Chris Ulrey, the head varsity baseball coach at Warren Central is making a tremendous impact. Ulrey came on the job before the 2022 baseball season to a program that needed change. He was able to bring just that, and more, to help revive the competitiveness of Warren Central Baseball.
“I took the job at Warren Central because I love a challenge. I knew if I could get the right coaches to follow me that we could develop baseball players at a school that is predominately good at [other sports],” Ulrey said.
The players at Warren Central were immediately excited to have him as the new leader of their team, bringing many new things to the table, and providing opportunities like no other high school baseball team in Indiana.
“Ever since Coach Ulrey came on as the baseball coach, you could feel the atmosphere change. You could feel the energy that he brought to the team, as well as the knowledge. He shifted our baseball culture from having rough seasons the years before, to his first year with us, having the best record Warren has gotten in years. His knowledge and feel for the game is top-notch, as well as the way he coaches the game and shows it to his players,” junior outfielder Jackson Hobbs said.
Ulrey does, in fact, bring the knowledge of baseball to the table, having played the game his whole life. He played high school baseball at New Palestine High School, just east of Indianapolis where he helped lead the team to a 3A State Championship, the first for that program.
After high school, Ulrey went on to play four years of collegiate baseball both at the division one and division two levels, after not signing with the Chicago White Sox when they selected him in the 33rd round of the 2006 MLB Draft.
Once he got out of college, Ulrey turned his love for the game in a way that benefits the next generation of athletes. Ulrey has coached five years of high school baseball, three years of college baseball, and scouted for the Texas Rangers for three years. He now owns the travel ball franchise Midwest Astros, who compete greatly with some of the best travel baseball teams in the midwest.
“I love baseball simply because it’s always been a part of me and a love of mine. I love being able to give back, guide, mentor, coach, and train athletes in this sport. This game means so much to me and has made me who I am today. I love passing everything I know on to the younger generation. Building them to be the best they can be at the sport I love and also helping mold them into great young men ready for life after baseball. I’ve had great coaches and mentors along the way and I take a lot of what I learned and pass it along,” Ulrey said.
The mentors in Ulrey’s life are of great importance and the meaning behind why he has had success in his career. He has received support and encouragement from so many people throughout his life who kept pushing him to be the best he could be at whatever he does.
“My parents have been my biggest supporters during my playing career, coaching career, and the businesses I own. I knew I wanted to make a career out of the sport I love and have a passion for. I give back to the youth in sports and continue to spread knowledge of the game in teaching and training athletes,” Ulrey said.
Ulrey invests a lot of things into this program he now runs, hoping to see it turn around from where it has been in previous years. During his first season as head coach, Warren Central Baseball saw its best record since the 2001 season. Ulrey is continuing to put in effort on his part that he hopes will show during this season, even more than it did in the last.
“Coach Ulrey is a great coach who truly invests in his players. From the second he was named head coach, he had an idea that he would flip Warren baseball around and he’s been doing everything in his power to achieve that. He brought the right coaching staff, he puts the time, effort, and money into our program in order for us to be successful and at the end of the day he cares about each and every one of us,” senior pitcher/shortstop Eli Shaw said.
As a coach who has a lot of playing experience himself, he is glad to be coaching with others that have next-level experience as he does. All of the new coaches that Ulrey brought with him have played or have had the opportunity to play baseball past high school, a combination most high schools are not so fortunate to have. The whole staff rallies around Ulrey and makes sure they do what they can to support what he is doing for Warren.
“Our coaching staff is one of the best coaching staffs in the state when it comes to experience at a high level, knowledge of the game, and developing athletes. Not only was our goal to accomplish the wins and do what Warren Central baseball hasn’t done in over 20 years, but we were excited to help guide these young men in life outside of sports. We set our standards high not just with baseball, but our expectations of how we conduct ourselves, time management, taking care of business in school with grades, community service work, and more. We wanted to make a difference with these guys representing the school and community,” Ulrey said.
Ulrey has high expectations for this season and hopes that his players can buy into the program enough to make a difference. This group of Warriors believes they have what it takes to be great, and under Ulrey’s leadership, they can be sure success will find them. Warren Central has not won a sectional championship in baseball since 1991, but Ulrey hopes to make that change.
“We return all of our varsity starters for this upcoming season. Our coaching staff as well as players have high expectations going into this season. We have a great group of talented seniors returning that will help pave the way for this season. Some team goals are to have our first winning season since the ‘90s, win 15-20 games this season, and win a Sectional Title. We have all the talent we need to make a run for a state championship. All depends on our guys, our leadership, and getting the job done on the field,” Ulrey stated.
Overall, Coach Ulrey is the top of the line when it comes to coaches, and he just hopes that it will rub off on others both on and off the field.
“Ulrey brings the best out of you,” assistant coach Jeff Cardenas said. “He has a passion for the game. It’s always a great time being involved and building this program together.”