Mercer Takes Over as Fitness Center Manager
Dallas College North Lake baseball coach Corey Mercer has taken the position of North Lake's fitness center manager.
Mercer, who spent the last 18 years as head coach at North Lake, won 380 games with the Blazers.
"I'm excited. It's a new challenge, something different," said Mercer, who will also devote more time to his family. "Can't do the same thing forever. It will certainly be different. It's all I've ever really known as an adult. I told myself a long time ago, I didn't want to be the bitter guy to end it. I didn't want it to be more of a job, and just showing up and doing the same thing over again. I wanted to stay fresh. I'm not there yet, but when the offer presented itself, I think it's a good time for it to get out. I still love it, I still enjoy it, but I can still be involved, especially in the weight room. I'm still going to see all the guys in there. I'm still going to be able to help them out that way. And I'm sure I'll work my way down there, and throw some BP."
Mercer and his staff have sent roughly 130 players off to four-year institutions to play after their time with the Blazers. North Lake's 2019 team went 34-22 overall, 24-6 to win the then-Metro Athletic Conference title before a 2-2 postseason showing. His 2014 squad went 33-23 overall, 21-9 in the league, with a 1-2 mark in the postseason.
Former Blazers pitcher Jeremy Heatley was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 22nd round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft. He went on to play for the University of Arkansas before a couple years of minor league baseball. Former North Lake outfielder Sean Danielson, whom Mercer coached as an assistant with the Blazers before assuming the head coaching role, went on to play from 2005-10 in the minors, working his way up to AAA Pawtucket in the Boston Red Sox organization.
"As much as I hate to see Coach Mercer leave the diamond, I'm just very happy, as all the coaches here are, that he's still going to be part of the team," North Lake Athletic Director Greg Sommers said. "It's bittersweet. We hate to see him leave the diamond, but he's put us in a great position, set whoever comes in next up for success. He's going to do the same thing in the weight room and be a part of the team, so we're excited about that.
"It is fun what we do, but it is a lot of time away from family. He's been here 18 years. He's ready for a new challenge, and he's excited for the new weight room, as we all are. We don't get a lot of new things here, and it's just exciting that we have a new weight room and new equipment for him to oversee. He knows his way around the weight room, obviously, being a high school and college athlete and coach. He'll be able to help students and employees in the weight room, give specific-type workouts for their needs and their goals. He knows if you're trying lose weight, gain weight, rehab an injury … he's going to be able to help anybody. And if he can't, he's going to know people to go and ask and talk to. So he's going to be a great resource for our students and employees."
Mercer has taught classes in the fitness center, and has gained a great deal of injury prevention training in the environment. He will now have the opportunity to share that knowledge in his new role.
"The new facility is awesome," Mercer said. "My hope is that I can help the athletic programs being in there, knowing that they kind of got one of their own down there, being able to grow it, and continue to do what we've done. Make it bigger and better, and hopefully create some programs to get more people in there."
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