In years past, Millard North’s baseball program has gone with the flow. This year, the mentality of the entire team has changed from what was once more relaxed gameplay to serious preparations.

“We have a new coach this year, Bob Hlavac. He’s our head coach this year, and has been around baseball for his entire life,” Assistant Coach Tyler Wheelock said.

With a history of baseball coaching and a legacy following him from Millard West’s baseball team, Hlavac has not only become head coach of MN’s baseball team but has also brought some serious firepower to the field.

Through a program called JucoRoute, Hlavac can bring experienced baseball players and coaches to the field with him.

“JucoRoute has afforded me a network of College Coaches, which I will use to assist our players in their recruiting process,” Hlavac said.

With the help of the youthful new assistant coaches of this year, the MN baseball players and community have been rejuvenated and better connected.

“[Hlavac’s new coaches] all have experience playing college and even professional baseball,” Wheelock said. “The team has a good dynamic with the new crew that’s come in.”

This dynamic rings true for both the coaches and the players, as well. Senior Jay Twedt and other players on the team share the same sentiments as Wheelock for their new and improved coaching staff.

“I think it’s awesome to have people who’ve been in professional situations. Hlavac has brought on a really cool staff of guys who know exactly what they’re doing,” Twedt said.

Alongside Twedt and Wheelock, Hlavac himself is pleased with his new staff.

“Our staff has done great working [with], developing, and teaching our players both mental and physical skills.  I’m lucky to have the staff we have,” Hlavac said.

With new coaches and staff as a whole, where the administrative staff of the baseball program has really changed from years prior in its expectations for the players on the field.

“We talk to our guys every day about accountability, we hold each other to a high standard.  The expectations of our student-athletes are steep – success in the classroom is uber important to our program as is their conduct away from the field and classroom,” Hlavac said.

With classroom and practice expectations set high for the players, the goal is set further this year.

“We haven’t been the same Millard North program that we’ve been in years past. [The staff] have come in saying, ‘our expectations are to make it to state [at the minimum], and after that the state championships,” Wheelock said.

This mindset has struck a chord with MN’s junior varsity and varsity teams, batting home the importance of effort on game day and grit for the preparations beforehand.

“Emphasis is really being put on our team being fast-paced. We want to cause chaos, being the team that makes other teams make mistakes,” Wheelock said. “What’s nice is that our players have been able to buy into this goal. Instead of the go-with-the-flow mentality of the past, the kids are getting into our new staff’s groove.”

Alongside the major staffing change that has helped the mindsets of baseball players this year, Hlavac has attracted transfer students from many cities in Nebraska.

These students are not only excellent at their sport but their presence in the ranks of MN’s baseball players has helped to solidify the team’s flow.

“Coach Hlavac attracted a lot of transfer players. It shows just how good of a coach he is and also establishes even better team chemistry than before,” Twedt said.

The introduction of new members went so well, in fact, that MN’s efficiency and day-by-day processes didn’t get any slower.

“We welcomed them like family,” Twedt said. “We just got to it, and I think it went very well. They’re all really cool guys to be around and play with.”

The future, although uncertain, looks bright for MN’s baseball team with the extent of staffing that can support the team and with new morale driving the players forward.

“I think with the new coaching staff, strength conditioning coach, players, and even just our team morale, we have a whole new set of expectations for our team,” said Twedt. “We used to just be relaxed, going through the motions. Now we have a place to be, the players to do it, and a coach that’ll get us there.”