Northwoods League: Willmar's going young with a veteran coach
Freddy Smith is itching to get back to Minnesota. It is hard to blame him. Smith is the winningest field manager.
And arguably, he is the best coach the have ever had. Smith, the former Northwoods League Manager of the Year who posted a 143-62 career regular-season record from 2022-24, is back for a second stint. He returns on a two-year contract and takes over for Nate Johnson, who ...
May 22---- Freddy Smith is itching to get back to Minnesota. It is hard to blame him. Smith is the winningest field manager.
And arguably, he is the best coach the have ever had. Smith, the former Northwoods League Manager of the Year who posted a 143-62 career regular-season record from 2022-24, is back for a second stint. He returns on a two-year contract and takes over for Nate Johnson, who played for the Stingers in 2010 and served as an assistant coach in 2015 and 2016.
Willmar, which finished with a 38-33 record in 2025, missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2022 under Johnson's guidance. Smith's three seasons, featuring a strong mix of Great Plains West Division First Half and Second Half titles, were as successful of a stretch as they come. Now, he will be tasked with getting the Stingers back to the level they were at in his first stint when the season begins at 6:35 p.