Rockingham County Archives - EMU News

Head softball coach J.D. McCurdy inducted into Rockingham County Baseball League Hall of Fame

Lauren Jefferson — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 14:59:40 +0000

has been involved with softball far more years than he played baseball. Yet ��ݮ��’s head coach was once a regular All-Star first baseman and clean-up hitter in the Rockingham County Baseball League (RCBL) from 1968 to 1984.

The Bridgewater Reds in 1979. J.D. McCurdy is second from the left in the front row.

For both his athletic prowess and his coaching contributions to the Shenandoah Valley, McCurdy was among 13 inductees into the RCBL Hall of Fame on Saturday evening [June 27, 2015] at the Weyers Cave Community Center.

“I’m honored and humbled to be among such a great class of athletes and managers, many of whom I remember seeing play or hearing about as I was growing up,” McCurdy said. “I was blessed to have outstanding coaches and mentors that not only taught me the game of baseball but also instilled character, class and mental toughness. They are the ones who really deserve the credit.”

In his acceptance speech, McCurdy said that his best memories of the game are “the lifetime friendships with coaches, players and fans.”

McCurdy also noted the honor of being inducted with former teammate and coaching colleague Donnie Fulk, who retired in 2014 as head softball coach at cross-town rival Bridgewater College. McCurdy’s first collegiate softball coaching experience came as an assistant coach during Fulk’s first two seasons at Bridgewater College in 1991 and 1992.

This is the second Hall of Fame induction for McCurdy, who was similarly honored at his alma mater Turner Ashby High School in 2010.

“J.D.’s extensive experience with both baseball and softball in the valley has been the foundation upon which he has built the EMU softball program,” says ��ݮ�� (EMU) athletic director Dave King. “He has used his experience as a player to develop teams that get the most out of what they have and seem to peak at tournament time. His connections in the softball community provide valuable contacts for the recruiting process. A student of the game for a long time, J.D. is now one of the premier teachers of the game. He has a good eye for talent and potential and develops players through the four-year experience of college softball.”

Daughters brought him to softball

McCurdy grew up around baseball, and primarily turned to softball after his baseball playing days were over because of his three daughters. Arin, Jody and Brittany each and were coached by their dad. Jody was an All-Conference and academic All-American selection as a pitcher and outfielder at Pfeiffer University.

Brittany McCurdy Caricofe played four years for her dad at EMU. As a senior in 2010, she was an All-ODAC tournament selection on one of the most competitive squads to ever take the field. The 2010 team was the first eighth seed in any sport to win the ODAC tournament, winning four straight tournament games to clinch just the second conference championship in program history. They also earned the first automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

That year, McCurdy earned his second of two ODAC Coach of the Year awards. He’s been consistently successful since his arrival in 2004, when he took over a program suffering from 11 straight losing seasons (their record was 5-20 the previous year).

From batboy to first baseman

J.D. McCurdy stretches for a throw as a Linville Patriots baserunner returns to the bag.

But McCurdy first grew to love baseball watching his dad play and being the batboy for the local team. “I remember those big rivalries and the mammoth homeruns,” he says.

His first season with Bridgewater was in 1968. “Father, Son Share Bridgewater Win” was the Daily News-Record headline: the 16-year-old making his first start on the mound and his dad, Pete, entering left field in the eighth.

After helping Turner Ashby to their first state championship in 1971, McCurdy went to Bridgewater College, playing two seasons (including one in the Valley League) and helping his senior year as an assistant coach with Jim Reedy when the Eagles won their first ODAC title.

He eventually played all but one of 18 seasons with the RCBL team in Bridgewater. McCurdy’s bat was a big part of the Reds’ success (career stats aren’t available). At first base, he was known for his great footwork.

“I practiced handling bad throws,” he said, “and was always expecting one, not that my infield was always going to make one, but I wanted to be ready if they did.”

After his last season in 1984, McCurdy, who was a Nationwide insurance agent for years, went back to coaching. He coached his daughters in Little League and started the Smashing Apples, a summer team that drew area high school athletes – “travel ball before there was really travel ball,” he says.

