Posted on: December 11, 2022 Posted by: Glacier Staff Comments: 0

Photo by Mike Kane

By Mohammed Jbara, Freelance Contributor

Moraine Valley’s new head coach, Mike Kane, isn’t exactly new to Moraine.

Kane first coached for Moraine from 2014-2016, 31 years after playing in the minors in the Boston Red Sox system. He was drafted out of Harry S Truman College in Chicago in the 2nd round, according to his profile on Baseball Reference. Kane first coached for Moraine as an assistant under longtime head coach and Moraine Valley Athletics Hall of Famer Al Budding.

After a stint as JV and hitting coach for Lewis University, he came back to Moraine to take over as head coach. But after 2016, Kane had to resign due to personal reasons.

“You know what, I never wanted to leave,” Kane said. “What happened was my wife was really ill and she ended up passing away a couple months after I resigned. The crazy thing about it was that it was six and a half years ago. And when I found out they were looking for a coach, I was on my honeymoon with my new wife.”

But Kane was still around the community and in his spare time he used to help kids improve their game: “I give hitting lessons at a place called D-Bat in Hickory Hills. So I’ve been staying in touch.”

And when I found out they were looking for a coach, I was on my honeymoon with my new wife.”

Mike Kane, MV baseball head coach

Before going into coaching, Kane was not bad player himself. He was considered a serious Major League prospect, but then his time in the Red Sox system didn’t last.

“I played two years with the Boston Red Sox,” Kane said. “I was drafted in the second round as a third baseman. I had a really good first year. I played in the New York Pennsylvania League, played every game in the season, but then I screwed up my knee.”

Therefore, Kane definitely has a bit of experience under his belt when it comes to baseball.

In his stint as head coach from 2014-2016, the Cyclones weren’t anything special, but Kane liked to look at the glass half full.

“We were okay, we weren’t very good though,” he said. “But the most important thing I told the guys is to ask themselves: ‘How can they get better day by day?’ My big thing is to look way better in game 10 than you did in game 1.”

Kane is ecstatic to get back to work here at Moraine, and the players look forward to it as well. This team is already a talented group and now they have a head coach that’s able to help this team grow. Kane is pleased about the work ethic and hopes to make the most out of it.

“I thought the kids were hard workers, which is exactly what you’re looking for,” Kane said. “I’m really happy and looking forward to getting to work.”