I Connick the Terminator

Chapter 1: How did I get here?

I got to this place in my life with the help of several tour guides, or guardian angels, along the way. It started with my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and brothers that helped me with different experiences growing up. Then, there are the people that helped me by guiding my path to where I am today. (Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings for not including you)

Coach Henry Crenshaw, during middle school, who was a role model. He was a father figure that was tough but fair. He opened the gym for us over the summer and gave us a great place to grow up and develop different athletic skills.

Coach Jody Daniels and Danny Jennings during high School. I would have never made it as a college catcher if Coach Daniels did not take me to a place where I had to be tougher than the rest and outwork everyone. He got my attention during one game, that I will never forget, and from then on I never played  lazy again. 

 Coach Jennings was a guy you knew was going places other than high school baseball. He was the guy that would counter Coach Daniels and work with you. He helped me hit my first home run and he played a mean game of baseball trivial pursuit, even without the French onion dip. He is currently the assistant general manager of the World Series Washington Nationals.

Coach Ronny Dees was the only collegiate coach to give me a chance to play at the next level. He saw something in me after I hit a double off the wall during an all-star game. I will forever be indebted to him for cracking that door open for me to have a place to play after high school.

Coach Ron Potter took Coach Dees' place my second year of junior college. If it was not for him, I would have never heard of Samford University. He told me about the school and that his friend just got the job there on the night I graduated from junior college.

Ms. Rhonda Dees was a counselor at Patrick Henry Junior College and she also enjoyed baseball. She was the reason I was able to make it through my first two years of college. She was our mother figure and my heart will always be full love and appreciation for not only what she did for me , but what she did to help so many of us through the challenges of surviving college.

I have to mention my brothers from another mother; Zack Hughes and Bill Hill. These guys were my roommates and teammates. We are still friends to this day; and once a year, we go to an Alabama game to keep fellowship strong.

Wade Scherl was one of my first friends in Junior College. He is more like a brother to me than a friend. After Junior College, we ended up rooming together in Panama City, Florida. The Lord put our friendship together to pave the way for the next step in the journey to where I am today.

Steve Whatley is the key player in the Divine intervention that led me to Samford University. Steve has a deep love for the game of baseball; it is contagious!  While living in Panama City, Steve Whatley talked to the Coaches at The University of Montevallo to give me a call about playing there. Though that opportunity did not pan out, it led me to another opportunity to play at Samford University.

Coach Tommy Walker of Samford University, who was a friend of Coach Ron Potter, gave me a chance to play baseball again. If it was not for him, I do not know where I would be today. How could this poor boy from Mobile, son of a police officer, go to the second most expensive school in the state of Alabama?  God had a plan, better than I could have ever imagined.

Aunt Sue Durham was Wade's Aunt and she just happened to live in Birmingham. She offered me a place to live that was so much better than the dorms. She was so nice and she and her husband treated me like family. Thanks again,  Aunt Sue.

Tim Hogan, Phil Holmes, Jim Goolsby, Glen Seay, Mike Kash, Danny Reed and Mark Dowler were all friends and teammates that helped me in so many ways. We were a close knit group of misfits that had the best time ever playing baseball and hosting parties at our apartment.