Lake View Baseball, South Carolina

In collaboration with Dillon County Theatre Association in South Carolina, Liz Herlong's Broadcast Journalism student Baxleigh Arnette produced this story about Lake View Baseball. The story features an interview with Coach Kip Herlong and highlights winning teams and impressive athletes from the program over the years. Lake View High School aired a different segment about the area each Wednesday morning on the Gator TV Morning News broadcast as part of a series called, "Way Back Wednesdays." It was created for Museum on Main Street's Stories: YES program.

Baxleigh Arnette: The Lake View Wild Gators have been through ups and downs since their first state victory in 1938.

Coach Kip Herlong: [0:22] We came here, my brother and myself, in 1993-1994 school year and began coaching baseball here at Lake View High School. We've had some really good young men come through since that time and currently.

Baxleigh Arnette: [0:37] Coach Kip Herlong is currently in his 28th year as an educator in the state of South Carolina and in his 26th year at the helm of Lake View High School Wild Gator baseball program.

Coach Kip Herlong: [0:47] Community is the biggest reason that this town is so successful in its sports and athletics programs. During that time, we've managed to win seven state championships as a whole, and we continue to be successful here at Lake View High School by the grace of God and, like I said, good young men.

Baxleigh Arnette: [1:16] The Lake View baseball program has produced many college players, including Josh Cribb, who as a senior had a 0.00 ERA and was in the 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 state championships. He also played at Clemson University and was drafted into the Kansas City Royals.

Coach Kip Herlong: [1:41] The kids work well together. They fight every time they step on the field and we try to get them to carry that over in life to help them be successful. I really feel like that's part of the success here, is not only trying to turn out a good baseball program, but trying to turn out good people. You got a good foundation to work with here in Lake View and it continues to grow and continues to be successful and as long as we continue to work together on it, hopefully it'll continue to be successful here.

Baxleigh Arnette: [2:14] Among his accomplishments are being named High School Sports Report 1A Coach of the Year in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, and High School Sports Report Statewide Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2006. The Lake View Wild Gators has won 14 region championships, ten lower-state championships, and eight state championships, in 1938, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2006. The Lake View High School baseball team has won state runner-up honors during the 2002, 2011, and 2017 seasons.

Baxleigh Arnette: [3:22] All in all, the Lake View Wild Gators have a great history, and was and still are a great baseball team for the Lake View community.

Asset ID: 8549
Themes: Crossroads, small towns, sports, community, teamwork, coaching
Date recorded: 2019
Length of recording: 3:38 m
Related traveling exhibition: Crossroads: Change in Rural America
Sponsor or affiliated organization: Dillon County Theatre Association, Dillon, South Carolina
More information: https://museumonmainstreet.org/blog-node/south-carolina-students-kickstart-conversation-around-change