Coach Michael Long Jr. had big shoes to fill when he stepped in to lead the Carver High School baseball program in Columbus, Georgia. The program was struggling after beloved coach—David Pollard—passed away in a tragic car accident, losing the momentum that he had worked to build. Long was determined to restore the program that Pollard had built so that he could help kids get to the next level.
Fielding a team was no small feat. Long had to recruit players who had never played baseball before or had not played in a while. But, he was determined to succeed and used his passion and vision for the game to motivate his players despite a difficult first season.
Long’s hard work and dedication have helped the Carver High School baseball program learn from adversity. The team has made great strides, and Long has continued to make a difference in the lives of his players
His commitment to his players and the program earned him the GameChanger of the Year award over a thousand other submissions. He cares about his players and their futures, and wants to build a program that can help them succeed academically and athletically, and become leaders in their community. Long is more than a coach; he’s a mentor and a brother to all of his players.
Coach Long is a tremendous example to us at PROLOOK. We are grateful for the opportunity we have had to provide him and the Carver baseball team with new uniforms and apparel.
“I was very thankful for that because we’ve struggled a little bit with getting some of the basic stuff. And, the boys love them—I’m pretty sure some of them tried to wear them to bed,” Long said when asked about the uniforms.
