented and taking the first GNC title is the first goal for his squad. He is also shooting for district and regional titles and making another venture to Michigan State University for the state tournament.

The Braves return seven players from that 32-5 squad, including a “big three” mound staff of Carson Shea, Jared Crow and Ben Kelly. Also returning are Tony Frappier, Cooper Cavadeas, Zach Hanson and possibly Dan Martin. Martin, however, is rehabbing from recent shoulder surgery and his status is uncertain.

“The strongest part of our team, I think, will be our pitching staff,” said Kelly Shea. “We have a lot of guys who can throw quality innings. With the pitch count, you’ve got to have pitchers. I tell people to get your son to learn how to pitch. You need pitching and we’ve got a lot of games. You can’t do it without good quality pitchers.”

Shea recently retired from Verso Paper Mill. “I’m so lucky to be retired. I can really dedicate myself to the team and the program,” he said. “Baseball (coaching) is a full-time job.”

Official practice begins March 3, although some players have already been throwing in the gym.