Glover returns as Douglas baseball program’s head man

MINDEN — A familiar face is returning as head coach of the Douglas High School baseball program.

John Glover, who previously served as the Tigers head coach from 2003-10, is coming back at the helm when varsity team tryouts are held on Feb. 23-24. He’s taking over for Bruce Jacobsen, who recently stepped down as head coach but will remain on the staff as an assistant.

“It’s like I never left,” Glover said, laughing. “He coached with me and then I coached with him. Now, it’s the other way around again.”

Jacobsen, who directed the program through four seasons (2011-14 with a 62-61 record), cited his new work schedule at China Spring Youth Camp as the reason he decided to step down.

“I don’t have the same control over my schedule as I did before so I wasn’t going to have the time you need to be head coach,” Jacobsen said. “I decided it was better to do it (step down) now rather than wait until after the season started. That wouldn’t have been fair to the team, it wouldn’t have been fair to the kids and it wouldn’t have been fair to me.”

Jacobsen described the move as a reshuffling of a coaching deck that includes Rick Kester (pitching coach), Rocky Walling (outfielders and base running), Marc Walling and Jacobsen (infielders) as well as Glover (catchers). Former head coach Hal Wheeler is also returning to assist as hitting instructor.

“The beauty of it is, we’ve got all these guys that have been here forever, so it’s not like we have a new regime or any new philosophies coming in,” Jacobsen said. “They’re all the same faces, they’re just in different spots with a different guy on top. They all know the game and they know the program, so that made my decision a lot easier.”

Glover’s career record (186-93-2) is just 33 wins short of ranking at the top of the program’s all-time list — a spot held by Wheeler, whose record of 221-173-2 came from 1980-94 and 2002.

Glover was named the Sierra League Coach of the Year three times (2009, 2007 and 2005). The 2009 squad won more games (31) than any other in the program’s history. His 2004 squad posted the longest win streak (18 games to start the season) in school history as well.

Glover went straight from his playing career at Carson High and the University of Nevada to coaching. After two years split as an assistant between Carson and Douglas, he took the helm of the Tiger baseball program in 2003.

Douglas could have as many as eight returning lettermen on the roster this season. Among the veterans is senior catcher Kaleb Foster, who earned Northern Division I Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2014 and has committed to the University of Nevada.

Glover was upbeat after spending time on Tiger Field Monday under sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s.

“It’s been beautiful,” he said. “Obviously, we need more water, but if it’s going to be nice like this, we might as well get on the baseball field.

“There is still a month to go before tryouts, but we can hardly wait to get going. We’re looking forward to working with a great group of kids.”