Split Squad Coach
 COACHING STAFF
 Tyler Merriam
TYLER MERRIAM
Split Squad Coach

Merriam returns for his fifth year on the Pierre Post 8 coaching staff, his third as the Post 8 Split Squad coach.

In his first three years, Merriam's squads have enjoyed plenty of success. His teams are a combined 16-6 in postseason play, highlighted by a 2004 13-14 Teener State Championship.

The beginning of Merriam's coaching career coincided with the first full year of the 13-14 Teeners in the Post 8 program. That year was a learning experience for the program and Merriam, as the squad struggled through a 17-16 season, placing fourth in the six-team Region 4AA tournament to end their year, dropping decisions to eventual region champion Aberdeen and the Huron 13's.

The Post 8 board adopted a tryout system before the 2004 season, and the results were tremendous. Merriam's squad won its final 19 games, a new Post 8 program record, and won the state championship in front of the home crowd at Hyde Stadium.

Pierre did not lose a game on the road throughout the year, capturing both the Aberdeen Tournament title and the Region 4AA championship at Aberdeen's Fossum Field. Along with the state title, Pierre also won its own tournament at Hyde Stadium, defeating Sioux Falls West for the crown. West and Aberdeen were the only two squads to defeat Pierre during the year.

Along with the four tournaments won and the state title, Merriam's squad set records within the program by winning 19 in a row, a program record that is still the legion mark set by the 2002 legion team's 18-game winning streak. In addition, Post 8's 13-14 Teeners posted a perfect 12-0 July, the first time any team has not lost in a full month of games.

In 2005, the Post 8 Split Squad started slow, but finished strong in Merriam's first year at that level, putting together a 26-14 record in their final 40 games. Overall, the team went 35-30 combined, 20-15 as A Teeners and 15-15 as Junior Varsity.

The 2005 A Teeners, who compiled just a 1-7 mark against Region 4AA foes Huron and Aberdeen in the regular season, beat both of them en route to a region championship. The team finished third at state, losing to eventual state-champion Brandon Valley in the semis.

Last season, the Split Squad got off to a very rocky start. Rock bottom came for the A Teeners, when they were swept in a four-game series at Brandon Valley.

Things turned around near season's end, and Pierre took second in the regional tournament. Post 8, hosting the State AA Tournament, finished third. It's only loss at state was in the semifinals, a 4-3, eight-inning game with Huron. All three of the team's postseason losses came to either Huron (state champion) or Aberdeen (state runner-up).

Merriam officially became a member of the Post 8 system in 1998, his first of three years playing for the B Teeners. In 1999, Merriam, Fisher and Pope were all teammates on the first 13-14 Teener team Post 8 ever assembled, in which the squad played two games against the Pony All Stars, then took part in the State 13-14 Teener Tournament in Watertown, finishing sixth. Merriam also played in 2000, seeing limited action as an A Teener before spending most of the year as a B Teener. Merriam played under Joe Krier, Scott Rislov, Jesse Beesley and Wade Hiller during his short career.

Merriam has also worked for Post 8 as an umpire, spending two years working mainly B Teener games. Merriam and Fisher were co-umpire directors of the Capital City Baseball Association's little leagues for three years.

Merriam also spent the past five seasons as a member of the KCCR broadcast crew for Pierre Post 8 Legion broadcasts, working previously with Kris Stephens and now current KCCR sports director Bob "Duke" DesLauriers.

In addition to his Pierre duties, Merriam also works heavily with South Dakota State athletics. He is the Director of Baseball Operations for the Jackrabbit program, as well as a member of the sports information office.

Merriam was also the voice of SDSU baseball this past spring, broadcasting over half of the schedule.

Merriam has one semester remaining before obtaining a bachelor's degree in journalism at SDSU in Brookings. He is the son of Rick & Gloria Merriam.

MERRIAM'S POST 8 COACHING CAREER
2003.....Pierre Post 8 13-14 Teeners......17-16 (Region 4AA fourth place)
2004.....Pierre Post 8 13-14 Teeners......36-2   (Region 4AA Champions; State Champions)
2005.....Pierre Post 8 Split Squad..........35-30 (Region 4AA Champions; 3rd at State)
2006.....Pierre Post 8 Split Squad..........26-34 (Region 4AA runners up; 3rd at State)
Merriam's Career Coaching Record...114-82 (.581 winning pct.)