OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms Jerico Weitzel, center, was recently named the new head coach of the JCC baseball team. Weitzel is pictured with George Sisson, JCC athletic director, at right, and Doug Clark, assistant coach.

JAMESTOWN — After a nationwide search for the next Jamestown Community College baseball head coach, Director of Athletics George Sisson has appointed Jerico Weitzel to the role.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to have Jerico become our new head baseball coach,” said Sisson. “He checks off a lot of boxes that we were looking for to run a successful program. He was a successful student-athlete himself at the NCAA Division I and II levels. He’s coach at the junior college level and has been around travel baseball for the past eight years. He’s helped players move onto the next level and I expect nothing less while here at Jamestown.”

“I have a lot of pride of baseball here in the area,” Weitzel said. “I coach now with my travel baseball organization, I know there’s good baseball here. Here at Jamestown there are awesome facilities with Diethrick Park being one of them, and I always wanted to get back into coaching collegiate baseball and this opportunity presented itself and I had to go for it.”

Weitzel first began his journey of college baseball back in 2009 where he was a member of the University of Florida baseball team. While with the Gators, Weitzel saw over 100 plate appearances on his way to be a two-time SEC Honor Roll member. During his freshman season, Weitzel helped the Gators reach the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional. During his sophomore season, Weitzel and the Gators reached the NCAA College World Series.

From there, Weitzel transferred to NCAA Division II Clarion University where he started in all 77 games appeared in. While at Clarion, Weitzel graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Spanish in 2012.

Weitzel didn’t stay away from baseball for long, becoming an assistant coach for the Olean Oilers, a summer collegiate baseball team. After a two-year stint, Weitzel found himself back down south as the assistant coach at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida. Where in his two seasons, helped the Commodores to a 75-36 record while finishing in the top three in the conference and top five in the region.

“Baseball is a very skilled sport,” Weitzel said when talking about his coaching philosophy. “You have to do the fundamentals over and over again and get better at them. This is why they keep stats in the game, can you continue to produce every time you are out on the field. We have to master the fundamentals and keep in account the finer details of the game. We have to buckle down and get to work every day.”

After his two seasons with the Commodores, Weitzel returned back north where he started the Northeast Twins travel baseball program while also working as a scout for Prep Baseball Report.

While operating and coaching for the Northeast Twins, Weitzel has coached a handful of players on the current roster including All-WNYAC pitcher Bryce Jackson (Jamestown/Jamestown High).

“It’s always nice having some familiarity with the players from past encounters and you know what they are capable of,” Weitzel continued to say. “The kids talked and the kid that I’ve coached for travel ball, it’s all about getting them to the next level to play elsewhere. I will bring the same mentality in for the group of guys that are on the team but are looking to move on to a four-year institution.”

Weitzel and the Jayhawks will retain longtime assistant coach Doug Clark to assume the same role as he had in the previous regime.

“It’s always important to have the right person in place in your coaching staff,” Weitzel said. “From talking with George and the team, Coach Clark has played a very important role in the progression of the baseball team. We start playing games in just under a month so as someone coming in, it’s important to have Coach Clark to help give me insight on our team, where we are solid and where we need to get better at.”

Weitzel, who is a Ridgway, Pennsylvania native, resides in Salamanca.

The Jayhawks will start the season in March.