Fox Chapel baseball gets its guy in new coach Hastings

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | 11:06 PM

Jim Hastings went without a baseball coaching job for a couple of months when he resigned from Springdale shortly after the Dynamos' season ended in May.

Then came an opportunity too good to pass up: the coaching job at Fox Chapel, his alma mater. It didn't take much convincing.

Fox Chapel's school board voted Monday to hire Hastings, a 1999 graduate and former Foxes baseball player, as coach. He takes over for Michael Frank.

“I love baseball, and I love coaching,” said Hastings, 36. “Being that I went there, it's really a job that when it opened up, it was too hard for me to pass up, not to apply. The fact that I got it, I was really excited for the opportunity. We'll see what we can do there.”

Hastings, who still lives within the Fox Chapel district, led Springdale to an 18-31 record and two WPIAL playoff appearances in three seasons. The Dynamos lost in the Class A first round the past two years.

Hastings' coaching experience also includes stops at Deer Lakes, North Hills and Pine-Richland.

Fox Chapel finished 5-15 last season and missed the playoffs in Class 5A, but the Foxes made the postseason in 2015 and '16.

“It's a great place,” Hastings said. “It's a great school academically, a great athletic program. The facilities are second to none, and it has all the resources. We've had good teams over the years, it's just doing it consistently.

“It's one of the challenges like it is anywhere, building a program, trying to put your system in place, compete year-in and year-out and make it a positive experience for the kids.”

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer.

Tags: Fox Chapel