Editor's note: This is the eleventh in a weeklong series of stories providing tips and forecasting the future for soon-to-be college graduates.
Their playing days in the green and white might be a thing of the past, but some Ohio athletes return to Athens to coach in their respective sports once they graduate.
After spending two years in the minor leagues and as a coach around the country, former Bobcat baseball player Scott Malinowski has made his way back to Athens and is a graduate assistant with the Ohio baseball team.
Malinowski signed with the New York Mets after graduating in 2000 and played with the Port St. Lucie Mets and Capital City (S.C.) Bombers.
Playing in the minor leagues was a lot different than college baseball, he said.
In the minor leagues
it's not as much a team atmosphere as it is in college because guys are playing to move up and get to the big leagues he said. In that aspect to me
it wasn't as fun as playing on the college level.
After his playing days in the professional baseball ranks came to an end, Malinowksi was a coach for the Durham Braves. He then became an instructor at the C.F. Swingtown Baseball Academy for two years in Joliet, Ill., his hometown.
I kind of got burned out on it and really realized that I wanted to get into coaching on a team aspect
he said.
This season will be Malinowski's third year as a coach for the Ohio baseball program. He is also working toward his master's degree in teaching education.
Malinowski said his coaching experience at Ohio would help him decide if he wants to continue coaching college baseball or teach and coach high school baseball.
Former Ohio baseball pitcher Marc Cornell also played at the minor league level before returning to Athens to be part of the Ohio baseball coaching staff.
He was selected twice in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft during college and played in the Texas Rangers organization after completing his senior year.
Cornell spent most of the time playing in Arizona and was selected to play for the Rangers' Double AA team, the Frisco Roughriders, during spring training in 2005, but was unable to continue because of arm trouble.
It was definitely an experience
Cornell said of his minor league playing days. The type of people that you meet are people from all across the globe.
After leaving the Rangers organization, Cornell returned to Ohio last fall and finished classes to complete his sports industry degree. He also served as a volunteer coach and stayed on after coach Bill Toadvine passed away in November 2005.
After coaching, Cornell said he wants to attend graduate school with the hope of working in the sports agency field.
When Brian Peresie was a junior on the Ohio swim team, he decided to make coaching his career. He eventually returned to Athens and is now assistant swim coach.
After graduating, he wasted no time getting coaching experience in all levels of competitive swimming. He was a student assistant for the Ohio program in the fall of 2000. Then he was an assistant coach at Ashland while working on his master's degree.
He said he was excited for the opportunity to return to Athens when a coaching position opened.
I thought it was funny when I went on my freshman orientation and they say that some people love it so much
that they just end up staying afterwards
Peresie said. I realized
'Well
I guess I'm one of those people.'
He said he would like to continue coaching on the collegiate level, but at the moment is not sure of his next step.
Right now I'm very happy with where I'm at
very happy with the team
