Spring Training Starts Without Watchung Hills Coach

March 1 marks the beginning of the varsity baseball season, and at Watchung Hills Regional, that's always a time to forward to.

With six starters from last year's Skyland Conference champions anxious to play, the only thing missing from today's practice will be Head Coach Mario Diez.

Coach Diez has been recuperating from surgery, but he said he's getting well rested and expects to return about March 12.

"I've been home a long time, and I'm ready to get back to work," he said. 

Not being on the sidelines today is a strange feeling for him, but he said he's not worried about the progress the team will make during his absence as they prepare for the March 9 scrimmage game against Woodbridge.

"The assistant coaches are really great—they all came through Watchung Hills," he said. "The kids are in really good hands."

Added to that is the team's attitude about the sport, he added, noting the "kids are working hard."

"The thing about these guys is that they like practice," Coach Diaz said. "They're a great bunch of kids."

Nonetheless, there's something strange about baseball at Watchung Hills without Diaz along the third-base line, or talking to his pitchers—this is the first time in his 28 years as head coach he's missed out on the season start, which he admitted "is a little strange."

And, he said, he's missing out on watching the nearly 90 hopeful players who signed up to try-out for the team.

But it won't be long before he's back, and in the meantime, he's taking it easy.

"I feel good about the people (running the team in his absence)," he said.