With the Razorbacks playing for the NCAA baseball championship in Omaha tonight, it seems only right to mention it here. Into the breach steps volunteer sportswriter Betty Woody (aka the Blog’s Mountain Girl) with a story from the past about the Razorbacks’ head coach.
By Betty Woody
When 26-year-old assistant college baseball coach Dennis Woody was brought back to his alma mater in 1990 to take over the program at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo., (formerly CMSU), he had a game plan. Among other things, his goal was to put together a team that would go to the Division II college world series, within three years. He calculated it would take that long to put together the right coaching staff and find the exact players he would need to form a cohesive team who would also settle for nothing less.
By the fall of 1993, everything was going according to plan. Then something unexpected happened. Coach Woody got a call from his longtime friend, and sometimes mentor, Art Stewart, scouting director for the Kansas City Royals. Art wanted a meeting, in Kansas City.
Woody made the drive home from Kansas City to Warrensburg, faced with the biggest decision of his young life. Art Stewart had offered an area scouting job with the KC Royals in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the northern part of Florida. But Woody would only have 30 days to make the move.
Woody’s team was in place, the staff was in place, and this could be their year. But since childhood in a small town not far from Kansas City, lying in bed listening to the Royals games on his little transistor radio, Woody dreamed of being a Royal.
With a very heavy heart and more than a few tears, Woody met with his staff first, then the whole team together, and told them his dilemma. A few were angry, but most were encouraging and told him to follow his dream. Woody assured them they were ready, with or without him. And he also assured them he would do all in his power to find a perfect match for their goals and someone who would continue the path to success they were currently on.
The University began the search and interview process. From day one, there was only one clear choice in Woody’s mind. That coach was currently at a small junior college in Texarkana. A previous professional relationship and multiple conversations convinced Woody that this was the guy to come in and take over this team and their path to victory.
When the young coach came to Warrensburg for an interview, Woody took him on a tour of the facilities. During their visit, Woody asked him if he had an “end job” in mind. The visiting coach replied, “Well, my plan is to be the head coach at the University of Arkansas”.
After five personal calls from then Arkansas Head Coach Norm DeBriyn, highly recommending the candidate, Woody went to bat for this young coach and was instrumental in securing the job for him.
That young man was Dave Van Horn. And take over the program Van Horn did! The following spring, Van Horn took the team to the Division II College World Series and won, and went on to be named NCAA Division II National Coach of the year.
Today, Dave Van Horn has racked up too many awards, accomplishments and championships to list, including a 642-362 record as coach of the Razorbacks, and is on the eve of winning the college baseball holy grail, the Division I National Championship!
Sometimes, we really do find our destiny.
*Dennis Woody is now International Scouting Supervisor for the New York Yankees.