Hendrix Warriors announces Staff Spotlight: Jacob Terao
From February 22, 2023 post.
Conway, Ark.- The Warriors have quite a few fresh faces this year including a couple of new additions to the coaching staff. Jacob Terao joins the Hendrix coaching staff in the role of catching coach. Coach Thomas continues to add quality coaches to his already impressive staff.
"Jacob is a big addition for us in catching development and instruction areas." Said Coach Thomas, "He brings a ton of knowledge from his playing days but his desire to help young men develop into leaders and field generals behind the plate is what sets him apart."
Terao, a Seattle native, graduated from Towson University in May of 2022 with a degree in sports management and a minor in business and marketing. In his time at Towson, Terao served as a big piece of the baseball team's battery, playing in 64 games, and starting 48 behind the plate. During his career he posted a very impressive .985 fielding percentage.
Hendrix is Terao's first experience with Division-III baseball, but he said that "the way Coach Thomas runs the program is no different than how Division-I programs are run." He continued, "I don't really see much difference from what I saw in my playing days. This program is run at the top level of college baseball, and it is really exciting to be a part of that." Not only is Hendrix Terao's first taste of Division-III baseball, but it is his first college coaching job. He expressed his gratitude for Coach Thomas for "giving me a chance to interview and going out on a limb to hire a 23-year-old."
Terao's youth is not telling of his high level of experience and natural ability to coach. The Warriors' catching coach has been around the game his entire life, and his father, Mark Terao runs Go Time Athletics in Seattle which is host to many high school and college athletes as well as several professional baseball players in the offseason. Terao remarked that he cannot put into words how grateful he is for the support of his parents and his sister, "I wouldn't be where I am today, chasing the dream without them." He commented that his family has been a massive part of his baseball journey, and they have always been his biggest supporters.
Despite the level at which he played and his keen ability to coach, Terao remains incredibly humble: "I still have a lot to learn about the game and about coaching." He looks at his opportunity on the Hendrix staff as valuable learning experience. Coach Thomas and the rest of the staff have set Terao up to gain as much experience as possible. "Not every program lets a 23-year-old first-year coach walk in and have a say in the day-to-day, but Coach Thomas, Coach Schmidt, and Coach Pulfer have given me that opportunity," said Terao of the level of trust that these veteran coaches put in his judgement and ability. Terao remarked that "they are incredibly patient with me and teach me new pieces of information constantly and I am so grateful for that."
"I was shocked by how amazing the culture is on this team. The guys were willing to learn from a guy who is not much older than them and they give me an incredible level of respect for being basically the same age as them," said Terao of his players. He says that greatly admires the way that the players have "embraced me and shown respect to what I have to say." Terao's admiration for his players does not stop there. He believes that "what sets this team apart is that everyone has a team-first mentality. We have a lot of good guys who we could put on the field, and it has been really cool for me to watch how these guys buy in when we shift them around to different positions."
Jacob Terao has already proven to be a solid addition to the Warriors' coaching staff. Terao is all about consistent hard work which has been a staple in the culture of the Warrior baseball team in recent years, and his desire to learn and grow with the players he coaches makes him a valuable piece of Team 54.
Original source can be found here.