CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A good coach is a game changer. They want you to do well on the field, in the classroom and just being good human beings. That describes Veterans Memorial baseball head coach Lee Yeager. Now he needs our help to come together.
"He really preaches the word compete, and as a team we try to follow that every single day," said Eagles senior outfielder and pitcher DJ Garcia. "We come to work and we follow his plan each and every game. We just try to play for him and play for each other. He's instilled that in us since my freshman year."
Yeager has led the Eagles baseball program since Veterans Memorial high school opened during the 2015-16 season. His most recent challenge was being diagnosed with Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, a form of cancer. Yeager's perseverance all season is an inspiration.
"We had a great run this year, and none of us knew what was going on," Garcia said. "He just came to practice every day, mowed our grass and did our dirt every day."
Now the players are giving back to their coach. Selling shirts that say We Compete Together on the front, and On This Team Nobody Fights Alone on the back. All money after cost will help the Yeager family with medical bills. While Yeager is away from the team, they plan to work in honor of him.
"Those circuits, coach Hagen and coach Ruiz they'll take care of us," Garcia said. "We'll be putting in work, we won't take a rep off and we'll be ready for next year."
Here is a QR code to a link to purchase a shirt.
Prior to Veterans Memorial Yeager was at Grapevine for a year, but his head coaching career began at Carroll from 2000-2014. He led the Tigers to a 37-win season and State Championship in 2010. He's impacted so many players.
"We compete together! Team Yeager," the Eagles' team said.
The Veterans Memorial baseball booster club is hoping to organize a tournament with all proceeds going to Lee Yeager. You can keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates.
