In the three years that head coach Ryan Gros has coached Lovejoy baseball, they have not only secured area champ two years in a row but also made a notable run to second place in the UIL State Championship. Under Gros, Lovejoy has also had a handful of players go on to play Division I college baseball, including one player who made it to the MLB draft. TRL interviewed Coach Gros to better understand how, and why, he runs Lovejoy baseball.
Gros started his baseball career at Highland Park High School, describing his time there as “some of the best memories [he] ever had” before moving on to Panola Junior College for one year while playing baseball. In his sophomore year, he transferred to the University of Arkansas Fort Smith where he played three more years of college baseball. While finishing his education, Coach Gros was an assistant coach for UAFS baseball for a year. He graduated from UAFS in 2015 with a Bachelor of Math Education.
Although his baseball career was over, Gros “wanted to find [his] way back” to the sport and believed that he could make a “huge impact” through coaching. So, after coaching at McKinney HS for 6 years, Gros came to Lovejoy in 2021. “I walked into a very good situation,” Gros said in reference to the culture of LHS, “a situation where kids care and really have a passion for learning and being the best they can be.” He says this has helped in shaping his coaching philosophy here at Lovejoy.
Gros took it upon himself to “take the ego out” of baseball, one step at a time. “The goal is to find value in roles where there’s no status…from the manager to starting varsity players,” Gros explained. This philosophy, which emphasizes team cohesion over individuality, has been a key factor in the success of Lojo Baseball. He believes that baseball, despite the team aspect, is fundamentally self-centered. While on the the field, Gros likes to “stay away from results,” believing that success comes from “day-to-day actions” and a “consistent approach” to lifting, practicing and coaching, rather than focusing on records, scores or stats.
The introduction of Lovejoy’s new Athletic Director, Todd Dodge, has also had a strong impact on Lojo Baseball. “His presence brings a certain standard that you want to rise to,” Gros said. Coach Gros is “very appreciative” of Coach Dodge’s encouragement and looks forward to learning from the renowned coach as the 2024-2025 season progresses.
Gros is also thankful for the opportunity to influence and impact the kids he teaches and coaches. He hopes he can continue to “model what it looks like to care about other people” and bring positive change to the kids he coaches, so they can “be successful beyond [LHS].”
