Matthew B. Vinson, Coach 18U Fall Ball

I am writing this letter on behalf of Colby Moholland, whom I had the pleasure of coaching this past fall baseball season.   I have also watched Colby during his time in various leagues, throughout his career.  While watching Colby play prior to coaching him, it was evident he was a dedicated player.  His skill on the field was well above what you would normally see in a player his age.  His sportsmanship was always above reproach. As his coach, it did not take long for me to see how goal oriented he was, always striving to do his best, while at the same time being the consummate teammate.   His competitive nature allows him to overcome the pressure and go the extra mile to aid his team.   Colby is always disciplined and courteous to others and a responsible teammate.  He leads by example at all times.

Jon Goss, 14 AAU Travel Baseball Coach 2022 Season

My first exposure to Colby was during a district Little League playoff game that we hosted in Bucksport.  I had heard from other coaches that he had a great eye for the ball with a sweet left handed swing to match.  My son was on the mound pitching and was working his way through the lineup rather efficiently until Colby stepped into the box and drilled a line drive right back up the middle with excellent timing and bat speed. I subsequently began a two year recruiting process that eventually had him playing alongside my son on our 14u Sluggers Elite travel team.  By this time Colby had transformed his tall thin stature to that of a physically strong power hitting lefty.  Colby continued to differentiate himself from the pack with a tremendous eye for the strike zone and a solid understanding of his pitches of preference.  We had many conversations throughout our indoor hitting sessions on how he would start to face pitchers with greater velocity and command of their pitches.  Fast forward that to our travel season in the spring of 2022 and it was very evident that he was a dominant power hitter in our lineup with the strength to drive the ball beyond the outfielders.  Many of our discussions regarding hitting were focused around his timing and staying through the ball to transition him away from his predominantly pull centered swing.  Colby worked extremely hard as the spring and summer progressed and became a more well rounded power hitter driving the ball to all areas of the field which in turn limited the options opposing pitchers could throw at him.  I found that while we were having many of our discussions that I was instructing a hitter that had a very mature almost collegiate level of understanding of the adjustments being suggested.  Colby came to us with the intention of continuing his defensive work as a catcher but showed his better potential to be a transition to 1B and outfield.  He very quickly demonstrated a solid defensive understanding of both, which combined with his athletic 6ft 190lb frame, creates a significant opportunity for his marketability for High School, American legion, and Elite travel ball.  Colby also combines his strong dedication to his baseball skills with a next level commitment to strength and conditioning.  Many of our trips out of state would find Colby and another teammate in the hotel fitness facilities working out on the weight equipment.  Colby also possesses a very strong support network provided by his parents Tom and Cindy.  Their dedication and passion to provide him with the necessary training and experiences to excel are second to none.  The travel requirement alone to our facility was a 2-3 hour 1 way trip.  I was extremely fortunate to witness firsthand their extremely positive mindset and commitment to allowing me to coach Colby without limitations throughout our experience.  I also greatly appreciated Colby’s willingness to receive my unique coaching style with a mature understanding of my experiences as a former collegiate pitcher with over 25 years of multi-level coaching experience.  The future is bright for Colby as he continues to grow and experience elite level competition.  There are no limits for his potential in the game he truly loves.

Matt Smith  Sluggers 14U Head Coach,  2021 Season

I first met Colby while coaching a 14U team for Sluggers. Colby was one of the younger players on our already very young team. Our team was very infielder heavy and we were in need of players able to play outfield at a high level. Colby stepped up and played centerfield for us the majority of the season. He continued to improve throughout the season at a position he was not super comfortable with to start the year. He played any position that was needed of him and never complained. He always played hard and continued to want to get better. During tournaments in between games he would often find an area to get even more reps in. Colby is a hard worker who I’m sure would be able to excel in any environment, and can he ever hit a baseball!

Amber McIver, Basketball Coach Winter 2021, Math Teacher

It is my pleasure to write a recommendation for Colby Moholland. I have watched Colby grow up playing on our community athletic teams from the moment he could join the programs. I have had the opportunity in the last two years to get to know Colby and his family more in the last two years. I have coached Colby and coached against Colby in the last two years. This year, I have had the honor of having him as a student and athlete.  As a student, Colby is diligent, precise,  conscientious, and dependable among many other positive qualities. Individually, Colby takes responsibility for his assignments, he works hard in school and at home to keep work not only caught up, but completed to the best of his ability. Whether he is absent for a trip, illness, or appointment, Colby has his work turned in on time, sometimes before his peers who were present in class. In group projects, Colby takes the lead. He makes sure everyone understands and encourages everyone to work towards a common goal. Any group he is a part of, is better As an athlete, Colby’s work ethic shines through. He works countless hours at every sport he plays trying to improve his skill level and pushing himself each time. My favorite part of Colby as an athlete would be not only his dedication to the fundamentals but his ability to improve the fundamentals of his teammates. Colby works hard to improve those around him, encourages their improvement, and their effort, and thrives in team-oriented environments. He pushes others to be better, while constantly reflecting on his own performance. He is continuously looking to improve not only physically, but mentally as well. He asks questions and gets to know exactly how plays or situations work, when to switch defenses, and analyzes teams and players alongside coaches.  Colby Moholland is an asset to any team he is a part of. He brings a coachable attitude, strong work ethic, positive attitude, and inquisitive mind, all on top of talent and skill. Out of my experience, he is an athlete I always want to coach instead of coach against.