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Message From ROCORI Baseball Head Coach Jeff Illies


A message from ROCORI baseball head coach Jeff Illies:

First of all, I hope every one of you is remaining safe and healthy during this time. I am guessing by now you have heard the news made official by the Minnesota State High School League on Thursday that the ROCORI baseball season and the rest of the 2019-20 spring high school sports have been cancelled.

It absolutely breaks my heart to know our team and our players will not be able to fulfill the goals they set out to accomplish for what was going to be a very memorable season in 2020. No words can describe how saddened I am for our seniors. I am a firm believer that every curveball that life throws at you will only make you stronger in the long run, and more prepared to face the major obstacles that will be presented in the years ahead. Bottom line is, adversity builds character!

With that begin said, I want each of our players to know how I proud I am of them for the work that they have put in this past year to making themselves CHAMPIONSHIP baseball players, not only on the field, but in the game of life. I have never in my tenure as a head coach at ROCORI high school seen a group of individuals dedicate themselves like they have to continuing the tradition of excellence that ROCORI baseball is.

In addition, my promise to our team and our players is that our program will never forget that effort, even though they weren't ultimately able to display it on the field this year. From this day forward, we will use this year's team as a model of commitment and dedication to what it takes to be an elite program and I hope this team is forever proud of that.

As young adults, they have been put in a situation that no one should ever have to be in. But just like the stress and battles that occur within the game of baseball, this momentous life-changing event will only make them STRONGER individuals in the game of life.

Although the record books may not show it, in the ROCORI community's eyes, the 2020 ROCORI baseball team is a state championship team. That is something I hope they never forget. This year's team will forever be in the mix as one of the greatest teams to have ever come through our historic program.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to every one of our players for the commitment, the hard work and the dedication they have shown towards being champions both on the field and off. I love each and every one of our players and I will never forget them!

Sincerely, a very proud coach!

- Jeff Illies and the ROCORI baseball program

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