Nate Johnson is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication student assigned to cover Saguaro High School for AZPreps365.com.

For baseball coaches across the United States, adopting a coaching mantra can be challenging in many ways. 

But for Saguaro baseball head coach Joe Muecke, a little bit of literature goes a long way.

In June of 2021, critically acclaimed author Jon Gordon wrote his latest book “Row the Boat,” a guide for leaders worldwide to help them build a winning culture for their respective teams. 

Written in tandem with Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P. J. Fleck, the book became a Wall Street Journal bestseller as it taught millions of aspiring individuals to achieve their goals with a “never-give-up approach.”

The book’s popularity caught the attention of Muecke, who after reading through it, adopted the lessons it taught into the Sabercats' mission. 

Coming off a 2024 campaign that saw the Sabercats secure the 4A state championship crown, Saguaro entered 2025 with a target on its back and without its best player, Cam Caminiti, who the Atlanta Braves drafted 24th overall last summer. 

Regardless, Muecke preaches baseball as a team sport, and with the help of Gordon’s book, he’s been able to foster a winning culture at Saguaro with an emphasis on brotherhood and integrity.

According to the book itself, three key components embolize the necessary ways of life: the oar, the boat itself and the compass. 

Through these principles, the story of the Saguaro Sabercats is told. 

The Oar

The book describes the oar as the energy, claiming that “only you can dictate whether your oar is in the water or whether you take it out and decide not to use it.”

Saguaro had no difficulty with energy in 2024, as their tight-knit core of seniors helped facilitate healthy relationships in the clubhouse that helped breed their success (25-0 record), especially in regards to the pitching staff. 

Of the 12 pitchers Saguaro used in its championship season last year, seven of them were seniors. Their veteran presence on the mound took the 4A scene by storm, limiting their opponents to just 1.9 runs per game. 

With a smaller senior class in 2025, however, this meant more underclassmen would be challenged on the mound than it did the previous year and a new dynamic was in order. 

Nate Wachinski, a freshman left-handed pitcher, was someone who Muecke called upon frequently this season. Wachinski amassed over 35 innings for the Sabercats, the highest total on the team, while boasting a 1.77 ERA in his appearances. 

The success of Wachinski has caught many off guard, including Wachinski himself. 

“It’s more than I ever imagined,” Wachinski said. “I never thought I’d be here, but it’s great just going out and trying to do the best I can and put my team in a position to win.”

Wachinski’s growth has caught the eye of Muecke as he battled through the growing pains of becoming a freshman ace. 

“His confidence is growing,” Muecke said. “You’ve seen him become more comfortable with each start and that’s all you can ask for.” 

Wachinski stands at the center of the youth wave for Saguaro, and while the experience will take some time to accrue, Muecke believes the underclassmen bring a more valuable gift: their energy.

Time and time again, the “row the boat” mentality has helped teammates pick each other up and rallies spark out of thin air, all while keeping emotions in check.

“We talk about playing with emotion, but don’t be emotional,” Muecke said. “That’s the line we try to walk with all that energy.” 

Because the youth wave has taken to the mantra early on, it’s allowed the team to recoup much of their success from the previous year.

The mantra is easy to remember, no doubt, as it follows them to every game. 

No matter where the Sabercats are, whether it’s on the road at Cactus Shadows or at home against Arcadia, a custom-made oar is seated next to the bat rack for every game. 

Inscribed on the oar are the letters “R.T.B,” an ode to the book but also a reminder for the players to sustain the energy in the dugout no matter what their role on the team is. 

The energy has fueled Saguaro to an 11-7 record and a chance at its first back-to-back championship victory since 2010-11, teams that were coached by Muecke’s former mentor and four time Arizona Region Coach of the Year, Ryan Dyer. 

The Boat

Gordon describes the boat as the sacrifice, as “the more you give, serve, and make your life about helping others, the better and more fulfilled your life will be, and the bigger your boat gets.”

The Sabercats have built their reputation on the field as a hard-nosed 4A competitor that has what it takes to go toe-to-toe against the likes of anyone. 

But the team has also fostered a soft and kind reputation for its off-the-field contributions within the Scottsdale community.

Since his inauguration as head coach back in 2013, Muecke has preached community involvement to parents and players alike. His goal was and still is to create “Sabercat Men of Character.” 

For Muecke, any way of expressing gratitude to the fans and people of the community was on the table, including a brand new look on the uniforms. 

For the past several seasons, Saguaro players have donned a multicolored jigsaw puzzle-themed jersey to encourage Autism awareness, a cause that sits close to Muecke as a special education teacher. 

Zander Bratspis, a Kansas State committed shortstop approaching his senior year in 2026, is a person Muecke believes encompasses that character. 

“He’s just a better human than he is a baseball player, which speaks volumes because he’s a phenomenal baseball player,” Muecke said with a smile. 

After every game, practice and event, the Sabercats huddle and close out their time with a resounding chant: “Family!”

Bratspis takes the family aspect of his game very seriously, supporting everyone who’s part of the Saguaro community and the communities they reach out to.

For Bratspis, comradery has been a key reason for their team’s success and he hopes it will continue into the playoffs. 

“Family means a lot, you know, I love these guys,” Bratspis said. “I’ll do anything for them and I’m proud of these guys and I hope we can carry that momentum into the playoffs.”

The Compass

The compass represents the direction. In other words, it’s “the vision you have for your life and the people you surround yourself with help create the dream of where you want to go.”

Muecke could say a lot about his guys and how they’ve grown over the season and over the course of their high school career. 

He would do just that.

On a warm Friday night, coaches, players and parents gathered in the auditorium for “Awards Night,” a chance to commemorate the players who have made a lasting impact on the team.

Muecke would do so by spending nearly two hours acknowledging what every player has meant to him personally, a heartfelt moment that closed out the season on a high note. 

Kasen Williams, who will don the cap and gown on May 22, has taken the time to reflect on his growth at Saguaro.

“It’s a competitiveness every week,” Williams said. “Nothing’s going to be given to you, I learned that the hard way very early, and if you want to learn things the right way, coach Muecke is the guy to teach you how to do it.”

Williams credits much of his success to the things he’s learned under Muecke’s wing, and for Muecke, the feeling is mutual. 

“He’s a different type of player,” Muecke said. “He’s a bulldog, a gamer and he’s got some edge to him. He’s somebody you just enjoy coaching because you know you’re going to get his best.”

With some assistance from the Diamond Club, Saguaro baseball’s booster organization, Muecke honored Williams and the rest of his seniors with framed jerseys, honoring their hard work and dedication to the mission at Saguaro.

In almost cinematic fashion, Gordon’s teachings came full circle during the awards ceremony.

Wachinski and the rest of the underclassmen will return with reinforcements from the freshman and junior varsity teams next season to sustain the energy they’ve created. 

Bratspis and the juniors will assume their veteran leadership positions as next year's senior class, looking to guide the ship and help those who follow in their footsteps.

As for the seniors, they now embark in a different direction as their high school careers come to a close. 

Muecke believes this year's team has set itself apart from the others he’s coached in the past and already has his eyes set on the future of the Sabercats.

“These guys are hungry,” Muecke said. “They want to be successful for the program, and it’s fun. We want to stick to this ride as long as we can and set ourselves up for finishing the goals we set out at the beginning of the year.”