ADAMS TWP — At Mars High, Dan Pierre was a pitcher with a rubber arm.

He could throw pitch after pitch after pitch without feeling so much as a twinge in his left arm.

"I threw as much as I could," said Pierre, now 22. "That was my problem. Every count was 3-2. I'd throw 215 pitches, it didn't matter. I went the distance, and I felt good enough to throw again the next day."

But it was a different story for Pierre, who now is a coach for the Mars American Legion baseball team, when he went to Marietta (Ohio) College.

Soon after his freshman season with the college's baseball team started, he felt discomfort in his shoulder.

Doctors at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center told Pierre his shoulder pain was a result of an elbow problem: a detached ulnar nerve.

Even after two surgeries to repair the ulnar nerve and to remove painful bone spurs, Pierre still had pain and discomfort.

He never threw a pitch in a game for Marietta College.

Pierre transferred to the University of Pittsburgh and drew enough attention while throwing in side sessions to land a spot on the Pitt roster.

But that, too, was short-lived, as arm pain derailed him again.

Pierre bounced back for a summer in 2007 with Wexford in the Eagle County League, where he pitched two no-hitters.

His success was fleeting, however. Sharp pain in his shoulder once again ended his dream of pitching.

He hasn't pitched since.

But Pierre hasn't given up.

"I'd like to try again," Pierre said. "I've thrown with the Legion team and I feel pretty good. I have one year of college eligibility left, and, with this economy, I may go back to school. But the odds aren't very good."

No matter, though. Through all his disappointments, he found another calling: coaching.

Pierre started as a Colt League coach before moving on to the Mars Legion team.

Bill Trapp is the Mars manager, but Pierre makes most of the coaching decisions on the field, Trapp said.

"I'm more like the general manager and he's more the manager," Trapp said.

Mars went 14-5 this season with many of the same players who were on a disappointing Mars High baseball team that won only four games.

Trapp said Pierre's presence had a lot to do with that turnaround.

"He put the kids at ease," Trapp said. "He made it fun for them. He has so much energy, it's contagious."

Donnie Trapp, an outfielder on both Mars teams, said Pierre brought the out the best in him and the other players with his disarming coaching style.

"Dan is always such a loud guy," Donnie Trapp said. "He pumps us up with his pep talks, and he's always giving us little tips. He knows a lot about the game. Dan just sparked us all season."

Pierre spends hours watching instructional videos online. He seeks advice and tries to glean as much as he can from those around him.

When he was young, Pierre's dream was to pitch in the major leagues.

Now he admits, "What was I thinking? There are 10 guys pitching in Legion now that are better than I was."

His present goals are a little more down to earth, but certainly as lofty.

He'd like to pitch again, somewhere — anywhere — but he wants to coach for the long haul.

"As long as my arm holds out, I will pitch," Pierre said. "As long as I hold out, I will coach. And I want to stay as a coach in Mars. Mars has done so much for me. I'd like to return the favor."