Franklin County grad part of Dawgs’ first CWS title
July 6, 2021 at 8:39 p.m.
Franklin County grad part of Dawgs’ first CWS title
By Will Fehlinger-
On the eve of the Mississippi State Bulldogs returning to Omaha for the College World Series, the program’s strength and conditioning coach and wife Brittany welcomed their first child – daughter Charlotte – into the world. Three weeks later he found himself on the field of TD Ameritrade Park, rejoicing in the Dawgs’ first-ever NCAA baseball championship in 12 appearances there.
“It was a heck of a celebration,” says the 2006 Franklin County High School graduate. “Our guys did everything they were asked. We came back (to the Starkville campus) last Thursday and on Friday had a parade through the town and stadium. It was a great celebration for the entire team and the entire town.”
With a new baby on the horizon, the Thackerys were fortunate that State’s regional and super regional path stayed right in Starkville.
The Bulldogs defeated Samford, Virginia Commonwealth and Campbell in succession to get past the first round, then took two of three from Notre Dame to advance to Omaha. In Nebraska, MSU collected a win over Virginia and won two of three over Texas to hook up with 2019 defending champion Vanderbilt in the finals. After an 8-2 loss in Game 1, the Dawgs stormed back with a 13-2 win and finally a 9-0 shutout on June 30 to claim the title.
“Our pitching was great and hitting was even better,” Thackery notes, “and we became the first championship team to not commit an error in Omaha, so we ended up playing our best baseball of the season right there.”
It was his first trip to the CWS; color him impressed.
“The entire town was very welcoming to all eight teams, and everyone was accommodating,” he says. “The amount of local fans who show up to cheer is unbelievable … I’d never seen that many MSU fans before. The stadium and town were great, and everybody was so excited to have the series back after being canceled last year.”
Meanwhile, back home, he got some helping hands for his new arrival.
“She was born the day after we won the regional,” he relates. “I spent 15 days on the road and my parents (Todd and Anna) came down to help my wife with her.”
This was just Adam’s first year in the Magnolia State, but he considers himself “one of the older in this field these days” - though he isn’t yet 35.
“These positions are very competitive, very hard to get and with a high burnout rate,” he explains. “A lot of people don’t make it very long in these jobs. I’ve been blessed to have very good positions for over 10 years now, with coaches that love working with me, and I’ve been able to stay in it.”
You can hear it in his voice when he says, “it’s been great.”
His career path can be traced back to one high school course that stood out among all the others.
“Honestly, it was Mr. (Brice) Sayne’s weightlifting class,” recalls Thackery. “I absolutely loved it, one of my favorite parts of the day.”
From there it was on to the University of Indianapolis, where he threw the hammer on the Greyhounds’ track and field team. He was a graduate assistant in athletics at Indiana University while earning his master’s degree. An assistant strength coach at UIndy briefly, Thackery spent four years at Miami University in Oxford and four more at Washington State University before getting to MSU.
“My track coach (at UIndy) asked me my freshman year what I wanted to do, and I said working with athletes in physical training,” he remembers. “I realized when I met my college strength coach that, yes, that’s what I always wanted to do, and I’ve never looked back.”
At MSU, he heads up year-round development of strength, speed, flexibility, conditioning, nutrition habits – “anything that can help performance, I’m in charge of.”
He must keep on top of the latest trends and various technology, as well as different sets and rep schemes and rest periods that help players become even better. During a typical offseason, everyone on the roster comes together for workout sessions; when the season starts in February, starting pitchers and relievers lift on their own schedules while hitters continue working together.
Bench coaches help determine times for throwing and lifting routines, but Thackery has the authority over what exactly those off-field activities entail.
If he gets free time from his rigorous schedule, Thackery enjoys outdoor sports like hunting and fishing and simply being outside with his wife and daughter and family dog.
“We love it here,” he states. “You never know in the world of college athletics, but we’re very happy here now. It actually has a very small town feel to it and we feel right at home.”
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On the eve of the Mississippi State Bulldogs returning to Omaha for the College World Series, the program’s strength and conditioning coach and wife Brittany welcomed their first child – daughter Charlotte – into the world. Three weeks later he found himself on the field of TD Ameritrade Park, rejoicing in the Dawgs’ first-ever NCAA baseball championship in 12 appearances there.
“It was a heck of a celebration,” says the 2006 Franklin County High School graduate. “Our guys did everything they were asked. We came back (to the Starkville campus) last Thursday and on Friday had a parade through the town and stadium. It was a great celebration for the entire team and the entire town.”
With a new baby on the horizon, the Thackerys were fortunate that State’s regional and super regional path stayed right in Starkville.
The Bulldogs defeated Samford, Virginia Commonwealth and Campbell in succession to get past the first round, then took two of three from Notre Dame to advance to Omaha. In Nebraska, MSU collected a win over Virginia and won two of three over Texas to hook up with 2019 defending champion Vanderbilt in the finals. After an 8-2 loss in Game 1, the Dawgs stormed back with a 13-2 win and finally a 9-0 shutout on June 30 to claim the title.
“Our pitching was great and hitting was even better,” Thackery notes, “and we became the first championship team to not commit an error in Omaha, so we ended up playing our best baseball of the season right there.”
It was his first trip to the CWS; color him impressed.
“The entire town was very welcoming to all eight teams, and everyone was accommodating,” he says. “The amount of local fans who show up to cheer is unbelievable … I’d never seen that many MSU fans before. The stadium and town were great, and everybody was so excited to have the series back after being canceled last year.”
Meanwhile, back home, he got some helping hands for his new arrival.
“She was born the day after we won the regional,” he relates. “I spent 15 days on the road and my parents (Todd and Anna) came down to help my wife with her.”
This was just Adam’s first year in the Magnolia State, but he considers himself “one of the older in this field these days” - though he isn’t yet 35.
“These positions are very competitive, very hard to get and with a high burnout rate,” he explains. “A lot of people don’t make it very long in these jobs. I’ve been blessed to have very good positions for over 10 years now, with coaches that love working with me, and I’ve been able to stay in it.”
You can hear it in his voice when he says, “it’s been great.”
His career path can be traced back to one high school course that stood out among all the others.
“Honestly, it was Mr. (Brice) Sayne’s weightlifting class,” recalls Thackery. “I absolutely loved it, one of my favorite parts of the day.”
From there it was on to the University of Indianapolis, where he threw the hammer on the Greyhounds’ track and field team. He was a graduate assistant in athletics at Indiana University while earning his master’s degree. An assistant strength coach at UIndy briefly, Thackery spent four years at Miami University in Oxford and four more at Washington State University before getting to MSU.
“My track coach (at UIndy) asked me my freshman year what I wanted to do, and I said working with athletes in physical training,” he remembers. “I realized when I met my college strength coach that, yes, that’s what I always wanted to do, and I’ve never looked back.”
At MSU, he heads up year-round development of strength, speed, flexibility, conditioning, nutrition habits – “anything that can help performance, I’m in charge of.”
He must keep on top of the latest trends and various technology, as well as different sets and rep schemes and rest periods that help players become even better. During a typical offseason, everyone on the roster comes together for workout sessions; when the season starts in February, starting pitchers and relievers lift on their own schedules while hitters continue working together.
Bench coaches help determine times for throwing and lifting routines, but Thackery has the authority over what exactly those off-field activities entail.
If he gets free time from his rigorous schedule, Thackery enjoys outdoor sports like hunting and fishing and simply being outside with his wife and daughter and family dog.
“We love it here,” he states. “You never know in the world of college athletics, but we’re very happy here now. It actually has a very small town feel to it and we feel right at home.”
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