The smell of the fresh cut grass, the feel of the infield dirt on your hands, and the sound of the ball pinging off the sweet spot of a bat are all things that most baseball players miss once they move on from the sport.

For some recent high school graduates, being absent from the game of baseball was just to much bare. These young men might not play competitive baseball anymore, but they found a way to stay in the game and give back to their alma mater as well by becoming assistant coaches.Coaching, of course, is much different from playing, and most would agree that at the high school level, the job is not done for monetary reasons. It's a job of passion and love for the game, and the desire to motivate and cultivate young people in the community.James Farano and Anthony Rossino, a pair of 2014 Lehighton graduates, are very recent departures from the Indians' baseball program. Farano was a three-year varsity starter at shortstop, while Rossino was a two year starter in centerfield.The two can still be found in the dugout for the Indians, but now they are there in a coaching capacity. The two Indians are part of a significant influx of young coaches that have joined the Times News baseball ranks this season."I've been used to playing high school sports or competitive sports my whole life, so I definitely missed that," said Rossino. "I really enjoyed my time as a baseball player at Lehighton and coach (Brian) Polaha taught me a lot of what I know about the game."So, I thought it was a perfect situation for me to be able to be around sports, and also give back to Lehighton a little bit. This school gave me so many good memories, and I'm just trying to help create some more for the players there now."Zach King, a 2012 Panther Valley graduate, is also part of the youth coaching movement in the Times News area.King, a two-year starter at shortstop during his playing days with the Panthers, said his love for the game and pride in his alma mater also served as the catalyst for him to get into coaching."For me, it's all about wanting to help coach (Rich) Evanko and our school do well. I also love helping the kids," said King. "When I see a kid doing something fundamentally wrong and I help them and then they correct it, that's a great feeling."It's almost like you're still playing. I think that's what coaching is all about. Helping these kids learn the game, and then also trying to set a good example while doing it."Evanko, the Panthers' first-year head coach, knows how hard it is to find reliable and dedicated assistant coaches. Evanko served as an assistant under long time PV head coach John Cooper before being hired for the head spot this season."I think having young coaches is invaluable to a baseball program. I feel like they're a good branch of the staff to have because they can relate to the kids a little better in certain situations," said Evanko. "Plus, most, if not all, young coaches just bring a different energy to the table."When it's all said and done, this is supposed to be fun, and that's an element a young coach can definitely supply."It's safe to say that at one time or another a player will get mad at their coach for something. As Evanko stated, having a young coach on the staff could help with that as the player might relate to a younger coach a little better in certain situations because of the closeness in age."I definitely think the players can relate to a younger coach. I know all these guys and they know I love the game," said Rossino. Coach Polaha and his staff are great at motivating our players and I'm just here to help as much as I can. It's just great to be a part of the game again and be back in the maroon and white."Some other recent graduates coaching in the Times News area are Tyler Svetik (Palmerton), Luke Stawick (Marian, coaching at Panther Valley), and Nate Kester (Northwestern, coaching at Tamaqua).