In 1998, he took over the Turner Ashby High School junior varsity team, and then in 2000, was named varsity coach. Three seasons later, EMU came calling.

“This has been a great place to be,” he said. “My first question to athletes is ‘What do you want to do after college?’ and I tell them about the school and its fine academic programs and where that degree can get them. And yes, we have softball, but you won’t do that for the rest of your life. What you gain from this university is far more than that.”

He says this knowing full well that playing the game is a big draw to some prospective student-athletes, and if they come to EMU, they’ll make more memories and great friendships on the diamond, just as he did in the County League.

“I’ve got seven weddings to go to this summer, all former players getting married,” he said, looking both delighted and a little weary at the same time. “It’s amazing how the game brings you together.”

Safe at home: Royals baseball coach Ben Spotts makes local recruiting a key contributor to success

Chris Yoder and Lauren Jefferson — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 20:14:36 +0000

��ݮ�� head baseball coach has a simple recruiting philosophy: Do not lose local athletes to other Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) schools. That’s a tough goal, considering the proximity of three recruiting rivals in the Valley: Shenandoah University, ranked 11^th in Division III; Bridgewater College; and Division I James Madison University, currently carrying six local players on its roster.

But EMU’s growing success, including a recent upset of Bridgewater’s highly touted team, suggests that Spotts’ recruiting philosophy—and his mission for the Royals program –is helping the Royals compete at a higher level.

Of the 42 players on the Royals roster, 12 are from the Shenandoah Valley.

The wealth of local talent has deep roots: a love of baseball has often been passed down through the generations of Valley families. And there’s the rich local history of the game: The , which dates to 1897, and the , dating to 1925, have offered both playing and spectating opportunities for decades (until becoming a collegiate league in 1961, the Valley League was open to any player).

Valley baseball players

“There’s not much else to do in the Valley but play ball,” jokes Martin Clark, a sophomore pitcher who graduated from Broadway High School.

Others from Rockingham County (and listed by their respective high schools) are freshman pitcher Logan Phelps, Spotswood, and sophomore catcher Ryan Hedrick, Turner Ashby.

From the northern Valley region come senior pitcher Ryan Henschel, Stonewall Jackson; freshman outfielder Julian Bussells and junior pitcher Ryan Tierney, Warren County; and sophomore catcher Aaron Cook, Luray.

The southern Valley is represented by freshman pitcher Tristan Childress, Waynesboro, and senior outfielder and pitcher Kyle Armstrong, Riverheads.

This group of mostly underclass local talent symbolizes Spotts’ recruiting strategy—and it’s one factor contributing to a significant turn-around in the program’s history.

When Spotts first started in 2013, the games were sparsely attended. Now on game days, cars line College Avenue, the small hillside behind the home dugouts is crowded with fans and their lawn chairs and blankets (and usually a few dogs, too), and the concession trailer does good business.

More and more wins

In 2011 and 2012, EMU managed only 11 wins. Most ODAC schools would look at their schedules before the season started and etch a “W” next to EMU’s name. In 2013, after Spotts arrived, EMU jumped to 15 wins. Last year, the Royals finished the season with a 20-19 record, notching their first winning record since 2002 (that year, the team was led by , currently a catcher for the Kansas City Royals). It was also just the third 20-win season in program history.

According to Spotts, who came to EMU after spending 14 seasons at Bridgewater College, the ODAC has improved in competition, commitment level and facilities in the past five to seven years. He speculated that the ODAC could be one of the top three Division III conferences in the country. In a , two teams in the 14-team conference, including Randolph-Macon at seventh, are ranked in top 20 (Bridgewater was ranked 19th until dropping out during the March 24 polling).

Ryan McAlister ’14 saw the struggling program turn around under Spotts’ guidance. He arrived at EMU in 2011 from nearby Turner Ashby High School and one of the state’s most consistently competitive baseball programs (TA teams have earned six AA state titles and several graduates have gone on to professional careers in Major League Baseball).

