THE BASEBALL PROGRAM AT UC BERKELEY: A LESSON IN SURVIVAL

Coach Esquer was the starting shortstop on Stanford's 1987 national championship baseball team. Later, as an assistant coach at Stanford, he lead six NCAA post-season teams and one World Series team at Stanford and another at Pepperdine University. Since becoming Cal's head coach Esquer has led the Bears to the 2011 College World Series, was named the National Coach of the Year, has had four players selected in the first round of the professional draft and has produced 11 All-Americans.

But these remarkable statistics might never have come about--because on a fateful Monday morning in 2010, Coach Esquer was called to the office of Cal's Assistant Athletic Director and was told that the team would be eliminated from Cal sports after the Spring of 2011.  During the meeting, he noticed envelopes on the Assistant Director's desk bearing his name and the names of his coaching assistants -- undoubtedly termination notices. The whole tenor of the meeting was a solemn acknowledgement that it was going to be a terrible day for Cal's Athletic Department. 

Coach Esquer then described 2010-2011 team's surprising reaction to his news concerning termination of the program:  The players chose to practice that day, business as usual.  In fact, the team rallied around the event and played even harder.  While they won 2 out 3 of their next games, baseball alumni rallied, too, and began a campaign to save the team from extinction.  By early 2011, alumni had secured close to $10 million dollars in commitments from former players and many members of the community.  Faced with this overwhelming support, the Athletic Department reinstated the program.

As a result, the team played inspired baseball, winning game after game, coming from behind when the odds were against them.  They were invited to compete in post-season play and after winning there, were invited to the "super-regional" tournament -- which resulted in their qualification to compete in the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.  They drew national attention as the "team that wouldn't give up."  In spite of not winning the championship, they became an inspiration for all college players and baseball fans.

It was a proud season and Coach Esquer continues after 13 years to be proud of his players.  In all that time, there have been no "academic casualties" on his team.  Admittedly, some have not completed their time at Cal because they were drafted into professional baseball.  Nevertheless, the education of the team members remains a priority.  With sound academic and athletic performances from his players, he hopes to enjoy many more winning seasons!