Addison Rouse has been Head baseball olach at ENC since 2013. Since his arrival, the ENC baseball program has been transformed from the inside out—completely for the better. A lot of students see him on the field but have little knowledge about the man behind the baseball bat.
Jonni: Where did you grow up? Where are you originally from?
Coach: Florence, Kentucky. It’s about 10 minutes out of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Jonni: Where did you graduate from?
Coach: Brescia University in Kentucky. And then got my Masters at Henderson State in Arkansas.
Jonni: Who got you into baseball?
Coach: Just growing up watching it on TV and playing in the yard with my father is what created that passion and love when I was a kid.
Jonni: What is your favorite national team?
Coach: Cincinnati Reds.
Jonni: How did you get the job at ENC as the head baseball coach?
Coach: I applied to literally every coaching job that was open in America. This job came about and I emailed the AD directly, and after phone interviewing and flying out to Boston, the rest is history.
Jonni: What has been the most memorable moment or game?
Coach: My first year when we beat Western New England. It was the first time we had beaten them since 2005 and was quite the accomplishment. They have a program with a lot of history.
Jonni: If you could change one thing about the program, what would it be?
Coach: We would have the turf field. But they are in the process of raising that money and should be breaking ground soon. It would definitely be a game changer for our program. I’m very excited.
Jonni: What is the biggest advantage of being the coach here?
Coach: The relationships that you get to make with your players! It truly makes me feel like I never work a day in my life getting a chance to impact my guys on a daily basis.
Jonni: What are your plans for the near future?
Coach: Keep building this program to a level that’s competitive on a regional/national level. That’s what I set out to do when I got here and I would love to see it through.
Jonni: What are some long term goals?
Coach: That’s a tough question as I haven’t thought too far ahead. I’d like to obviously have a family in the near future. Settle down some day and keep doing what I love in coaching and teaching. I don’t know if that entails me being here forever or moving on at some point. I just got to trust God’s plan for my life.
Jonni: What is your favorite part of the season?
Coach: Definitely right now when we are playing on a regular basis. I love being on the baseball field and coaching my guys.
Jonni: How and when did you become a Christian?
Coach: I became a Christian when I was in high school through a youth organization called Young Life. I had no prior experience with Christ until I started going to Young Life. I gave a cool testimony with one of those out of body experiences and after that moment, I realized that this God thing was magical and life changing.
Jonni: Who is the biggest influence in your life?
Coach: My parents are my biggest influence. It may sound cliché, but their support has been unparalleled and means so much to me.
Jonni: How have you grown spiritually and mentally in Boston?
Coach: I have really grown since I moved here. It’s been such a big learning experience for me. I have gone through some personal struggles. And obviously being a first-time head coach, I’ve dealt with those issues as well. I truly feel like I’ve grown full circle as a person and as a Christian.