NMJC hires former assistant as new baseball head coach

New Mexico Junior College has tapped Michael Robbins to be the new head coach of the Thunderbirds' baseball team. Robbins, who was an assistant during the COVID-19-shortened season, takes over following the departure of former head coach Jimmy Durham. Robbins is excited to be named the skipper of the Thunderbirds' baseball program.

"It means a lot to me and it's an exciting time to be able to do that," he said. "It's easy to feel that way speaking on the history of the program and the success that has been had here before. It's really exciting."

Robbins, was previously an assistant at NMJC from Fall 2010 through Spring 2011, has coached at both the collegiate and high school levels. He coached at Southern Arkansas University, University of Arkansas – Monticello, Warding County Junior College, South Houston High School, and many other high schools in Houston. He credits all these stops in helping him learn something new as a coach that he will use to help his players and the program continue to succeed.

"I would say that in all my stops, I have learned something that I feel will help me during this time back here in NMJC," Robbins said. "I think everywhere I have been, I have been fortunate to be around good people and learned a lot from a lot of people in a lot of different places, and I think it will definitely help me."

Robbins' goals for the Thunderbirds will be no different from that of the previous coaches. He wants to do everything he can in college baseball from the conference, the Region V Tournament, and the Junior College World Series.

"The goals are always the same for this place," he said. "It's to go to the regional tournament and win it. Then go to the World Series and win that too. We want to win our conference out right, that would be a really big accomplishment. It's something this place has done a few times. Get into the regional tournament, win the regional tournament, which is always a good event for college baseball, and then getting to the World Series, that's the main thing."

New Mexico Junior College Athletic Director Deron Clark spoke about how he previously met Robbins before becoming the AD at NMJC. He gave Robbins a chance to tell him what his goals are with the program and those goals matched up with what Clark and NMJC wanted for the program.

"I knew him briefly as he was working at a community college over at the Texas side while I was coaching over there," Clark said. "So I crossed paths with him and played against a few of his teams, and I got to see up close and personal the skill set that was there. He and I had multiple conversations once coach Durham informed NMJC that he was going to resign and not come back. I thought it was only fair to hear what the guy had to say and listen to what his vision was for the program and where it would fit in. I liked what he had to say, appreciated his planning and leadership, and knowledge of managing an organization. I think it's one of those deals that he had on his mind for a while and he started sharing with me where he wanted things to go, I thought 'this is right on target with what the institution wants.' Again I appreciated the opportunity to listen and felt it was the right thing to do and give him a chance."

Clark added Robbins and him spoke many times on the vision for the program, how baseball was part of it, and what his leadership model was going to be with the players. It is what helped Robbins become the coach.

When the next season starts, assistant coach Elaro Felix, who was also an assistant with Durham, and under and former interim head coach Jake McCarter and head coach Josh Simpson before that, will join Robbins.

"Elaro Felix is going to stay here as my assistant coach," Robbins said. "As of right now that is how it will stay, myself and him. We are going to share a lot of things, but particular for Felix he will handle a lot of the defensive stuff that we do. He will coach third base and we will share recruiting things. He will definitely have some work on his plate to do, and he will have his role that belongs strictly to him."

Clark spoke highly of having both Robbins and Felix working together in the baseball program, and how they will help the athletes succeed.

'When you talk about a supporting situation that does provide a level of confidence, replacing one person is one thing but then when you are replacing two people you really create a huge opening of what's next and what's going to happen," the NMJC athletic director said. "I think we were fortunate enough to have two solid individuals that are good coaches and good people with a very strong moral compass, that it gives us a chance just to slide those people into the slots that need to be filled, and allow our athletes to come in and essential never miss a beat. Coaching changes can be dramatic and life changing. I know it sounds a little bit overreacting, but it can. If things don't work out well for the kids coming back and they don't know the people involved, and the people involved don't know the personalities they are absorbing, there is no telling what could happen. I think in this circumstance I think everybody is going to get to step up and settle in and give our student athletes what we always work for the best experience possible while they are here in the JC."

When Robbins takes over the program next season, he will have the advantage of walking into a program where he is already known by the players. He will come in having had a hand in each of the players on the roster choosing to play for NMJC. He will also have the rare privilege of having third year players, because of COVID-19, he can rely on to help achieve the goals of the program.

"The good thing about the team coming in next year, is that there isn't anybody that doesn't know me," he said. "There's some guys that I coached in select baseball down in Texas, there's some other guys that I was the main person in recruiting them, and the returning guys where with me and Felix last year. We are going to have some pretty good familiarity with our guys when they come just because of the history I have with a few of them and myself being the one that recruited most of them.

"We are going to have six guys that will be in their third years," Robbins continued. "We are going to have the fortune to have upper class-men leadership, some guys that have been here for three years and not just that. That freshmen group had success and went to the (Junior College) World Series. Getting those six guys back that were sophomore this past year is going to be a good thing."

Robbins did speak on what he has told his players about losing this season to COVID-19. His message has simply been there is plenty of baseball to play for each and every one of them who will wear the Thunderbirds jersey or another next season.

"It's disappointing for everybody involved and anybody that plays a spring sport of any kind to have their season cancelled," he said. "The thing about the players that we have here is this is not their last time playing baseball. If they are moving on from here, this season that was cut short, or they are coming back, or they are a guy coming in from high school, this will not be the last place that they will ever play. There is still a lot of baseball ahead for these guys and that has been my message to them."