By JOSHUA BUCKLEY © COPYRIGHT 2011 Houston5ABaseball.com
The Mustangs have won three state championships since 2000 and finished as state runners-up last season.
Despite taking over a team known for its huge success on the diamond, Rodden said he isn't feeling very much pressure.
"The only pressure I feel is the pressure from myself not wanting to let the kids down," Rodden said. "I run things a little differently because I focus on a lot of things beyond the field. I'm in this for more than just winning. I want to help these boys become men, and more importantly Godly men.
"They have talent, so if we can get them to become great men, they will play great baseball."
This is Rodden's second head coaching job. He spent a season at Earlhan College in Indiana
Rodden's stops also include assistant jobs at Howard Payne University
Rodden said the school's academics, as well as baseball success, appealed to him.
Rodden said he sees the big picture about running a program and is focusing on the small details to accomplish that. To do that, he's hired a group of "great assistants."
"There are plenty of people they could hire to win games," Rodden said. "I want to be more than that, and I believe we are headed in the right direction."
Of course, Houston Christian is still expected to be one of the top programs in the state, as it goes for its eighth straight district title and fourth straight region championship.
The Mustangs are anchored by a pair of star senior pitchers in Andrew Cecil (7-2) and Konrad Koenig (10-0). Koenig was second team all-state last season.
Rodden said junior move-in Mitchell Traver may have the best talent of the whole group, but he won't be thrust into a pressure role with Cecil and Koenig on the roster.
"Pitching and defense are definitely going to be are strengths," Rodden said. "Both of those guys coming back were among the best in the city last year. You add Mitchell, and we may have the best staff in the state. I've never seen a high school with the pitching depth we have."
When he's not on the mound, Koenig will be a key to the Mustangs' offense at second base. Rodden said the senior is an all-state caliber player at that position as well.
Seniors Reid Bishop (OF), Jason Brown (catcher), Kirby Holt (IF) and Andrew Torres (OF) will also be key to Houston Christian's success this season.
Rodden said with the amount of talent returning, the Mustangs should be able to make the playoffs for the 12th straight season and go for state championship No. 4.
"Everyone in our dugout expects us to win state," Rodden said. "They know how close they were last year, and just made some errors that hurt. These things aren't easy to win as some may think, but we expect to be raising a trophy in Belton at the end of the season." HOUSTON - For the first time in school history, there will be someone other than Ron Mathis in the Houston Christian baseball dugout.
Mathis stepped down following another appearance in the state tournament for the Mustangs. Joe Rodden was hired in June, hoping to continue Mathis' legacy of leading one of the top Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools in the state.
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