“This year we are celebrating our 65th year and we have no intention of retiring,” said Santa Maria Indians owner Kevin Haughian.

As the Indians prepare for the beginning of their 65th season, they have aggressively put together a new staff of coaches, a roster and schedule - this coming after last year's staff defected to form the Santa Maria Valley Packers.

The Indians have scrambled to get things together and Haughian and his general manager Jesse Festa feel confident that they have been successful getting the team ready for the 2008 season.

“I'm really excited about the upcoming season,” Haughian said. “You are going to see a lot more local players on the team this year. It's going to be a competitive ballclub, but it's also going to have a nice local flavor.”

Several local high school graduates will return from their respective colleges to play this summer at Elks Field.

“It's good for the community and good for the local baseball scene,” Haughian said about hometown players. “I think if local children can see local guys playing for the Indians, that will help develop local talent which would help us 10 years down the road.”

Recent signees include St. Joseph grad Josh Meagher and former Righetti Warrior Jimmy Dodos, both currently playing at Chico State and recent honorees on their All-conference team.

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Brothers David and Jimmy Mittleberger from Righetti will be on the team along with former Arroyo Grande grads Dane McLaughlin and Todd Simko, St. Joseph pitcher Sheldon Lechuga, Lompoc infielder Corey Dotzler and Pioneer Valley alum Chad Conrad. All of these players have also played at Allan Hancock College, as have imports Dave Anderson and Jonathan Ramirez.

Former Bulldog and current Cal Poly player David Van Ostrand will be joined by Mustang teammates Justin Hensley, Ricky Rossman and Mark Laugenour.

The coaching staff should be familiar to the locals as well. Bobby Brown will be the head coach, after serving several years as an assistant at Hancock College. Brown played his high school ball at San Luis Obispo High and was on a CIF championship Tiger team. He was an all-conference and all-state player at Cuesta before going to the College World Series as a member of the Oklahoma Sooners.

He will be joined by Ryan Ruiz from Central Arizona College, a nationally ranked junior college, Marc Smith, former owner of the Paso Reds and Scott Dominigues from Cal Poly, Hancock and St. Joseph High.

“Both Larry Lee (Cal Poly) and Bobby Brown said Scott is the smartest player they have ever coached,” said Festa.

The schedule will be quite competitive. The Indians will begin their third year as a member of the California Collegiate League, which consists of the Santa Barbara Foresters, San Luis Obispo Rattlers, Cornejo Oaks, Monterey Bay Sox and a team from the MLB Urban Baseball Academy in Compton.

“The league is a lot more organized with new guidelines set and by-laws in how it is to be run,” Festa explained. “Mike Sciosca is involved with the Oaks.”

Having a team from the Urban Academy, which is sponsored by the major leagues, is a strong statement about the strength of the league.

“I think it's nice to have the commissioner's office behind a team in the league,” said Haughian. “I think that bodes well for the league.

“And the nice thing about the CCL now is that we are all on the same page - we know where we are and we know where we want to go. We are all in it together.”

Since taking over the team prior to the 2005 season, Haughian, a former minor league executive of the year in the California League and current owner of the Casper Ghosts - a minor league affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, has tried to maintain the excellence on the field that longtime general manager, the late Scoop Nunes, accomplished. And he has also attempted to make the games more fan-friendly with mid-game contests, giveaways and special nights, which will continue.

“We have a new staff that will work on those things,” said Festa. “We have people that will work on promotions and ballpark operations. And we have a local girl from Righetti High who's going to head up group nights and have little leagues come out.

“We will have special event nights like we did last year - Military Night, Hall of Fame Night, KCOY Night and the Santa Barbara Vintners Association will come for a night.”

When the Indians coaching staff pulled out last fall to begin the Packers, the Indians had to start preparations all over again.

“Unfortunately because of what happened last December, some things that we planned we are just not able to offer this year,” Haughian said.

There will be no NBC Tournament this season and the Hall of Fame Dinner was postponed until July 5.

“In many instances we had to start over in January,” Haughian continued. “But we are back on track now and I think we are in real good shape.”

The Packers, since forming late last year, have received excellent support from the community, but Haughian said that the Indians are getting the support as well.

“Even with the late start the response has been good,” he explained. “A lot of people have actually asked where have we been for the last couple of months. The support of the community - based on our track record in the last three years - people know that we are trying to do things right and that we are good at our word in what we say.”

Haughian believes that the area can support two summer teams.

“I really think so,” he said. “I think that the goals and objectives of the two teams might be a little different, but we are now the largest city in Santa Barbara County and the growth continues. There are still a lot of people in town that don't know the Packers exist and don't know that the Indians exist even though we've been here for 65 years.

“But I think we will both do well this year. The staff at the Packers have a good idea of what they are doing - they are good baseball people. And I feel I have a good track record.”

Haughian hopes for the well-being of both programs.

“Both teams are just scratching the surface of a potential fan base,” he continued, “so I think there will be good things for the Indians and hopefully the Packers.”

Even so, it was a blow to the organization when the staff moved on.

“It was kind of a shock when it happened but it has always been my goal to keep the Indians going and that was my commitment all along,” Haughian said. “I don't want us to just survive, but I want to thrive - and that hasn't changed. You are always going to have adversities along the way, but the underwriting goal has be the same.

“It would be tragic if after 65 years ... to have it suddenly go away. And I wouldn't allow that to happen.”

After starting the 2008 season with three road games, the Indians will begin a home schedule on Friday, June 6 at 6 p.m. against the Cornejo Oaks in a CCL game. They will host 23 home games through Sunday, July 27. The annual Hall of Fame Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, July 5.

May 11, 2008