Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS ATHLETICS
Dallas Hall of Famer James Vilade Shares Words of Wisdom with UD Baseball Team
Posted: Feb 07, 2020

Dallas Hall of Famer James Vilade Shares Words of Wisdom with UD Baseball Team

IRVING, Texas - James Vilade spoke to the baseball team Wednesday evening. He talked about his background as a coach, and more specifically, his background at UD. He talked about how he started the program with no field, no recruiting budget, etc, but how he worked to sell a vision and a dream.  He is very proud of his time at UD, and UD holds a special place in his heart, so he was very excited to give back to the program.
 
Vilade was inducted into the University of Dallas Class of 2011 Hall of Fame. Vilade was the head coach at UD from 1998-2001. UD decided to reinstate the baseball program in 1997 and hired Vilade as the next head coach. Vilade's team finished 25-17 in the first season. In his second year the squad completed a 26-16 record and the first of three consecutive American Southwest Conference (ASC) East Division Championships as well as particpation in the ASC postseason tournaments. In 2000, the team won 34 games, a mark which presently stands as the school record for wins in a season. Vilade completed his tenure at Dallas with a 118-52 record (.694 winning percentage). In addition, he produced numerous all-conference and all-region selections, 'Coach of the Year' recognition for himself, and four players which were drafted into Major League Baseball. 
 
Through some very inspirational stories, he gave our team a message about the importance of showing value to your teammates and showing value in the things you have. He reflected on his own life experiences that have taught him the importance of that value for others. He also reflected on his life experiences to teach us what "giving it your all" really means by giving examples through stories. His talk with our program was motivating, inspiring, and humbling. We are so grateful that Vilade took time out of his schedule to come visit with our program, and I know we all learned a ton in the short time spent with him. Coach Vilade is a very important member of the UD baseball family, and we are lucky to have the opportunity to be around him. -- Head Coach Erik Grafton 
 
Here are some quotes from a few of the guys:
 
"Coach Vilade was very inspirational and his story painted the perfect picture of what a team should be.  Not only was he very inspirational in the sense of being a team and team work, but he also taught how to be men/warriors on and off the field." -- Jamie Wallace
 
"Coach Vilade was a true inspiration on what a team should be.  It was also most inspiring to me learning about the Keepers of the Game foundation and the work he does to help kids with special needs." -- Ross Lowe
 
"Coach Vilade's message to me was one of inspiration.  That the game we play is played with passion.  The guys I play with have value to me and I should not take them for granted, no one breaks this family up.  In my senior season, I am dedicating it to my team, and to live in the moment, because no one can predict the outcome.  And, last but not least, Sundays are for warriors." -- Jake Schwartz
 
"Coach Vilade is a truly inspirational figure.  It was an honor to meet him and learn from a man with the amount of experience and wisdom that he has.  We take pride in upholding the legacy and standard he left for us." -- Joseph Vondrachek
 
Vilade currently is a scout for the Miami Marlins and is the Founder of Keeper of the Game Foundation. Keeper of the Game started in 2014 to support kids and young adults with special needs and disabilities in and around baseball. The organization also promotes servant leadership among players, coaches, teams, and organizations.
SOCIAL MEDIA