EVOLUTION OF THE RENEGADES

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EVOLUTION OF THE RENEGADES

By Gary Taylor

“We are told talent creates its own opportunities,” observes philosopher Eric Hoffer. “But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents.” How an 18-year-old baseball coach channeled his intense desire for excellence into a talent for leading his team to success, year after year, is essentially the starting point in the Renegades’ continuing history.

The team got its start in 1988 after young coach, Bob Ugel, and his mentor Jim Walsh, formally coached at Barrington High School, left the Niles-based youth baseball organization whose 13-year-old traveling team he’d led the previous year.

Ugel had picked his new team’s uniforms colors, but the salesman was unable to supply the white-with-red-pinstripe choice that the coach favored.

“it was by accident that we got our colors,” Ugel says, “and that was a good thing, too. We created the black and gray look.” Years later the White Sox would go the same route.

Good guys wear black.

The Renegades’ first season started off in slow fashion. Composed primarily of 13-year-old house league all-stars, the team struggled early and ended up 33-22 for the season. Fortunately, most of the wins came during the back half, and the Renegades managed to place 5^th in the Palatine Travel League.

Most of the players returned for 1989, and strong defense kept them competitive throughout the season. They made the Palatine playoffs but were eliminated in the first round, finishing the season about 35-20. The Renegades played strongly again in 1990 thanks to their defensive prowess and a relentless short game. “We bunted a lot in those days,” says the coach. The team posted a 44-18 record and placed 4^th in the Palatine Travel League.

A turning point for the ball club came in 1991, when first-year coach Pete Wirtz joined the team. Buoyed by Wirtz’s youthful enthusiasm and relentless energy, the Renegades put themselves on the leader board for good. They stormed through the Palatine playoffs—winning the championship without dropping a single game—and posted a 48-16 record.

The club also expanded that year. Word had spread about the Renegades, prompting more than 100 prospects to try out. Many of the players were 13-year-olds, and they were solid athletes, but there already were enough excellent 14-year-old players to fill the team roster. With a little persuasion, one of the dads, Bob Byrne, volunteered to coach a separate 13-year-old team.

In 1992, the 14-year-old Renegades really hit a stride, combining strong pitching, hitting, defense, base running and impressive team leadership. Except for the La Crosse, WI tournament, the team won every league and tournament they entered, and cruised through the Palatine championship, again without a single loss. With a 53-11 record, the 1992 team earned the ball club a spot among the region’s perennial power teams.

On the 13-year-old, the Renegades launched a search for a permanent coach and came up with a superb leader, thanks to the help of a parent, Patty Mette. She had strongly recommended another traveling team coach she knew, Paul Kosinski, and her advice proved right on the mark. After successfully coaching the 13’s for six years, Coach Kosinski moved up to assist the 14s for the 1998 season. His replacement, Mike Jettner who assumed the head role had to leave shortly thereafter, which brought Coach Kosinski back down to the 13-year-old team.

In 1993, the Gades won the Palatine championships back-to-back with strong pitching and defense – plus incredible speed – and won every tournament. La Crosse, however, again proved to be the Renegades’ bugaboo. The team finished the season 48-11.

A small team of feisty, intense competitors made the playoffs in 1994 for the Renegades’ fourth year in a row. That year the won 44 games and lost only 16. In 1995, the Renegades showed tremendous power at the plate to capture the club’s third Palatine title and post an incredible 82 percent winning record of 63-14. Again the team won every league and tournament it entered, except La Crosse, and cruised through the Palatine playoffs without a loss. That same year, Remo Angelilli joined Coach Kosinski as hitting coach for the 13s.

In 1996, the 14-year-old Renegades rostered 19 players and played one game shy of 100. The team also added Rob Holton as coach. The Renegades again won all their leagues and tournaments, including La Crosse. “That was the year we got rid of that bugaboo,” the coach says. By season’s end they’d won their fourth Palatine Championship in five years, and posted a 79-18 record. The 13s, in the meantime added even more depth to the coaching staff with Jack Bataoel.

In 1997, a small team overcame adversity to win the La Crosse White Division tournament championship, win state and make the Palatine playoffs. They notched 52 wins against 25 losses that year.

The 1998 season was a success as well. The team, with its strong, deep pitching rotation, excellent defense and a solid offense, compiled a 64-26 record and won four championships, including the Palatine Travel League. This year, former Palatine Coach Marshall Erickson joins the Renegades as an assistant coach. Also, former Morton Grove Baseball coach and president Jeff Siegel, joined the Renegades as head coach for the 13-year-old team for the 1999 season. Coaches Mike Redmond and Steve Brown also joined the 13-year-old staff that year, which allowed Coach Kosinski to finally move up to the 14-year-old team.

The 1999 season proved to be yet another success for Renegades Baseball. The 14-year-old team won state and took 3^rd in regional competition, capping off the season with an 84-13 record, the best record in Renegades history. The 13-year-old team finished the season winning 5 out of 8 tournaments and posted a 69-15 record, also the best record in Renegades 13-year-old history.

The 2000 season was yet another success story for the Renegades. Not by their won-loss records, but by overcoming adversity on both levels. The 14 year old team fell short in the AABC state tournament finishing second to a tough Crystal Lake team. The 13 year old team saw a rough beginning, but fought it's way through the rough and ended the season by invading Canada for the first time. The 13's capped off the season going 3-1 in London, ON, Canada 14 & U tournament. The 13 year old team also saw the return of coach Holton.

After falling short just missing a state crown in the year 2000, the 2001 14 year old team fighting a slow start, battled back to win their league championship. Being counted out by many teams, this scrappy team won the AABC state tournament in dramatic fashion, while just falling short during regional play in Marshall, MI. The 13 year old team gained the addition of Coach Tom Zipp. Off to a sluggish start, the 2001 13 year olds turned on the engines on in Paducah, KY finishing 3^rd starting a 12 game winning streak.

Winning percentages rise and fall from year to year, but more important Renegade qualities remain constant from season to season. Players show sportsmanship, discipline and leadership both on and off the field, traits those who know baseball can’t help but notice. Coaches continue the club’s enduring commitment to helping players master not only physical mechanics, but also the mental skills and strategies so critical to baseball. The players and their most spirited group of fans, Renegade parents, enjoy camaraderie cemented by road trips, field work and off-the-field activities, and they support each other in victory and defeat.