Former collegiate pitcher is new baseball coach
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
The Princeton High School baseball team should see the benefits of taking batting practice off Dave Roberts.
”If we can’t hit a lefty this year,” Roberts said, “I’ll be upset.”
The former left-handed starter at McDaniel College hopes to bring more than that bonus as he moves up from varsity assistant to his first head coaching position with PHS. He flips roles with Scott Goldsmith, who becomes the varsity assistant.
”I’m very excited,” said Roberts, a history teacher at PHS. “It’s definitely something I was looking forward to doing.”
Roberts started seeing coaching and teaching in his future as a freshman at McDaniel. He grew up playing baseball in Delaware, and started for his high school team as a freshman. He pitched four years at McDaniel, where he remains among the top 25 in numerous pitching categories. His teams were consistently above .500 and finished as high as third in a competitive division that includes last year’s Division III national runner-up Johns Hopkins.
”Obviously, my main strengths will be pitchers,” Roberts said. “But in high school, I also was a first baseman. I do know something about the infield. I know enough having played baseball pretty much my whole life.”
Lest anyone think that the former pitcher wouldn’t understand hitting well, his background assures that he was a pitcher who had a good bat.
”I actually started the first 10 games as a freshman in high school as a first baseman before I was a pitcher,” Roberts said. The 28-year-old also brings a wealth of coaching experience, first as an assistant at PHS in 2004-2005, then for two years at Manville High. Working with the Little Tigers last year has helped this season.
”There’s a benefit,” Roberts said. “You know a good portion of the players. You knew a little about them.
”One thing I like is the fact if you clearly lay out your expectations for your players on day one, they really tend to rise to the occasion and follow what is expected of them. I saw that being successful when I coached with Mr. (John) Miranda. That’s one of the things he taught me. Clearly lay out the plan and they’ll follow along.”
Roberts has been clear in his early expectations of the Little Tigers.
”The big points of emphasis have been practice attendance as well as the little things,” he said, explaining, “Being on time, coming to practice every day. We’re going back to basics. We’re going back to fundamental baseball.
”We have a good solid group of eight juniors and seniors who saw significant playing time at the varsity level,” he added. “We have a good returning core. Some of the sophomores and juniors who were on JV will step up and contribute as well.”
Roberts is relying on his past experiences as he takes the helm of a high school team for the first time. His style will combine points he has picked up throughout his playing and coaching days.
”I’m pulling things from Mr. Miranda, I’m pulling things from my college days, what I thought worked and what I thought didn’t,” he said. “I’m also pulling things from Coach (Barry) Davis at Rider. I’ve worked his camps in the summer. He’s turned his program around tremendously. And I’ve talked to my former catcher from college, Bob Laffey, he’s an assistant at Johns Hopkins. I’m pulling things from a lot of different areas.”
Roberts is also leaning on his coaching staff to help build the PHS program. He has worked with the Little Tigers for two previous seasons and hopes to remain for many more to come. He’s hoping the same can be said for Goldsmith, JV coach Allan Forsythe and freshman coach Jason Pikul.
”I’d like to bring stability to the coaching staff,” Roberts said. “It’s one of my goals. The more familiar the team can be with them, the more of a benefit to them.
”All the coaches are in the district. That helps. The coaches have a great rapport with one another. We work tremendously with one another.”
Dave Roberts hopes it stays that way as they make the Little Tigers not just good hitters off lefties, but a good all-around baseball team.

