Kent Neil Replaces Tom DeKraai as Baseball Coach at Fountain Valley

Kent Neil has been selected baseball coach at Fountain Valley High School, principal Michael Kasler announced Friday.

Neil replaces Tom DeKraai, who resigned at the end of last season. Fountain Valley finished fifth in the Sunset League with a 6-9 record and was 10-13 overall.

Neil came to the school in 1986 as the resident substitute teacher and coached the freshman team to a 21-1 record and also served as a varsity assistant. He didn’t coach this season.

Neil will remain the school’s resident substitute and coach the baseball team in a walk-on capacity.

“I’m really excited about this,” Neil said about getting the job. “For a number of years I’ve dreamed about getting my own program going and now I have the chance.”

Neil, 27, graduated from Redlands High School in 1977 and played two seasons (1978-79) at San Bernardino Valley College. He went on to play two more seasons at United States International University, from which he graduated in 1983.

This is his first job as a head coach.