Linked by a national title, Jason Rathbun and Ryan Packard now take on the Cape League

Jason Rathbun is what many would call a baseball lifer. After playing in high school, junior college, and Division II, he immediately got into coaching where he's been ever since.

While serving in the U.S Army, Rathbun still managed to find his way onto the diamond, playing Independent League baseball while stationed in Georgia. Like three generations of his family before, Rathbun served in the military. While enlisted, he received discipline that has proved essential in all walks of life.

"I think my journey in the military has helped me in life," Rathbun said. "I think the military prepared me for college. I think it prepared me for being a dad, and husband, and I think it prepared me for being a coach for sure."

Accountability is paramount for Rathbun. While that's a word that gets tossed around a lot in coaching circles, it means something different to him. It's about helping people form and adhere to their own standards, rather than enforcing his own.

"I think I hold players accountable, in whatever facet that may be," Rathbun said. "There's an accountability that I think we all want to live up to and I want them to live up to their own accountability. I'm just reinforcing what they want, not what I want for them."

Rathbun has been at the helm of the Herkimer Generals of NJCAA Division III since 2005. In that time, he's racked up numerous awards and accolades, but in 2022, he did something neither he, or any JUCO coach from the state of New York, had ever done: he won win the National Championship.

A job as Whitecaps batting coach

Rathbun linked up with a long-time friend, and fellow title winner, Brewster head coach Jamie Shevchik, to be his pitching coach this summer. The move presented a first time situation for Rathbun, a long time head coach.

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"I've never been an assistant," the 17-year head coach said. "I didn't know how that was going to be, but fortunately for me, it's with Shev, and that experience has been invaluable for my coaching career."

While the dynamic is a new one, the pair's friendship and similarities allow for a successful working relationship. Both Rathbun and Shevchik value the game, but also understand the importance of not taking themselves too seriously.

"I want to be around coaches and people that are similar to me," Shevchik said. "Having fun is a part of what we do out here, so being around good people who know the game is extremely important."

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Coming off the 2021 Cape Cod Baseball League title, Shevchik was thrilled to see his friend summit the JUCO World Series.

"I'm extremely happy that he won the National Championship," Shevchik said. "It couldn't have happened to a better person."

Bringing Packard to Whitecaps

At the center of that National Championship run was Ryan Packard. In 2022, Packard finished with a 1.32 ERA, striking out 90 in 61.1 innings pitched. That production earned Packard a spot with Rathbun and the Whitecaps this summer.

This wasn't a case of a coach simply bringing his top arm without justification, but rather a situation where both player and coach felt Packard could develop after returning from arm surgery.

"This just happened to open up and work out for him." Rathbun said. "It was more of a coincidence than it was 'hey Pack, we're going to force you out here as soon as you're ready."

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Through Packard's eyes, this summer offers the opportunity for a measuring stick. After his successes at the JUCO level, Packard committed to play Division I baseball at Dayton University.

"Honestly [I] just want to get my feet wet at the next level," Packard said. "I had a good year at the junior college level. Now moving forward, I go Division I, so this a great stepping stone for me."

Although Rathbun is fully aware of the talent Packard possesses, he made it very clear that he still has to earn it on Cape League fields.

"Just because he played for me, doesn't mean that he's guaranteed anything out here," Rathbun said. "He's got to come out here and perform and do his part."

Doing his part will mean helping the Whitecaps down the stretch. The Whitecaps will enter the postseason as defending champs, and Packard and Rathbun will hope to to carry their momentum from winning the National Championship to the Cape.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Jason Rathbun and Ryan Packard now take on the Cape League