Experience is a key factor in success.
The Texarkana Twins baseball team announced Bill Clay as the new head coach on Tuesday at the Twisted Fork restaurant.
Clay, 66, has over 40 years of coaching experience and was born in Texarkana. He has experience as a college baseball coach. Clay has spent the last two summers managing collegiate summer baseball with the Liberal Bee Jays in Kansas.
"I saw the job posting and I was interested," Clay said. "My dad is 95 and lives in Lockesburg (Ark.). I thought it would be nice to get to spend a few months closer to him."
Clay retired from the Texas Public School system six years ago. He is a former history teacher.
"I decided that I wanted to stay active in baseball. I thought baseball would allow me to travel, and I enjoy that. I am at the stage of my life where I want to give back to these young kids. A lot of players want to play professionally and they think they know what it takes. But when baseball becomes a business, it becomes different from what they are used to."
The new Twins' head coach is competitive but mostly wants all in attendance to have a good time.
"First, I want everyone who comes to our games to have fun," Clay said. "I want everyone who comes out to our games to be entertained. I love to win. It is about taking these college players and letting them develop. I am going to share a lot of different things with them. I will give them a lot of advice, and they can take it or leave it.
"I am going to put my best team out there and coach the best that I can. I have seen a team win big one night and lose big the next night; that is just baseball."
Clay and his wife have a ranch between St. Jo and Nocona, Texas. Clay will live in Texarkana during the summer.
Uri Geva is the co-owner of the Twins, along with Chris Clark. Geva is determined to help bring the community together and to help create memories that will last a lifetime.
"The beautiful thing about summer collegiate baseball is that you begin with a fresh slate each year," Geva said. "We are going to have all-new players that will be under an all-new staff. The previous staff was great and put us on the map. Coach Clay has the opportunity to build upon that. He is committed to success and to Texarkana."