The Daily Standard
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Minster baseball coach Mike Wiss earned Baseball Coach of the Year honors at Sunday's Cincinnati Reds game.
Mike Wiss has always made sure to give credit to players and assistant coaches for many of the accolades achieved over the years as head baseball coach at Minster.
He did so again in talking about the honor received from the Cincinnati Reds and MSA Design on Sunday when he was named Baseball Coach of the Year in the Greater Cincinnati area before Sunday's series conclusion with the Tampa Rays.
"It's nice you get recognized," said Wiss via telephone. "You get recognized for the players you have, the assistant coaches you have, the community and the family for allowing me to (coach).
"I try not to pat myself on the back too quick, but it was a great honor. I was able to get on the field (for the pregame presentation) and got to shake (Reds manager) Terry Francona's hand."
Wiss was honored for guiding his alma mater to a 26-6 season and the program's fourth state baseball championship, capping off the season with an 8-0 win over Newark Catholic in the Division VII state final at Canal Park in Akron.
The process of being considered as a final was new to Wiss, who was not told about the nomination until he was told about the presentation.
"Someone nominated (me). It was never discussed," said Wiss about the process of receiving the award. "There were three (baseball) coaches (that were finalists: me, a coach from Lexington, Kentucky, and one from Highlands, Kentucky. The three softball coaches (who were finalists) were from Tri-Village, Kenton Ridge and Wheelersburg (whose coach Teresa Ruby won Softball Coach of the Year)."
As big as receiving the honor, Wiss shaking hands with Francona was something he wanted to do based on a past trip to Great American Ballpark.
"It was a joke amongst us coaches," said Wiss. "I can't remember if it was 2011 or 2012 (when Minster won its first two state titles) when we were honored before a (Reds) game. We got on the field as a team. Dusty Baker (then the Reds manager) was in the dugout and I was not going to leave until I shook Dusty's hand and someone got a picture of it.
"Before we left (for Sunday's game), assistant coach Jeff Stueve said to make sure to find Tito (Francona's nickname). I'm the last one (to leave the field) and I was like 'I hadn't even thought about it.' I turned around and he was in the dugout. I looked at him and asked 'Can I shake your hand?' He put his spit cup down, walked up and shook my hand. I thanked him for what he has done in baseball."
