FORT MADISON – The systems and philosophies of the last four years under the leadership of former Head Coach Ron Walker are in good hands for the Fort Madison baseball program.
Former Holy Trinity Catholic Head Coach Albert Schinstock, who’s been Walker’s assistant for the past four years, was approved as the new head coach in March by the Fort Madison School Board.
Schinstock, known for his blue-collar approach to the game, will take over a Hounds' program that has been on an upswing under Walker’s leadership.
He said what the Hounds have been rebuilding for the past four years, will continue.
“It’s gonna be the same process. Honestly, I did three years at HTC and four years with Ronnie after they merged, and I think it went really smoothly,” Schinstock said.
He said volunteer assistants Jamie Williams, who’s been with the program since Walker took over, will also remain part of the program to help keep the momentum.
In 2018, Schinstock’s Crusaders went 7-15, but tied the school's highest win record since at least 2008. The Crusaders won just three games in 2016 and five in 2017 before merging programs with Fort Madison.
The Bloodhounds, prior to Walker’s tenure, hadn’t won more than six games in any of the previous five years.
When Walker and Schinstock took over the program, the Hounds jumped to 16 wins in the first year in 2019 and hit a high mark of 25 wins in 2021 when Fort Madison won just under 75% of their games and advanced to the second round of substate falling to Central DeWitt 5-1.
Schinstock wants to keep the focus on intricacies of the game and maintaining a system that continues interest.
“We’ll continue to focus on the small details. (Walker) was a lot more about fundamentals and detail-oriented. I’ve been able to pick that up and carry it on to help out some of our youth,” Schinstock said.
He currently coaches a 10U team with Randy Beelman.
Schinstock says over the past seven years he's built a good relationship with student-athletes.
“I don’t talk a lot, but I can talk to the players. I think I have a really good relationship with them,” he said.
“You have to be able to talk with them and keep their interest so they want to come out the next year. No matter what happens, you’re still their coach and you have to do that.”
He said that’s the hardest thing about coaching now – keeping kids interested.
“That’s the hardest thing to do right now. I’m struggling to get some of our juniors to come out this year- some really key players that could help the program,” he said.
Fort Madison school officials announced last week that the district won’t be sharing athletic programs with any schools in the near future, including Holy Trinity Catholic which is currently in a shared program for baseball.
With that announcement, Holy Trinity will be able to participate in baseball this summer since it’s still part of the 2022-23 school year, but at this point, won’t be sharing in the program next year.
Schinstock declined to comment on that development.
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