Get to know new West Ottawa baseball coach Sean Bateman
PARK TWP. - The high school baseball season is months away, but new West Ottawa coach Sean Bateman is already getting to work.
Bateman has set up a fundraiser at New Holland Brewing on Oct. 26 from 4 p.m. until close on the heated patio.
"We will have a live band "MoHotta" playing starting at 5 p.m. If you mention that you are a part of West Ottawa Baseball, half of your bill will go towards our program," Bateman said. "We are thankful to partner with New Holland Brewing to support our West Ottawa student athletes."
Bateman has been a teacher at West Ottawa for the past 22 years and has coached travel baseball for 10 years and the West Ottawa middle school team last year.
He took over for Matt Naber, who took a teaching and coaching job at Grand Haven.
Bateman is from Saline and graduated from Hope College in 2001 and was a graduate assistant coach for the Flying Dutchmen in 2002.
"I feel both honored and privileged to accept the West Ottawa varsity baseball position. My passion for baseball combined with many years playing, coaching and teaching have lead me to this outstanding opportunity," Bateman said. "I look forward to leading West Ottawa baseball successfully into the future. I was blessed to be coached and mentored by two amazing men. MHSAA Hall of Fame Coach Scott Theisen and future MIAA Hall of Fame Coach Stu Fritz. Both of these men shaped me into the person, teacher and coach that I am today."
His staff includes West Ottawa graduate Sean Hoey, who was an elite pitcher at Hope.
"My main varsity assistant is former West Ottawa and Hope College graduate Sean Hoey, J.V. coach and former West Ottawa graduate Rory Vale and our head freshmen coach and former West Ottawa graduate Aiden Stam. We will continue to add to our coaching staff as we head closer to the season," Bateman said.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Get to know new West Ottawa baseball coach Sean Bateman