“Going from a very competitive school in high school, to my first year here – winning 11 games and losing 28 – it was a lot different than being on a winning program,” said McAlister, who currently coaches the junior varsity team at his alma mater.

Planned, disciplined practices

Then Spotts took over. McAlister, along with the other players, took a liking to their new coach. Practices felt productive, and team chemistry began to feel cohesive.

Under Spotts’ coaching, McAlister earned All-State and All-ODAC honors. In his final season, McAlister batted .365 and held a .447 on-base percentage. He tied for the team-high in runs scored with 35, and led the team in stolen bases with 13.

Spotts is “thorough and disciplined, and he’s got a plan,” says Dave McAlister, who hardly missed one of his son’s home games. “He’s organized. He’s a good fit for EMU, and EMU’s a good fit for him.”

Of his son’s progress on and off the field, McAlister says EMU was an excellent choice: “At EMU, Ryan picked up what we might call maturity things.”

Tristan Childress, a freshman pitcher, has entered the legacy that McAlister left behind. He was also recruited by Bridgewater, but Spotts proved to be a deciding factor, Childress said, adding that he found the energy Spotts brings to the field “convincing.” Perhaps more importantly, Childress said the senior leadership were just as positive about the program and the upcoming season.

Recruiting coachable, motivated students

When recruiting players, Spotts says he looks for coachable and motivated student-athletes “who want to be a part of the campus community and are committed to being a part of the academic and athletic community at EMU.”

“These players are committed to making our baseball program on of the top in the ODAC,” he said, “and they understand the hard work and year round commitment that is involved in competing in a college baseball program. I continually talk about our team and each player leaving their mark on our program in a positive way.”

In the previous two seasons, seven players have earned s and one player, Jonathan Estrada, was named to the .

As for future recruits, Spotts says he’s always on the lookout for local talent. A common misconception among prospective students, he says, is that EMU is only open to those of the Mennonite faith.

Like the game of baseball, EMU is “open to all faiths,” he says. “Come visit. You may not come here if you do visit, but you’ll think hard about it.”

EMU community helps make Christmas cheerier for those who don’t have enough

Randi B. Hagi — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 21:07:11 +0000

For Sandra: Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo, small photo album, purple gloves, JMU scarf, Christmas CDs, candy, 2015 calendar. This is one of the six ornaments hanging on a miniature Christmas tree in the ��ݮ�� before it was claimed. Part of the “Be a Santa to a Senior” project, the ornament represents a Virginia senior who may not have much family or resources this holiday season.

Another local charity supported by the EMU community is the Christmas project of the . Area children who lack necessities and Christmas presents are connected with gift sponsors through this program. This year, 42 children will be sponsored thanks to the driving force of senior Natalia Derstine, a member of the Social Work is People club.

Thanks to campus-wide donations, SWIP’s fundraising goal of $1,000 was passed by December 1, allowing the group to sponsor 10 more children than the originally planned 32. Club members gathered together to shop for requests such as clothing, shoes and all manner of paraphernalia from the Disney movie “Frozen,” spending around $30 per child.

“Giving ends up being a blessing to both the giver and the receiver,” says Derstine.

Both SWIP and the human resources department have engaged in these initiatives for the past four years. Be a Santa to a Senior is a state-wide program run by Home Instead Senior Care, which provides in-home companionship and medical assistance to senior citizens. Volunteers deliver collected gifts to those who are lonely and financially challenged. Human resources hung six senior ornaments on their tree this year, all of which were claimed.

The has collaboratively sponsored one of the seniors for the past four years. “We all have so much,” said , assistant director of admissions. “We have jobs – good jobs, places to stay, roofs over our heads, people to help us – and a lot of people do not.”

This year, the admissions department pitched in for an older woman who desired “just sweat pants and a whisk!” The department often adds simple goodies to their packages, including tissues or soap.

Both Bauman and Derstine agree that these gift drives not only provide an outlet for charity, but also contribute to their own enjoyment of the holidays. So many staff members in the admissions department revel in the spirit that “we listen to Christmas music really early in the office!” says Bauman.

