New skipper Paul Weidner wants to make the Honkers relevant in Rochester because this job is personal
Feb. 25—Paul Weidner was still playing baseball six years ago, chasing that dream of playing in the Big Leagues that so many youngsters — and some adults — still think about.
As Weidner's Bethel College career was winding down, he knew that his path in baseball was just getting started. It started with him coaching 13-year-olds with the Great Lakes Baseball Academy in Woodbury. Weidner got excited when he could help young up-and-comers rid themselves of bad habits and finally break through barriers.
Getting everyone to come together and work as a team in the pursuit of winning was the shot of serotonin that Weidner craved.
Weiner excelled at the Great Lakes Baseball Academy, which led to a job with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod League in 2018. He knocked it out of the park there, which led to a 3-year stint at Creighton University, where he worked with the outfielders and hitters while also coaching first base.
Weidner's next step was announced this week when the Rochester Honkers named him their next manager. The 2011 Randolph High School graduate — and four-sport standout — is coming home.
"There are a lot of different summer leagues throughout the country and a lot of towns, so to be able to coach in the town that's closest to me, means so much," Weidner said. "I'm from here. I'm going to have a lot of family and friends around and close to me. When I was at Bethel College, we've sent a few players to play in Rochester, so when the opportunity came open, I jumped at it."
Weidner wants Rochester's pitching staff to fill the zone with strikes. He plans to have in-depth conversations with every Honkers player and every college coaching staff so they can put together a plan for the summer. Weidner gave all-out effort as a player, and that's what he'll expect from his team. His coaching staff won't fit a square peg in a round hole. They plan to adjust to the skillset of their roster, while also prioritizing consistency each and every day.
But this is bigger than just a product on the baseball field. It's sort of a culture shift for the Honkers. This is personal now.
General manager Jeremy Aagard clicked right away with Weidner throughout the interview process. They both are fathers of young children, and they have an intense desire to see the Honkers shake off a tough 2020 season (7-30 record) and get back to their winning ways.
"He's actually played at Mayo Field," Aagard said. "That's a rarity. He's aware of who we are. The fact that he had experience coaching in summer leagues (Cape Cod League) was huge because some players look at this as a summer vacation. This isn't a summer vacation. This is our livelihood. This is what we do. We want those guys to buy-in to the entire program. Whether that's taking five minutes to talk to young fans when they come into the ballpark or doing a quick autograph at the end of the night.
"We want to win games, but we want to win games with the right guys. The talent is great but the personality and the overall understanding of the organization is key. We want them to enjoy their experience in Rochester and go back to schools and be salespeople for us.
"This guy gets it. He wants his family to be involved. What else could I ask for? If he's not comfortable bringing his family, how could we invite your family?"
This job isn't just a summer job for Weidner. Obviously, he wants to win, but the Honkers have big plans to get into the nitty-gritty of the Rochester community and really connect with their hometown.
"We have a platform to make what we do matter," Weidner said. "That's why I want the organization to be successful. I want the community to be proud of us. If you don't have a team that matters or the community doesn't embrace it, then how much does it really mean when you show up to a school? I'm sure they're not upset that we're there, but it doesn't carry the weight that it should. I want it to be a huge part of what we do. I want our guys to set an example on the field and be people that little kids want to emulate."
After the summer is over, Weidner will head back to Bethel College to take a job as an assistant for his alma mater, but he doesn't want to leave Rochester without making an impact. Because this job is personal to him. Leading the right way and doing the right thing is everything to Weidner.
But most importantly, he just wants the Honkers to make a difference and matter.
