You can look for a coach in many places but sometimes the right choice is right under
your nose.
your nose.
Or under the same building. In this case, the same dugout.
Most importantly, for a rare time recently, a Napa High coaching change is in the public
domain without a Desperate Housewives like soap opera.
domain without a Desperate Housewives like soap opera.
Enter Jason Chatham. The 1993 Vintage High graduate and former Rodriguez (Cordelia)
Mustangs baseball head coach has been selected to lead the Napa baseball program.
Chatham steps in for Todd Pridy, who resigned after 17 seasons, to become the fourth
baseball coach in program history that spans 46 years. Clint Smith, Mike Brown and Pridy
were the previous ones. Brown and Pridy are in the Napa High Athletic Hall of Fame, the
former as a coach, the latter as a player.
Mustangs baseball head coach has been selected to lead the Napa baseball program.
Chatham steps in for Todd Pridy, who resigned after 17 seasons, to become the fourth
baseball coach in program history that spans 46 years. Clint Smith, Mike Brown and Pridy
were the previous ones. Brown and Pridy are in the Napa High Athletic Hall of Fame, the
former as a coach, the latter as a player.
The 42-year old Chatham is an English teacher who teaches Advanced Placement
Literature and American Literature. He has been Napa’s pitching coach since joining the
program.
Literature and American Literature. He has been Napa’s pitching coach since joining the
program.
I have known both Brown and Pridy for 20 years up close and on the periphery for even
longer. Besides their on the field contributions, both have a ton of sweat equity improving
the Indians home facility, Mount Field. I played Napa Babe Ruth games there as a kid.
The outfield footing was treacherous and you were just as likely to dig up a mouthpiece
from a Les Franco coached football practice from 1982.
longer. Besides their on the field contributions, both have a ton of sweat equity improving
the Indians home facility, Mount Field. I played Napa Babe Ruth games there as a kid.
The outfield footing was treacherous and you were just as likely to dig up a mouthpiece
from a Les Franco coached football practice from 1982.
Conversely, I have never met Chatham but the choice for him to replace Pridy screams
no-brainer. Most importantly, given the messy parting of ways of a few other coaches like
Troy Mott, Jesus Martinez, Tammie Mansuy and Ron Walston to name a few, it’s nice to
see a smooth transition at Napa High, which administratively has become The Schmuck
Show.
no-brainer. Most importantly, given the messy parting of ways of a few other coaches like
Troy Mott, Jesus Martinez, Tammie Mansuy and Ron Walston to name a few, it’s nice to
see a smooth transition at Napa High, which administratively has become The Schmuck
Show.
For openers, Chatham has been Pridy’s right-hand man the last four seasons as the pitching
coach. However, this is not Chatham’s first rodeo as a head coach. He spent 14 seasons as
the Rodriguez head coach before coming to Napa. Rodriguez opened its doors in 2001 and
Chatham was the school’s lone baseball coach for 14 seasons.
coach. However, this is not Chatham’s first rodeo as a head coach. He spent 14 seasons as
the Rodriguez head coach before coming to Napa. Rodriguez opened its doors in 2001 and
Chatham was the school’s lone baseball coach for 14 seasons.
In 2012, the Mustangs went 23-9 on the way to winning the CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div.
III title. That illustrious season happened one year after the Mustangs were 26-5-1, finishing
as the SJS Div. III runnerup, losing to then Solano County Athletic Conference rival Benicia.
III title. That illustrious season happened one year after the Mustangs were 26-5-1, finishing
as the SJS Div. III runnerup, losing to then Solano County Athletic Conference rival Benicia.
Chatham has another appealing quality. As a player, he learned under the tutelage of Rich Anderson at Vintage and Matt Stewart at Napa Valley College. As a coach, the fact that he was willing to leave Fairfield Suisun Unified School District to come to Napa as a teacher and assistant coach after 14 years as a head coach speaks volumes. When you learn from three different coaches such as Stewart, Anderson and Pridy, you put yourself in a position to take the best off all three and apply your own style.
Chatham also leads Napa baseball into an entirely new chapter. The Indians will be leaving
the SJS for the North Coast Section. Napa will compete in the newly formed Vine Valley
Athletic League with Vintage, Justin-Siena, American Canyon, Casa Grande, Petaluma and
Sonoma. The interesting subplot is that Anderson is still coaching Vintage and Matt Brown,
who is the aforementioned Mike Brown’s son, coaches American Canyon.
the SJS for the North Coast Section. Napa will compete in the newly formed Vine Valley
Athletic League with Vintage, Justin-Siena, American Canyon, Casa Grande, Petaluma and
Sonoma. The interesting subplot is that Anderson is still coaching Vintage and Matt Brown,
who is the aforementioned Mike Brown’s son, coaches American Canyon.
This head coaching stint for Chatham will be unlike the previous one he undertook. Since
Rodriguez was opening its doors, Chatham had to built the program from scratch. At Napa,
he inherits a program that has had its peaks and valleys but it only involves a retool rather
than a rebuild.
Rodriguez was opening its doors, Chatham had to built the program from scratch. At Napa,
he inherits a program that has had its peaks and valleys but it only involves a retool rather
than a rebuild.
I have not said this often lately but Napa High got this one right.
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