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WVBCA President, Andrew Blain (Point Pleasant High School Head Coach)
We are excited to invite you to the Annual West Virginia Baseball Coaches Association Clinic. It truly is an honor for me to serve as your president! While being involved in this great association, I have had the honor to develop relationships and most importantly to serve you as coaches, in order to help push the game of baseball forward in the state of WV. There are many of you that I have had the opportunity to learn from and who have had a profound impact on helping become a better teacher and coach. This annual clinic serves as an opportunity to learn from some of the best baseball minds in the business, fellowship with friends and rivals, and meet new coaches in the great state of WV. I believe that we as coaches are given a great gift — the gift of developing the minds of young men through the vehicle that is high school baseball. It is my hope that you utilize this time to grow as a coach and leader. I would have never had this opportunity without the guidance of mentors and friends, mainly George Brumfield (Cabell Midland High School) and Eric Ellis (Chapmanville High School) of WVBCA for getting me involved in it. I would like to thank all of our Board members and District representatives for all of their hard work helping to grow our association and the clinic. Charleston Catholic and AD Jacob Nelson for continuing to welcome us to their great venue. Please, come enjoy a day full of baseball, fellowship, learning and ultimately, continuing to make high school baseball great in the State of West Virginia.On behalf of the West Virginia Baseball Coaches Association and all its members, we would like to welcome you to our website. We will be constantly updating this site so please visit often, but while you are here register.
The WVBCA would like to congratulate Cabell Midland High School (AAA), Winifield High School (AA), and Wahama High School (A) on their 2023 WVSSAC State Championships!
2023 WVSSAC AAA State Baseball Champions - Cabell Midland High School
2023 WVSSAC AA State Baseball Champions - Winfield High School
2023 WVSSAC A State Baseball Champions - Wahama High School
ABCA Hall of Fame Class of 2023 inducted in Nashville
Congratulations John Lowery, Jefferson High School, on induction into the American Baseball Coaches Association! Coach Lowery was inducted in January 2023.
John Lowery, Jefferson High School (W.Va.)
John Lowery is a high school coaching legend in the state of West Virginia. Named the Greatest High School Coach in state history, regardless of sport, by MaxPreps.com in 2020, Lowery has been the head baseball coach at Jefferson High School since starting the program in 1973 following two seasons at now-defunct Harpers Ferry High School.
In 51 seasons, Lowery’s teams have combined for a 1,392-361-2 (.793) record, winning at least 20 games for 45 straight seasons and making him the winningest high school coach in state history. He has won a state-best 12 state championships, finishing runner-up four times.
After 50 years of coaching, his teams continue to find success, as his 2021 and 2022 Cougar teams advanced to the state semifinals. In total, his Cougars have made 26 state tournament appearances, winning 33 sectional and 26 regional titles along the way.
Named the 2002 ABCA/Diamond Sports National High School Coach of the Year, Lowery has received nearly two dozen Coach of the Year honors throughout his career.
The 45-year Lifetime ABCA Member is a past President of the West Virginia Baseball Coaches Association (WVBCA) and is a member of the WVBCA and National High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
ABCA Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inducted in Dallas
The WVBCA would like to recognize the late Cal Bailey on the ABCA Hall of Fame. Cal will be inducted in January 2024.
Cal Bailey, West Virginia State University
In 37 seasons as the head baseball coach at West Virginia State University, Cal Bailey posted a career record of 1,063-521-4 (.669) while leading the Yellow Jackets to 36 winning seasons. Bailey, who passed away in 2020, ranks 14th all-time in wins among NCAA Div. II coaches.
Under Bailey, the Yellow Jackets claimed 19 conference titles while advancing the NCAA Div. II World Series in 1995 and 2005.
The longtime Yellow Jackets skipper earned West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors eight times while twice being named ABCA North Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. In 1980, Bailey became the first baseball coach to honored with the West Virginia Sports Writers Association College Coach of the Year Award.
Bailey was inducted into the West Virginia State University Hall of Fame in 1985 and later inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
A West Virginia native, Bailey graduated from Spencer High School in 1960 and went on to pitch for West Virginia State where he earned All-WVIAC honors. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 23rd round of the 1966 MLB Draft and spent six years in the minor leagues. He joined the West Virginia State coaching staff in 1974 as an assistant before being named head coach of his alma mater in the spring of 1978.
