Gabe Grinder- Ottawa University | Faith and Ministry in Baseball - a podcast by Jeff Stanek

Gabe Grinder is the Head Coach at Ottawa University, an NAIA school in Ottawa Kansas.  He played collegiately at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 2007-2008, and finished up his college career graduating from Southeastern University in 2011.  Coach Grinder started his coaching career in 2012 at first-year program Florida Christian College, now known as Johnson University.  From 2013-2018 he was a pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at many different colleges including: Southeastern University, Morningside College, West Virginia Wesleyan College, and Oklahoma Wesleyan College.  Then in 2018 he was hired as the Head Coach at Ottawa University where he still remains.  

In this episode, we start off talking about all of the traveling Coach Grinder has done, moving from program to program and leaving his mark.  We also talk heavily about how he brings faith and ministry into his programs, including why and how he prays over his players.  Coach Grinder views coaching a baseball team as a chance to develop young men, and allow them to grow their faith if they have already encountered it and offer a chance to encounter it for those guys who have not.  He believes winning baseball games is a byproduct of focusing on growth and relationships. 

We also talk about the high-level speed of their practices and why that is a huge part of their success, as well as why his team competes in everything they do.  Additionally, Coach Grinder and I discuss athletic directors and administrators and why his expectations of those led him to Ottawa University.

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