Seth Thibodeaux is the Head Baseball Coach at Nicholls State University. After starting his coaching career at Pearl River CC in 2003, “Coach Thib,” as his players know him, is now headed into his 18th year of coaching college baseball. This season will be his 11th year as Head Coach at NSU—he’s the second-winningest coach in program history.
Also through the years, Coach has implemented his vision for what he knew Ray E. Didier Field could be—one of the most fan-friendly ballparks in the Southland Conference. Nothing better than a day at the ballpark with family in Thibodaux, LA.
Two Colonel baseball players graduated this past weekend, which totals 103 graduates in a span of 10 years. Nicholls has one of the top Academic Progression Rates in the Southland Conference. Not to mention, NSU has won 266 games the past 10 seasons.
In this episode, we talk about the GOATs (Greatest of All Time): Michael Jordan is the first person that comes to mind for both of us when we hear “The GOAT.” We discuss The Last Dance, a documentary Seth often uses to motivate his players. It’s how he teaches his philosophy of “tolerance” vs. “productivity.”
We also discuss Seth’s recent Zoom call with former [and first] podcast guest Chase Lambin. He says when Chase spoke to NSU Baseball in 2017, player attitudes were totally changed. Inspired by the talk of “taking it to the pitcher,” they handily beat Wake Forest that day—a team that was a pitch away from the College World Series that year.
We also get into the importance of character, work ethic and team camaraderie. I ask Seth whether he feels it’s incumbent on him to teach his players the fundamentals of good communication.
He talks about why he doesn’t allow phones in the clubhouse [hint: the clubhouse is sacred]. We discuss how Twitter, Snapchat & texting have changed everything from recruiting to road trips.
Seth also tells great stories of guys like Buck Showalter, Bobby Dickerson & former Colonel & 12-year MLB player—the late Darryl Hamilton, whose son fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a Nicholls State Colonel.
We’re part of the Colonel family—a community Coach Thib has worked hard to cultivate. And we’re fortunate to have a leader like Seth at the helm of the baseball program. I hope you enjoy this conversation as I much I did.
Other topics discussed:
- Seth’s “tolerance” vs “productivity”
- Michael Jordan (forever the GOAT)
- Mike Tyson & Evander Holyfield
- Importance of structure
- Darryl Hamilton
- Screen-addiction
- Twitter & Snapchat
- Importance of presenting yourself well
- Leaders should not just help you with your sport, but also in life
- Checking social media feeds when recruiting
- How to allocate 11.7 scholarships
- Red flags when recruiting kids
- “Chasing the brand”
- Entertaining offers from other schools
- Importance of ages 18-22 in a person’s development
- How he handled George Floyd’s killing as a coach
- Drew Brees debacle
- Leadoff hitter Xane Washington
- Mindset of a leadoff hitter
- How easy it is to hit with two strikes
- Preempting mistakes in your 20s [by picking the brains of older men]
- Driving to Bay St. Louis, MS, eating MREs in the car
- Impressing people with your work ethic
- Working with players in small groups before practice
- Impact of Coach Tim Rebowe
- Seth’s regular interaction with his priest
- Synergy Sports Technology
- Why players rarely watch a baseball game from start-to-finish
- Letting players know their roles
Questions asked:
- When I say the GOAT, who do you think of?
- Can you give me an example of an excerpt you’ve pulled from The Last Dance that you’ve used in practice?
- Is discipline something you can coach, or is it something you look for when recruiting players?
- How has Twitter, texting, and the constant usage of phones changed kids through the years?
- Do you feel it’s incumbent on you to help kids learn & communicate better, and help to mold them into young men who can thrive in the professional world after college?
- How much are you relying on a kid’s social media feed to assess their character when you’re recruiting them?
- How do you divvy up 11.7 scholarships at a D1 school?
- To what do you attribute the growth in tuition costs?
- What are some red flags when recruiting a kid?
- What do you mean by “chasing the brand?”
- Why are ages 18-22 so important in a young person’s development?
- How did you handle the [George Floyd killing] situation as the coach of a university baseball team?
- At what point do you tell your players that you love them?
- If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently as a leadoff hitter?
- Do you encourage kids to come to you?
- What have you picked up from Coach Rebowe over the years?
- How does having regular interaction with your priest help you?
- Have you always been religious?
- Have you gotten transfers from bigger schools who’ve been All-Conference-caliber players?
Fun questions:
- Social media: net negative or net positive for society?
- Is not wanting something just as good as having it?
- What’s your favorite Big League ballpark that you’ve ever visited?
- What is the best college facility you’ve ever played or coached at?
- If somebody dropped $1 million in your lap tomorrow, what would you do with it?
Listen here:
It’s the little things that build empires. – Head Baseball Coach Seth Thibodeaux, Nicholls State University
Books mentioned:
- The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason
- Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
Connect with Seth:
- Twitter: @Coach_Thib
- Email: thibodeaux@nicholls.edu
- Website: Nicholls Athletics
