By Rodney Hays

Editor

Prosper High School baseball coach Rick Carpenter is beginning his second season here. He started the regular season off last week with a win and a milestone.

In a 6-0 win over Van Alstyne, Carpenter collected his 600th win.

Carpenter began his head coaching career in Texas in 1982 at High Island High School. An interesting tidbit about High Island, PISD Superintendent Drew Watkins became the baseball coach there a few years after Carpenter left.

Watkins said the district was fortunate to have a coach like Carpenter.

"Although 600 wins is an impressive accomplishment by any standard, I am most thankful that we have a great "man" working with our young people," Watkins said. "Prosper kids deserve the best and we have that in Coach Carpenter."

After the the big win, Carpenter has a record of 600-213-4 after almost 30 years in high school baseball.

Carpenter said the first win was a little harder to recall.

"It was obviously at High Island but I can not remember it," he said.

Many of the big milestone victories have come and gone without a lot of memories, Carpenter said. He did remember 500 wins.

"It was a big district game and the only reason I remember it is that my son Matt, who was at TCU at the time, called me to congratulate me and I didn't even know it had happened," Carpenter said. "it just slipped my mind. I can't remember the rest."

Carpenter also has three state championships at Elkins HIgh School. One of the those victories was memorable: The 5-4 victory over John Danks (a former Texas Ranger first-round draft pick and now pitches for the Chicago White Sox) for the 2003 state championship.

Carpenter has left his mark on the game in other ways too. He has about 40 former players who moved on to play NCAA Division 1 baseball. More than 20 were drafter by a major league ball club and two played in the big leagues.

The coach said the wins and championships are nice but he enjoys the game for other reasons.

"Every year is special when you love the game and get to work with youngsters."