PLUM, Pa. — There’s a lot of pride in Plum as the borough cheers on one of its own in the Tokyo Olympics. The Plum High School baseball coach is among the loudest of them, cheering on his former pitcher, Scott McGough.
McGough is the first student athlete Carl Vollmer has coached that has become an Olympian and he couldn’t be prouder.
“A lot of places in Western Pennsylvania football is king. Plum is unique in the fact that baseball is a big, big part of the youth growing up. It’s a rite of passage,” Vollmer said.
Vollmer believes his former athlete McGough was destined to take the grand stage in the Olympic games.
“We knew he was an extremely good player coming in. It’s nice to have players like that,” Vollmer beamed. “That whole team really has a special place, holds a special place in my heart.”
Vollmer started coaching Plum baseball in 2005, the first year McGough was on the team. McGough played varsity as a freshman, and just got better and better each year.
“His junior and senior year, we really took off. And that’s when Scott took off as a player. He was a pro prospect at that point. He led us to section championships,” Vollmer said.
McGough was drafted by the Pirates right out of high school. He opted to go to college and attended the University of Oregon. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011, and played for several teams. He currently plays professionally in Tokyo.
Vollmer said McGough left a strong impression on him, one that he still cherishes. He said the pitchers’ passion for the game impressed him and inspired him to be a better coach.
“Scott’s a kid that would turn the headlights on and throw in the dark, just to make sure he got work in. When in Western Pennsylvania, there’s six or seven inches of snow on the ground, he would be the one that would go out in the field and dig out a spot so he could throw in the middle of winter,” Vollmer said.
McGough told Channel 11 he remembers those sessions, but said it was Coach Vollmer who inspired him and taught him lessons that stick with him today.
“In high school, that I could get that quality work in, and make sure that I am getter better every day, rather than just doing the work, it was like you’re getting better every day, and that’s what he showed me,” McGough said.
It’s a relationship that changed two men forever, and now is on display on the biggest international stage. Vollmer said it’s surreal.
“I would say coaches live for seeing their player succeed in anything, but to see them succeed in the sport that you coached them in, at this level, it’s a dream for me,” Vollmer said.
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