Peter Dindinger — NMMI Sports Press

From their time as little league coaches to the moment they took over the New Mexico Military Institute Colt baseball program, Charlie Ward and Steve Rogers were proven winners.

The three state championships and countless playoff appearances speak for that.

It was more than just about the wins and state titles, at the end of the day it was about making a lasting impression on the players they coached.

They impacted their players in more ways than one.

After 22 years together at the helm of the Colt baseball program, the dynamic duo is now embarking on retirement.

“I think it’s been an awesome ride. Life’s too precious,” Ward said. “I want to see grandkids, family and I want to do things with my girlfriend Tammy. I’m ready to move on.”

Ward began his coaching career in New Mexico shortly after graduating from Sul Ross State University when he got his start in Hagerman back in 1985. He wore many hats, coaching volleyball, track, football and basketball at the middle and high school levels.

The winning ways began early for Ward as Hagerman captured back to back Class 1A state titles in track in 1989 and 1990.

Ward’s coaching career dates back to 1979 after graduating from high school in Alpine, Texas when he coached his sons Robert and Raymond Gonzales at the little league level.

After spending time at Mesa Middle School from 1990 to 1998 as a coach, where he helped lead eighth-grade boys and girls basketball, football and track to city titles.

Ward got the opportunity to come to NMMI in ‘98.

As an assistant under former Colt head football coach Dwight Burns, Ward also served on the staff of former head Colt baseball coach Henry Villareal.

Villareal vacated the position and former NMMI athletic director Richard “Lefty” Stecklein passed the baton over to Ward.

Blessed to receive the new position, Ward brought along his longtime friend, Rogers, as his trusty assistant.

The rest, as they say, is history.

NMMI finished 11-11 during Ward’s first season as head coach in 2000. It marked the first time a Colt baseball team had ended the season at .500 or better since 1967.

From that point on, the Colts appeared in 10 first-round state playoff games, nine quarterfinals and six state semifinals.

A friendship is formed

Rogers and Ward shared the same love of the game, which translated over to their players.

At the age of 19, Rogers got his first coaching opportunity when he was serving in the U.S. Marine Corps across the ocean in Italy.

He was interested in coaching the dependents of the personnel on the base. His age did not convince an admiral that he was worthy of the task.

“My Marines are old enough to guard your base, they’re old enough to coach your team,” said a sergeant major in a phone call to the admiral.

Rogers was able to fulfill his desire to coach and in that first year his team won the league championship.

After 10 years serving in the Marines, Rogers got involved with the Noon Optimist board in Roswell after hearing about a managerial opening in the majors division.

With a chance to coach his son, Rogers got the job.

One of the moms of Rogers’ players had worked with Ward at Mesa. That led to a meeting with Ward and Rogers.

A strong bond through the game of baseball had been created between both coaches.

“We talked baseball, and it was like we were growing on the same tree. He was the front side of the page, I was the backside of the page,” Rogers said.

As their sons got older and moved on in life, the glory days of coaching little league were now over for Ward and Rogers.

Rogers then jumped on the opportunity to join Ward at NMMI.

From underdogs to champions

In 2001, NMMI wasn’t even in the state championship conversation.

Lovington was the odds on favorite to dominate Class 3A.

The Colts reached the semifinals, where they defeated Cobre which was led by former head coach and now New Mexico Lt. Governor Howie Morales.

At the old and now demolished Albuquerque Sports Stadium, the Colts were down 4-3 to Lovington in the state championship.

Heading into the ninth inning deadlocked at 4-4, NMMI got a single, stolen base and then a clutch hit to left field, which proved to be the game-winner.

“Everything went right for them. Pitching was good. They believed,” Ward said about his 2001 squad.

Rogers added, “The first championship to me was kind of shock and awe.”

And so the dynasty had begun.

The following year, NMMI was nothing short of dominant in route to a second-straight Class 3A state championship.

NMMI won 21 games in a row that season, which ranks seventh in the New Mexico Activities Association state record book for most consecutive wins.

From one through nine, the Colts were solid. It showed as they run-ruled just about everyone they played.

