Coyotes made coach's dream come true

Editor's note: A 1988 graduate of Weatherford High School, Jeff Lightfoot came home to Weatherford College in 2003 to revive a long dormant baseball program. He remains the only head coach in the modern era of Coyotes baseball. His resume includes over 800 victories and a NJCAA Division III World Series championship at Eastfield in 2001. He is also the winner of many awards, including being 2001 NJCAA Coach of the Year.

But one thing that was missing from his resume' was taking the Coyotes to the NJCAA Division I CWS. That piece was put in place this season when the Coyotes made the trip to Grand Junction, Colorado in early June, finishing third in the nation with a record of 53-11.

Lightfoot describes in his own words what that experience meant to him personally.

I have had many people over the years tell me what a special place Grand Junction is, from the  volunteers to the crowds to the pageantry of the event. I always assumed that I would take several teams there and get to experience it for myself. 

As the years went by I couldn't help but begin to wonder if it was just not meant to be. I have always felt as if I had a missing piece to my career. Yes we have won a lot and had some big moments, but without that trip to Grand Junction I couldn't help but feel incomplete.

This season was special and checked a lot of boxes for me personally and as a program.

Grand junction was magical, the regional was electric and the ride along the way was unforgettable. 

Having said all of that it always comes back to relationships. This year was special because of the players, staff and fans that were there hanging on every pitch. 

It's the look on my wife Misti's face and the embrace after winning the regional to punch our ticket to Grand Junction. She knows what it means and how hard it is to get to that point. She is the one that picks up the slack when I work 20-30 days straight and give up every Saturday since January. 

The hand shakes/bro hugs with the staff and feeling of exhaustion and joy, knowing how hard we worked and sacrificed to get to that point. It's the players that bought in to the plan and trusted the process of being a champion. From the classroom to the weight room to practices they bought into the details of being a champion. 

Each of them had to be coached differently. They challenged our staff to get better and we did. 

And finally the fans, community and Coyote family that came along for the ride. It's about Brent and Dave and The Coyote coming to Colorado, bringing the World Series to the people of Parker County and beyond. 

It's the former players that drove four or five hours to come watch the Coyotes host a regional and to hug my neck. It's The community members that flew out to Grand Junction just for one game. 

Those are the special things that will last forever.