Staff Q and A: Meet new Baseball Head Coach Jordon Banfield

By California State University, Bakersfield

December 19^th, 2024

How did you get into the athletics world?

I’ve just always loved sports. Played them all when I was young and wanted to stay in it as long as I possibly could to avoid getting a real job where I know I’d be miserable.

What is it about baseball that led to your career in coaching?

I really love almost all sports; baseball was just the one that I found out I could play better than the others and thus created the best opportunity for me to pursue a career in coaching. If I was bigger and more athletic, I’d probably be coaching football. I just love being around the guys and being part of a team.

What stood out to you about CSUB and the baseball program that made you say ‘yes’ when offered the job?

Number one was the people — Kyle Conder, Cindy Goodman, Eddie Brewer, Sarah Tuohy — and many more that I met while on campus. They all convinced me that they really wanted to be good and that baseball could/should have a real presence on campus and in the Bakersfield community. Being able to compete in the Big West, a conference that really values baseball, was also a big factor.

What has your experience in Bakersfield, and at CSUB, been like so far?

I haven’t gotten out and done a ton yet besides recruiting and coaching my team, but there’s a passion in the community and I look forward to getting out and interacting with folks more once our fall season wraps up.

What do your days with the team look like right now? What will they look like once the season starts?

We’ve just recently wrapped up our team portion of the fall. During that period, we get 20 hours a week with our guys and are on the field as a group five or six days a week for three or four hours scrimmaging and installing all of our team concepts for the spring. That’s in addition to four days a week in the weight room. Now that we’ve closed that out, we have individual meetings with every guy on the team and assemble individual development plans that we’ll carry out over the next few months until they return to school in January to prepare for the season. In February, we’re playing games four days a week (40% of which are on the road) and practicing another two, to stay sharp. We spend a ton of time together, but that’s really why we all do this: to be a part of a team and exhaust ourselves working toward a common goal.

What are you most excited about for this first season at the university?

I’m looking forward to opening night in February in front of a packed Hardt Field. But it’s just about watching our program progress towards the level I know it can be, continuing to get better and watching our players compete in the spring and give them the tools to achieve a level of success that hasn’t been seen here in a while.

What is your hope or vision for the team in 2025?

My hope is that we’re competitive in a very difficult conference and our guys get a chance to compete in the postseason. My vision is more broad, however. It’s just that these guys remain bought in when adversity inevitably hits and that they lay the foundation for the future of the program under our leadership.

What do you hope the community sees or gets out of this season?

I hope that they’re able to see some results from all the work our guys put in and that they prove Bakersfield really is a “baseball town” by filling the seats every night. If they do that and get behind us, I’m confident there will be an enjoyable product on the field for them to watch.

What are a few fun facts that not a lot of people know about you?

Honestly, I’m pretty boring. I mostly spend time recruiting and watching videos, etc., trying to find ways to coach our guys better and give them the best possible opportunity for success. If not doing something work-related, I’m probably watching football or any other sport. I used to be a decent golfer but have played exactly zero times this year so far. I’ve been a little busy.