Tanner Hoops| Staff Writer
The summer of 2017 will be a historic one for baseball in the Storm Lake community; it will mark the return of the Storm Lake Whitecaps for the first time since 1940.
Founded as a semi-pro “town team,” the White Caps baseball organization will provide an opportunity for collegiate players in the Storm Lake area to gain game experience during the off-season. The Whitecaps will compete in the Cornbelt League which also features teams from Bancroft, Carroll, Omaha, Sioux Falls and Albert Lea. The team’s home games will be played at St. Mary’s Memorial Field.
Storm Lake Community Education Director Joe Kucera, a principle player in the bringing the Whitecaps back to Storm Lake, believes the team will provide an affordable entertainment option for the community.
“The Whitecaps will bring family-oriented entertainment to the community. The team will offer affordable tickets, concessions, and merchandise.”
On Friday, November 11, the ‘Caps named Nic Seaman as the first manager in program history.
“My number one goal is to help make the Whitecaps organization a great experience for the players, the youth of the community, and the community as a whole,” said Seaman.
Seaman, a Storm Lake native and a 2013 graduate of Storm Lake High School, has had a love for baseball from an early age. He is set to graduate from Concordia University (Nebraska) this coming May, where he’s also a pitcher on the baseball team. Seaman has spent the past two summers as the varsity pitching coach and the junior varsity head coach at Newell-Fonda High School.
“Being around baseball my whole life and wanting to pursue coaching, it has always been something I have wanted to do. It is a challenging game that brings out the best in you. Baseball teaches you a lot about life.”
Seaman was a member of three state tournament qualifying baseball teams in high school and was a pitcher at North Iowa Area Community College, where his team qualified for the Junior College World Series his sophomore season.
“Being a player in three different programs, I have experienced many coaching styles so I feel like my managerial style will be a blend of all the great coaches I’ve had in the past,” explained Seaman, “I have learned a lot about how teams work, what successful teams do, what unsuccessful teams do, and I have played with many great players that I have learned a lot from.”
“The announcement of Nic Seaman as Head Coach of the Whitecaps is a fantastic opportunity for both Nic and the newly formed Whitecaps,” Kucera stated, “Nic will do great job putting a competitive roster together. Nic brings a great understanding of baseball and coaching to the Whitecaps.”
Seaman, who’s dream is to be a college baseball coach, is the son of Storm Lake High School Athletic Director Ty Seaman and the brother of Storm Lake High School head baseball and wrestling coach Ben Seaman.
“They have definitely made a big impact on me through the years. Over time, I have seen everything that goes into coaching, the hard work the good times and the bad times. I think they are both great coaches and people. I look up to them in all aspects of life.”
“The expectations for the Whitecaps is to become part of the fabric of the community,” said Kucera, “We will expect our players to be approachable, enthusiastic role models who live in our community.”
Photo courtesy: Emily Kenny
Don Wilson SLHS class of 61 • Jun 29, 2017 at 4:48 pm
Pretty sure you are wrong on the 1940 date. I watched the White Caps into the 1950s. At that time there was no little league in Storm Lake. The earliest you could play team ball was the Elks Midgets (essentially Babe Ruth league). The last year of the White Caps, players, from the White Caps were chosen to coach little league teams. The year after that they officially started the little league (I believe 1955). I was too old to play so was score keeper for my brother’s team. Jim Reese, who is still a SL resident, was coach of that team. Either one or 2 years later they started Babe Ruth League and the Elks Midgets went away. All the time I was in High School (56 to 61) they did not have team baseball but they had it before then and started again after. Best guess is the old White Caps last year was 54 to 56.
JaNelle Sharp Kappel • Jul 26, 2018 at 9:53 am
Don, you are right about the dates. My dad, Lou Sharp, played for the Whitecaps in the 50’s. I remember going to the games and I still have his uniform!! We lived in Sac City until 1959 or 1960.