When David Wyrick took over the J.J. Kelly High School baseball program, he made a promise to himself and to his players.
“I’m going to work as hard as I can,” Wyrick told the Bristol Herald Courier in the summer of 2002, shortly after accepting the head coaching position. “I’m going to demand a lot out of the kids, but in return, I’ll give them everything I’ve got.”
Fast forward to Saturday afternoon at Radford University. As his players accepted the Virginia High School League Group A state championship trophy after posting a 14-9 win over Essex, Wyrick stood in the background as the players hoisted the trophy high.
He also sported a huge smile. His wife and two daughters congratuled him, as well as the large contingent of fans that made the trip from Wise to the New River Valley.
“Ever since I was a player, it was a dream to win a state championship,” Wyrick said. “I’ve had to wait 30-some years. It’s one of the best days of my life.”
Wyrick’s journey has been interesting. He was a standout player at Knoxville’s Powell High School and later played collegiately at Milligan.
He eventually landed the head coaching job at St. Paul and helped the Deacons establish themselves as a perennial Cumberland District power. In fact, Wyrick led St. Paul to five Cumberland District championships.
But when he moved across Wise County to take the position at Kelly, he faced a big challenge and probably even some doubt from observers.
He took over for Mack Shupe, the winningest coach in VHSL history, and the Indians were coming off two consecutive appearances in the state title game. Many people felt without
Shupe in the dugout and with the loss of some key players, Kelly’s program might enter a down cycle.
Wyrick and his team proved them wrong.
The state tourney appearances didn’t stop. The wins still outnumbered the losses on the ledger. The talent was still there.
“Nobody thought this would be the Kelly baseball of old,” J.J. Kelly infielder Matt Dotson said following the title-game victory. “I think we showed Kelly baseball is here to stay. We haven’t lost anything.”
The Wise talent pool doesn’t appear to be drying up either. While Kelly loses five seniors off the title team, a talented junior class will look to lead the Indians to a repeat and the 10th title in school history next spring.
Saturday was a banner day for Southwest Virginia athletics. Along with Kelly’s baseball team, the area racked up on title trophies in tennis.
But perhaps no coach felt more fulfilled than Wyrick.
“Coach Wyrick – you couldn’t ask for a better coach or a better person,” senior shortstop/pitcher Cody Bentley said. “I wouldn’t play for anybody else. He told us just go out there and believe.”
And his previous words rang true. Wyrick’s players worked hard and gave everything they had and he did the same in return.
The end result: A state title.
thayes@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2570
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