NMMI Sports Press
If there’s anyone out there who doesn’t think former Colt Baseball head coach Charlie Ward deserves to be in the New Mexico Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, it’s Ward himself…and maybe a few of his players’ mothers.
“A few moms probably didn’t like me,” Ward said with a grin. “When it comes to baseball, the decisions I made, if anybody took anything personally, I apologize. When the representatives of the association told me, I was speechless. I finally asked, ‘Do I deserve this?’ Then I get calls from other coaches and reality sets in, but I’m still in shock. I’m glad they didn’t ask a few of those moms.”
On Friday evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albuquerque, Ward will be inducted into the NMBCA Hall of Fame, less than a year removed from coaching his final game for New Mexico Military Institute, a 17-1 state title victory, and receiving baseball coach of the year honors from the New Mexico High School Coaches Association.
“I’m honored. I’m humbled. And it feels really good to be going in alongside a great friend and rival, Artie Sanchez from Cobre,” Ward said. “I’m proud to go in next to him. We had some great battles.”
NMMI athletic director Jose Barron will introduce Ward at the banquet. Barron and Ward have been friends for years, back before Barron started working at the Institute as an athletic trainer.
“Charlie Ward is the ultimate competitor that understands this unique environment and knows how to get everything out of an athlete,” Barron said. “I’ve known Charlie since I moved to Roswell and it’s one of the highlights of my career as athletic director to have a hall of famer and friend ask me to represent him in this way.”
Ward came to NMMI in 98 and took over as the head baseball coach in 2000. The Colts went 11-11 that season, the first at .500 or better in decades. It only got better from there, with an unlikely state title run in ’01, a dominating defense of that title in ’02, and then numerous playoff appearances leading up to the third and final championship last season. He also served as an assistant football coach throughout his time at the Institute.
“Henry Villareal was the head baseball coach back then and he gave me a chance as his assistant. We became great friends and are close to this day.” said Ward. “Then the AD at that time, Lefty Stecklein, hired me as the head coach. If it wasn’t for those two, I wouldn’t have been at NMMI.”
Alan Edmonson, a Roswell native whose father coached at NMMI and secretary of the NMBCA, pushed for Ward’s induction and informed him of his selection.
“I’m really excited about getting him in the Hall,” Edmondson said. “What he did at NMMI is beyond impressive. At a school where year-to-year you don’t know what you’ll have, practice restrictions, the kids’ responsibilities to the Corps...you just don’t have the same resources or freedoms you have at other schools. So to have the career he did is incredible. He’s a very grounded and humble guy that very much deserves this honor.”
Ward thanked the many players, coaches, trainers, parents, volunteers and administrators that have helped him along the way, but was most grateful for his longtime assistant coach Steve Rogers.
“Steve was here for the whole ride and I couldn’t have done it without him,” Ward said. “He deserves to go in with me. We had a good relationship on the field and we believed in what we were teaching.”
Many who know Ward thought he’d coach forever, but Ward began to think about life after baseball after his close friend, Roswell sports legend and Gateway Christian football and baseball coach Mickey Reeves, died during the 6-man state title game in 2021.
“We were playing in a quarterfinal game and they were in the title game and we talked on the phone that morning,” Ward said. “We talked about life and golf and our careers, and before we got off the phone we said ‘I love you, brother’ to each other and of course the rest is history. It tore me up. I knew I had to change my lifestyle.”
Ward informed the NMMI administration and his confidants of his intention to retire after the 2022 season, but didn’t tell his players until right after their state quarterfinal win over Cobre.
“We had a tough game. I was upset over some balks that were called against us. We won, but there was just a look in the dugout. We had to change the vibe,” Ward said. “I decided to tell them right there. I explained myself the best I could. I told them about my family, and that I had accomplished everything whether we won another game or not, but if we played out butts off for two more games, it would be exciting. That was one of those coaching decisions I know I got right.”
The Colts rallied from a late six-run deficit to top Raton in the semis, then completely decimated East Mountain 17-1 in the title game, a fitting sendoff for Ward and Rogers.
Ward wished to thank his assistant coaches over the years; Frank Sisneros, Kenny Pittman, Josh Williams, Levi Hobson, Roger Ybarra, Matt Eisenhower, Greg Maloney, Brad Blackwell and Ben Chavez.
“The Maloney’s have had four kids come through NMMI and Greg has volunteered his time as a coach for many years,” Ward said. “Brad is taking over as the head coach. He’s a young guy with ideas. I enjoyed my time with him and I hope he has success.”
Since retiring, Ward has enjoyed spending time with his girlfriend Tammy, his four grown children (Charlie, Robert, Ray and Misty) and his 11 grandchildren. He also enjoys humbling himself on the links, watching his favorite teams from his birthplace of Los Angeles, and has expanded his horizons by taking in fine arts and dance performances.
“I’m enjoying myself. Me and Tammy are going on four years and she’s great. Her daughters Abbi and Kaitlyn are very talented and we enjoy going to their performances.” Ward said. “We travel to see all the grandkids and I play golf with my sons. Sometimes I can outdrive them, show them the old man’s still got it. And I have Mickey’s clubs, so he’s always with me.”
Ward said the relationships he built with his peers and rival coaches will last the rest of his life. Among the coaches and programs Ward mentioned were Archie Duran at Dexter, Drew Reynolds at Eunice, Ty Thatcher at Texico, Leroy Gonzalez at Robertson, Paul Huitt at Sandia Prep, Augustin Ruiz at St. Michael’s, Mark Thompson at Hatch and Gilbert Alvarado at Ruidoso.
“I have a lot of respect for those coaches and their programs, but more than that, I’ve become friends with these guys,” Ward said. “I always loved competing against the very best, but the relationships I have with them mean more than the wins and losses.”
Ward said NMMI’s biggest nemesis during his tenure was the Cobre Indians from Bayard, NM. Howie Morales, current lieutenant governor of New Mexico, was the coach at Cobre when Ward started, then Sanchez, and finally current coach Adrian Acosta.
“I think Cobre’s one of the best programs in the state,” Ward said. “We’ve had some great matchups in the playoffs and they’ve had some really good coaches that are still my friends.”
Ward’s full ‘Thank You’ list is long, and he plans on mentioning everyone he can remember tonight during his speech.
“There’s so many people to thank, starting with my family,” he said. “The friendships I’ve made at NMMI are so important to me. The football and baseball coaches I’ve worked with are some of my best friends. And of course the kids. It’s been a privilege being a part of their lives.”
When asked what kept Ward at NMMI for all those years, he went back to his family.
“My number one priority was always my children,” he said. “I wanted to give that same loyalty to a school and program. I wanted to be that constant for some of these kids that can’t see their family all year. They knew I cared about them as individuals more than baseball players. They knew I cared more about their heart than how hard they could hit. I think those few moms knew it too.”