“I know how much I love presents on Christmas morning,” said Derstine. “So to be able to make that possible for children who otherwise may not have gifts on Christmas makes my heart happy!”

It’s summertime and the living is . . . (well, not easy) – it’s really, really busy on campus

Robert Propst — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 18:17:51 +0000

From August to April, students are the life blood of ��ݮ��. After that, the faces on campus may be less familiar, but EMU’s heart keeps beating strong with summertime institutes and programs, sports camps, renovation and maintenance work, and groups who rent campus facilities.

Volunteer students help grounds supervisor Will Hairston (right) to tend fruit-bearing vegetation planted on EMU’s western hill. (Photo by Michael Sheeler)

Groundskeeping staff – including up to six full-time work-study students – continue to pull weeds, mow lawns, care for trees, plant flowers and edible landscaping, repair buildings, and perform general maintenance. In the words of grounds supervisor , “It’s not like the grass takes a break.” Work-study student Shay Whetzel says he enjoys getting to the end of the hard day’s work, then realizing he helped make the campus “look amazing.”

Other vital contributors include library staffers who take care of one of the best places to study, housekeeping crew members who make sure the facilities stay clean, and dining hall workers who take care of the people taking care of everything else. All these groups have student workers to help out while caring for each other, the campus, and the events that visit the campus.

, with three full-time and eight work-study and/or temporary employees, handles the events that use the EMU campus by coordinating with leaders, communicating with various departments, setting up furniture for use, and making sure everything needed by a visiting group is available.

“We stay extremely busy over the summer,” says , assistant director for auxiliary services. Generally speaking, he says EMU hosts three kinds of large events, as well as a number of small events. The large events include church, youth, and athletic groups. Churches come to campus for meetings, retreats, and conferences. Youth groups come to worship and learn. Athletic groups come to practice and learn using EMU’s equipment and fields. Many of these events go on for days at a time, so visiting groups must use the dorm buildings.

Blue Ridge Running Camp is largest

The largest athletic event is , involving 40 to 50 coaches from NCAA Division I, II and III schools across the country. The biggest church group is , involving several Apostolic churches from across the Eastern United States and Canada. These two groups, with populations reaching several hundred each, run back to back.

Auxiliary services prepares for Apostolic Eastern Camp to fill every single dorm room for a week in July, and then spends the weekend afterwards preparing the rooms again for Blue Ridge Running Camp. This weekend might be the most stressful time on campus during the summer.

The largest youth event is a summer camp held by , a Baptist group that involves several youth groups. This event runs early in July.

The events calendar linked to the auxiliary services section of EMU’s website lists 32 major events running from the first of May to the ninth of August this year.

Outside of church, youth, and athletic events, EMU serves family reunions, wedding receptions, travelers, and other one-time events by renting out Lehman Auditorium, the gymnasium, dorm buildings, or other facilities. Some traveling groups simply need to use the dorms for one night, or some performing groups, such as , may need Lehman Auditorium for a few shows.

Site of four Augusta school graduations

EMU serves Augusta County Public Schools by renting out the University Commons for the graduation ceremonies of four county high schools. Over the course of two days, 8,000-10,000 people pass through the Commons to attend these graduations.

The main EMU-sponsored events after spring graduation ceremonies are the , , the , classes, and the . This year, especially, construction workers are on campus, and renovating Roselawn into office and classroom spaces.

Veurink points out that EMU hopping over the summer is “a matter of stewardship – by using your facilities you generate revenue.” If EMU didn’t invite others to use the campus, it would be wasting the potential of the campus. The revenues, which hit an all-time high gross of approximately $600,000 in 2012, says Veurink, support EMU’s general fund. More than that, many of these groups form intimate connections with the EMU community, as about 80 percent of the groups are returning groups. Veurink described the connection by saying that “they kind of become like family to us.”

EMU Helps Make Economy Go

Dan Wright, Daily News-Record — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0000

EMU President Loren Swarzendruber notes that the university benefits the community both directly and indirectly. And the broader community benefits “economically, culturally and socially.”
Photo by Michael Reilly

By Dan Wright, Daily News-Record

EMU spends millions of dollars in the Shenandoah Valley, provides hundreds of jobs and helps hundreds of people improve their business skills.

