NSHS Baseball - January 2026 update

The NSHS Baseball Program has begun their indoor off-season pitching workouts focused on building better mechanics, longevity, and an improved foundation for pitching success. Co-Head Coach Matt Petersen and Pitching Coach Clayton Nettleton have put together a comprehensive throwing system built on proper warm-up, ground-based kinetic chain mechanics, specific pitching-focused throwing progression, and a proper recovery system. As time goes on between January and the start of the official IHSAA Baseball Season, Monday May 4th, the HS throwers and pitchers will have progressed from entry-level efforts to informed focus methods and actions. We have shared this entire system with the LBC community as well as the NSLL powers that be. It makes the HS coaching duties easier to get this information sent out to lower levels because it is never too early to improve throwing and pitching mechanics.

In the early fall of 2025, the NSHS Varsity Coaches held a meeting with each age group to provide program-wide notice of changes coming due to the coaching staff changes. The major message was that accountability was going to be heightened and improved, which was enough to deter some of the program's less committed players. For instance, notice was given that there would be a "Selfish Behavior Event" monitoring and consequences applied respectively. Furthermore, an emphasis was made that all "chirping" would need to be pre-approved verbiage. Other expectations were expressed to the players included but not limited to the potential for cuts. Try-outs, whether based on placement needs or just for a way to help coaches comprehend capabilities more easily, will be happening the first week of the season. At this point, it is unlikely that cuts will be needed as a way to manage program numbers. Overall, the meeting was productive, and it produced a net positive change.

This season, we will have a varsity, sophomore, and freshmen standalone teams. The JV team option will be utilized as a farm system / feeder system for the varsity coaches to get eyes-on with players from all levels and grades 9-12, so the JV roster will fluctuate weekly. Regardless of outcome of varsity's season, it is our goal to have a comprehensive understanding of what exact depth the program has at all positions defensively, what offensive potential remains throughout, and what the future looks like for further development needs. This season, we were not supported in having 8th graders getting involved with the NSHS baseball program, but next year our goal is to invite interested 8th graders to the try-out portion in early May for at least the experience if not to actually welcome some as actual players. Of course, this is relative to numbers, available skills and capabilities of those available players in grades 9-12, and the quality of product being offered by LBC at the 14u level.

The prospective list of game-day or season events for the 2026 NSHS Baseball Season is as follows:

• NSLL Night - TBD Home Game for NS Varsity (maybe JV/V Doubleheader)

• LBC Week - LBC teams will be invited to join the NS Varsity Players at Practice (*new*)

• LBC Night - First Home Game for NS Varsity once NS Schools are off for summer (*new*)

• Annual "Paul Tremmel Award" Night - TBD Home Game for NS Varsity

• US Veterans Appreciation Night - TBD Home Game for NS Varsity

• NSHS Baseball Home Tournament (Lancer Invitational) - Date Pending (Saturday)

• Other Special Events Being Considered and/or Pending:

  • Throwback / Vintage Baseball Game (Not Sanctioned by IHSAA, NSHS, or NSCSD)

  • Local Farmer Appreciation Night - Sweet corn on the cob by NS Boosters, FFA, & 4H

  • NSHS Home Run Derby Under the Lights - Alumni and Current Players Welcomed!

  • Negro League Appreciation & Remembrance Game / Jackie Robinson Day

  • Special-Themed Sub-State Game Attendance (Red-Out, White-Out, etc.)

To conclude this blog post, I'd like to personally express my most sincere desire to achieve one thing above all else by the end of this baseball season - improve the NS baseball community's baseball culture. By attracting more kids to play the game and more fans to watch the games, more kids will likely fall in love with this great game as players and produce a deeper desire to become skilled and successful throughout their youth. The NS community is in fact a baseball community like many other smaller suburban communities across rural Iowa. I believe this culture improvement is achievable. I don't believe I am alone in this endeavor. After all, it does take a village. Humbabe.

GO LANCERS!