Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CHILLICOTHE — Southeastern didn’t have to look far to find its next head baseball coach.
As a matter of fact, it just had to look in its own dugout.
Officially approved at Monday’s district board meeting, longtime assistant coach Brad Valentine was promoted and hired as the newest head coach of the Panthers.
“Excited beyond words. Nervous for sure, but I couldn’t be more fired up getting this opportunity,” Valentine said. “I definitely had some nerves going through the process, but the main thing for me is that I don’t want the team or program to go back to the way it was. It’s been five years of hard work and getting the kids to buy in. It all paid off last year in a huge way, and I want these kids to continue being successful on and off the field.”
Valentine, who will be a first-time head coach at the varsity level, takes over for Ron Free, who stepped down after six years in the position.
Last season, Free, with the help of Valentine and his assistant coaches, guided the Panthers to a 16-11 record, ending the season with the program’s first-ever district championship alongside a regional final appearance.
Now, it’s Valentine’s job to keep the program moving in the right direction.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
“I remember when Ron called me in 2020, asking if I wanted to come to Southeastern. I won’t lie, it was tough at first,” Valentine said. “Standards and expectations were being set, and there were a lot of long nights. But Ron taught me a lot about having patience when building a program. It takes time, and eventually, the kids bought in and things turned around the way we thought it would.”
“My coaching style is going to be very different from Ron’s. But the kids will get used to it, just as I’ll get used to them. These kids want to win, and I want them to win. We’re going to set the bar high and get to work as soon as we can.”
Although a number of guys have graduated from last season’s team, Valentine still has a slew of returning starters who are ready to add onto the legacy they’ve already created.
“The guys we have coming back like Carson McWhorter, Gage Cheadle, Brayden Burns and Coleton Baxter, they were able to have that winning experience and have that feeling,” Valentine said. “We have the group to get it done again this season, but we have to get better when it comes to hitting and driving runs across the plate. These guys want to compete for a Gold Ball. It’s possible, as long as they put in the work and we, as coaches, are pushing them to be their absolute best.”
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