Of its $28 million budget for fiscal 2005-06, EMU pumped $20.6 million into the Shenandoah Valley

Alum Named ‘Businessman of the Year’

Marcy Gineris — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 04:00:00 +0000

Latino Initiative Attracts Hispanic Freshmen

Jeff Mellott, Daily News-Record — Tue, 21 Sep 2004 04:00:00 +0000

Webster Contreras (left) and Maria Monroy (right) are among the 10 Hispanic students who enrolled at EMU at least in part because of a campus initiative to attract more Spanish-speaking students from the local community.
Photo By Holly Marcus

By Jeff Mellott, Daily News-Record

Webster Contreras might have been attending college in San Antonio now, but the EMU freshman decided to stay close to his home in Harrisonburg.

Maria Monroy, also a freshman, could have left town to go to college. But she decided to remain in the city, where her family lives.

They decided to attend EMU, in part, because of a university initiative to attract Hispanics from the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area. The 10 students in the program contributed to a 5.3 percent rise in overall enrollment from one year ago.

Recruitment Initiative

Last spring, EMU announced a program designed to bring local Hispanics to the campus by making the $24,000 annual tuition more affordable.

The initiative discounted tuition on a sliding scale, based on the students� expected family contribution as determined by the application for federal student aid. The discount combined with the possibility of federal assistance was expected to make EMU�s tuition competitive with state-supported schools.

Those financial considerations played a role in the decision by Monroy, 18, and Contreras, 18, to come to EMU.

Friendly Surroundings

Financial considerations were only part of the decision-making process for the freshmen.

Monroy, who arrived from Guatemala four years ago, was also impressed by EMU�s hospitality. “Everybody greeted me with a smile on their faces, which at other colleges I didn�t get,” she said.

Monroy is the first in her family to go to college and is aware of that she could be a role model for her younger brothers, Heiber, 15; and Erick, 12.

She likes being so close to her family. “I can go home, and I can come back,” she said.

Community Service

Contreras was almost lured away to Texas to go to college at San Antonio. He has relatives there, and he likes the weather.

Contreras, who is studying nursing, said EMU�s financial incentive played a role in his decision to stay in Harrisonburg. While still a student, Contreras is called often called upon by others Spanish-speaking people in the community to go with them to the doctor and dentist as a translator.

“I see here in our Spanish community we need help in the medical field,” he said.

Encouraging News

Contreras and Monroy are two of the six Hispanics from the city. Two more Hispanics who enrolled at EMU live in Rockingham County, and one each from Augusta County and Albemarle County increased the total to 10. No Hispanics from the local area attended EMU one year ago. The university considers the local area to be Harrisonburg and Rockingham County and the counties that adjoin Rockingham.

Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Shirley Yoder is very encouraged by the enrollment of the local Hispanics.

“We had Spanish-speaking persons from other states and other parts of the state,” she said. When EMU realized that no local Hispanics attended EMU, Yoder said the university knew something was wrong, especially with the growth of that population in the area.

“It�s one thing to be involved in service activities overseas. It�s another,” she said, “to be a service in your own community.”

Enrollment Bump

The group of Hispanic students from the area helped EMU increase its overall enrollment from one year ago, which saw a record 406 graduate.

The school has 1,513 students compared to 1,436 students, both full-time and part-time, Yoder said. Of those, 933 are undergraduates.

The campus has 880 full-time undergrads compared to 882 last year.

The overall enrollment includes an increase of first year students, 208 compared to 196 one year ago. This year�s number is a step back toward the 240 first-year students EMU enrolled two years ago.

The 10 local Hispanic students also helped EMU increase the racial and ethnic diversity of the campus, Yoder said. U.S. minorities make up 21 percent of the freshman class, which Yoder said is a doubling of the previous class.

Contreras said he could recommend EMU to his friends.

“They help you learn,” he said of EMU, “and you also learn spiritually.