It came down to another meeting with nemesis Cobre. This time the two teams met in the state title game at Ricketts Park in Farmington.

The game was close until J.J. Donovan belted a three-run home run in the sixth to lift NMMI to an 8-4 victory.

“That team was just a machine. They could flip that switch,” said Rogers. “We could’ve taken nine boys, put their names in a hat, drew them out and put them in the batting order. That’s how versatile these boys were.”

It was a special moment for Ward as he got to experience it with his son Charlie Ward III, who pitched during the state title game.

A long wait, but Colts again capture state crown

Twenty years later, NMMI found itself back in the limelight and playing for another blue trophy.

This year’s squad was unique because of the strong brotherly bond and never quit mentality.

The Colts began the season winning their first nine games before suffering their first loss in the Sertoma Colt Classic title game.

NMMI then lost four of its next five games.

Things changed after battling through a gauntlet of a district with the likes of East Mountain and Sandia Prep.

The Colts started up another nine-game winning streak to close out the season as they finished tied for third in district.

Receiving the third-seed and a first-round bye, it wasn’t a surprise when the Colts had to face Cobre in the quarterfinals.

The drama started early.

NMMI was down 2-1 in the sixth. Just when it looked like an early elimination for the Colts, Cobre’s pitchers walked six straight batters which helped NMMI take the lead.

The Colts were able to squeeze out the 4-3 win.

Things looked rather bleak in the semifinal game against Raton, which had a 9-3 lead.

NMMI went on to score eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull off an unbelievable 11-9 win to advance to the state title game.

That became the rallying cry for the Colts.

Against district rival East Mountain, NMMI won a dominating 17-1 contest in five innings to hoist the blue trophy.

Ward and Rogers finish with 345 career victories with the Colts.

“Fairy tales do come true. This one here was all about how kids come together and become a family. When it counted these boys were tight knit,” Rogers said.

Positive effects far beyond a title

During the state championship tilt, numerous alumni of previous Colt baseball teams filled the stands at Albuquerque’s Santa Ana Star Field, supporting their former coaches and alma mater.

And that’s when it truly hit home for Ward and Rogers, seeing the impact they had made – for over a generation – on the lives of their former players.

“I did make a difference. I affected this young man’s life,” Rogers said. “It hammered it all home that what we’ve done is not just win state championships and playoff games.

“That’s what we wanted to do initially, but what we really accomplished was far greater and longer lasting, affecting lives in a positive way.”

“This last one we just won to me is all about the kids and the institution of NMMI,” Ward said.

It takes an entire village

For the Colt baseball program, it took a large support staff to make things work whether it was from the administration, athletic secretaries, training staff, sports information department or the Bronco baseball coaches.

Ward took the time to specifically thank former assistant Colt baseball coaches Frank Cisneros, Kenny Pittman, Josh Williams, Levi Hobson, Roger Ybarra, Matt Eisenhower, Greg Maloney, Brad Blackwell and Ben Chavez for helping make the program what it is today.

The coaches also wished to thank the team managers that have always been an integral part to the program. One such memorable team manager was Lindsey Schuda, who became one of the first female NMMI Regimental Commanders.

Ken Morgan, a super fan of Colt baseball, should also be thanked for his support whether it was putting in hours of field maintenance or having cookouts for players back in the day.

He had two sons who played for Ward and Rogers at NMMI, but his support continued far beyond the years in which they played.

Beyond baseball and into retirement

After years of game planning and putting together lineups, Ward can now manage the best team ever, and that’s his 11 grandkids.

There was no secret to the success. All the coaches did was stress fundamentals and the little things.

What began as wanting to pile up wins at the little league level eventually changed the mentality for Rogers.

“The wins were still very important, but not so much as the mental aspects you put into the game knowing something I say or do could have a long term effect in a positive way on these children. I was put here on Earth for some reason,” said Rogers.

NMMI athletic director Jose Barron added: “They are a staple of NMMI. They affected a lot of young lives in many ways. They’re certainly going to be missed. Their impact is immeasurable.”