Venice baseball coach Craig Faulkner gathered an L-screen, two traffic cones, and an orange road barrier. He placed the pieces together in centerfield ahead of Wednesday’s practice. And although the props didn’t come with any speech, his players knew what the head coach meant.
The pieces remained in the outfield all week, serving as a reminder of what has halted a state-champion level team for the past two seasons: regional finals. In 2024, Venice fell to Windermere in extra innings. In 2025, the Indians won the first game before dropping the next two in the series.
So, since February, Faulkner has asked his team the same question: Can you break the barrier?
And on Saturday, May 9, Venice watched from below as the pieces of the makeshift obstruction were thrown from the roof of the third base bullpen, where the props had been moved during the best-of-three series. For the first time since 2019, No. 1 seed Venice advanced to the FHSAA Final Four, defeating Winter Haven 6-0 after a 4-0 win on Friday to sweep the Class 7A-Region 2 semifinals.
It marked Faulkner’s 600th win, who has been coaching at Venice for the last 30 years and led the Indians to six state titles.
“We have a theme every year, but this theme is important to us, breaking the barrier of getting back to the Final Four,” Faulkner said. “We’re a team that tries to get back there every so often, and every so often we get back, we win it. So, our goal this year was today. We set this day on our calendar that today would be the day we break the barrier that’s been holding us back.”
When he played at LSU under former head coach Skip Bertman, Faulkner learned how to become a motivator. Bertman — who Faulkner described not only as the best college baseball coach, but also the best motivator — always had something that pushed the Tigers. Faulkner has found his own way to do that.
One year, after so many starters graduated or left Venice, Faulkner was nagged with questions about who would start where at barber shops or wherever he went. So, Faulkner called himself the Mayor of Whoville, challenging his new, young team to force the town to stop asking, “Who are these new guys?” He wanted his players to teach them.
And on Saturday, Faulkner’s new slogan and his prop worked.
“That was the figurative barrier of regional finals,” Backman said. “That’s what’s been stopping us these last few years. It was meant to fire us up and get us ready for this game. We got to break the barrier today, and that was exciting.”
In the top of the first, leadoff batter August Backman hit a single to center. Three batters later, center fielder Carter Cox — who struck out five, holding Winter Haven to one hit on Friday — had an RBI single up the center, sending Backman home.
With right-handed pitcher Kasen Poplin, who is committed to Liberty, holding Winter Haven’s lineup to nothing, Venice erupted in the fourth, scoring four runs.
Junior first-baseman Beau Daniel doubled to left center. Then, after junior outfielder RJ Shields and freshman Macade Carey walked, Backman hit a three-run double to the left field fence.
“Backman’s come through all year long,” Faulkner said. “He’s hit over .500. He’s a special player…he’s just always doing things right. He works hard at his trade. I think he’s going to be a big leaguer one day.”
Entering the fifth, Venice led 5-0. In the top of the frame, junior Zach Allaire singled to right field, allowing Venice to score the insurance run. Although junior closer Aiden Cary recorded the final three outs in the seventh, Poplin held Winter Haven to two hits.
“He’s not tall in stature, but can flat sling it,” Faulkner said. “When he’s throwing his slider for strikes, there’s a ton of rotation on that ball, and it’s hard to hit.”
The team celebrated by the mound, taking pictures with Faulkner, who held a plaque marking his 600 career wins. But the head coach wasn’t too focused on that.
He’s ready for Monday, when the team’s new secret slogan with the same acronym as break the barrier will be revealed on the field before the state semifinals on Friday. The new saying came to the coaching staff slowly as the season progressed.
“We were hoping we could get to this day,” Faulkner said, later adding, “It’s all set up. And we’re going to be ready for it.”
During the practice, there will be a presentation and some “acting going on” as Faulkner delivers the motivation that he hopes will push the team to its seventh program title.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Venice ‘breaks through barrier’ to 7A Final Four, sweeping Winter Haven
Reporting by Emma Moon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
