E.A. Sports Today

Beegle stepping down

Weaver baseball coach to devote more time to family matters, doesn’t want to miss his kids’ formative years

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

WEAVER – David Beegle has missed several of his son’s T-ball games this season and that troubles him. He doesn’t want to wake up one day to discover there were no more games to watch.

That realization, plus a conversation he recalled having with the adult child of another highly successful coach, has led to his decision to step down as Weaver’s baseball coach.

He confirmed his decision to East Alabama Sports Today Wednesday night, a few hours after meeting with Weaver principal Mike Allison about his plans. He told his players and Bearcats athletics director Daryl Hamby after the team’s final game of the season Monday, a 20-12 loss to Randolph County.

“The last two weeks I’ve spent about 150 hours at the high school and I missed the last four T-ball games my son has played, and I can’t deal with missing my kids grow up,” Beegle said. “I’m not going to miss that … while they’re at the age that’s the most influential part of their lives as far being headed in the right direction.

“I’m going to step away for a little while and gather my thoughts and spend some time at home with my wife and kids and enjoy life a little more for a little while.”

The couple has a 4-year-old son who can’t wait for the day he can see live pitching and 3-year-old daughter currently loving ballet.

Beegle has been a head baseball coach for six years. He has been at the Bearcats’ helm the last five seasons after one at Ohatchee. He’s also giving up his duties as a Bearcats football assistant, but will remain teaching science at the school.

He is about three semesters away from getting his administration degree and hopes someday to move into that side of education.

“I’ll probably step away from coaching a little while,” he said. “I don’t know how long. I might not ever coach again unless it’s my son’s baseball games.”

While the recent demands on his time influenced his decision, it was a conversation he once had with the daughter of a career coach that really brought it home for him.

“She said her and her dad didn’t have any kind of relationship because he spent more time with those kids at the school and their lives than he was with his own kids,” Beegle recalled. “I just can’t deal with that. I’m not OK with that. I’ve put my family kind of on the back burner for the last six or seven years, ever since I started teaching and coaching.”

His best year with the Bearcats came three seasons ago when the team went 11-11. He said his biggest win came in his first season when they handed Piedmont its last loss in an area counting game.

The Bearcats won nine games this season with a team Beegle said was healthy only two weeks – the one they went to Gulf Shores and the week they returned; they were 6-2 in that stretch.

“Our problem was we couldn’t stay healthy,” he said. “We just didn’t have any depth. We got one guy hurt (and) that was a big hole in our lineup.”

On the cover: The Weaver Bearcats in action during an area game with Pleasant Valley.

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