For the first time in 20 years under the coaching of Matt Mowry, Birmingham High‘s baseball team won the West Valley League title. Then the Patriots won the City Section Open Division championship, Mowry’s sixth City title.
This was the first time Mowry handed over co-coaching duties to his pitching coach, Gus Rico. Together, they navigated challenging times. One of Birmingham’s starters, JJ Rodriguez, lost his father, who didn’t wake up while sleeping at home. It required the coaches to unite to help their despondent player with unwavering support.
Rico had to slowly bring back pitcher Aidan Martinez from Tommy John surgery, monitoring his pitch count and giving him confidence he could return to top form. By season’s end, Martinez was throwing 92 mph and saving a 4-2 championship win over El Camino Real at Dodger Stadium.
The coaching duo of Mowry and Rico are The Times’ coaches of the year.
“Making him the co-coach was well-deserved and I think the kids responded,” Mowry said.
Dealing with the death of a parent brought Mowry back to the days when he lost his wife to cancer and he had to support his own children. He tried to use that experience to help Rodriguez. “It was traumatic,” he said. “Coming back to be with his teammates was therapeutic.”