As he kicks off his second season as head coach of the Auburn baseball program, John Pawlowski said he has a solid team and looks forward to the days ahead. Although there are challenges, Pawlowski said he is confident in the leadership and abilities of his many players, many of whom are upperclassmen, and his coaching staff. "I feel good about the leadership on our team," Pawlowski said. "We've got some guys who have been in the program three or four years, and so I think that's going to be an important part of what we're doing this year."
Pawlowski said the schedule should prove a formidable challenge to Auburn baseball. "We have some great challenges ahead of us," Pawlowski said. "We've got a tremendously competitive schedule, not only in the SEC, but in other conferences."
Pawlowski's coaching philosophy is simple.
"I want kids to understand that if you give me 100 percent both on and off the field, the results will take care of themselves," Pawlowski said. "Kids have to understand there's a [rice to be paind for success. Anything we do in our lives, we have to be willing to go above and beyond." Pawlowski said his coaching staff 's goals remain the same every year, regardless of the level of competition.
"We want to win a championship--SEC Championship and a national championship," Pawlowski said. "The players names may change, but the goals and aspirations of the program remain the same every year."
Pawlowski, who grew up in Binghamton, N.Y., said he loves Auburn.
"It's very obvious to me that Auburn is a special place because of the people that are here," Pawlowski said.
Pawlowski's daughter was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. He said that he came to realize what a special place Auburn is from the kindness of its people during that difficult time.
"When I first got here, a lot of people knew the story of what my daughter had been through, and people that I had never spoken with were sending cards and letters and prayers and thoughts, and people were lending out a helping hand, and they didn't even know me," Pawlowski said.
Before coming to Auburn as head coach in June 2008, Pawlowski coached at the College of Charleston for nine years. He led the Cougars to three trips to the NCAA Tournament, as well as two regular-season conference championships.
He has also been on the coaching staff at Arizona State and Clemson, his alma mater.
While he was pursuing a degree in industrial education at Clemson, he left school to play professional baseball with the Chicago White Sox.
Eight years later, he returned to Clemson to join the coaching staff and finish his degree.
"It was kind of strange being 29 or 30 years old, being back in a classroom with players I was coaching at the time, but I knew I had to finish my degree," Pawlowski said.
Pawlowski has three daughters; Christine, 18; Mary-Louise, 15; and Jenny, 9. They live in North Augusta, S.C., with their mother.
"They are huge Auburn baseball fans, and they get up here as often as they can," Pawlowski said. "Whenever I have some free time, I certainly enjoy spending it with them."
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