by Ashley Holcomb (’27) | February 2, 2024
After six years, the leadership of Saint Francis’ baseball program has shifted. Coach Matt Maguire, who led the varsity team to many victories, stepped down as Coach Erik Wagle was named the new head.
When he was in high school, Wagle played baseball at Live Oak High School, where he was an All-Monterey Bay League player. He went on to play baseball at San Jose City College, where he set the school record in saves as a pitcher. Eventually, he finished his playing career at Sonoma State University. Prior to coaching at Saint Francis, he coached at his alma maters- Live Oak High School, San Jose City College, and Cal State Monterey Bay. Outside of coaching, Wagle has been a scout for the Dodgers and Nationals and served as Commissioner of the Far West College League. Most recently, he held the title of president at the Kinetic Performance Institute in Morgan Hill. Wagle works with players of many levels using a unique training style that zeroes in on development in the areas of strength, conditioning, and arm care. He plans on bringing his techniques to our varsity team.
Wagle has many big plans for Saint Francis baseball both on and off the field. He wants to bring a sense of independence to our varsity team. One of his main goals for the players this season is to get them to a place where they can lead the team themselves. He said, “By the end of the season, if they are running this program, then I did my job this year. But if I’m still running the program by the end of the spring, then I haven’t done my job.” He also has high hopes for helping the athletes continue their journey into college baseball. One way he encourages this is by making sure that the players know where their skills lie and where they have to be. Wagle hopes that they can use analytics to put them over the top.
Another goal he has this year is unifying the athletes. He wants to make sure that his players are teammates, even when they are not in their uniforms. He would like to get them to attend other school sporting events together on campus, have team dinners, and do charitable work off campus. Wagle believes that “Doing things outside of [Saint Francis] will hopefully build stronger bonds.” Beyond the players, he wants to make attending Saint Francis baseball games a fun experience for fans too. His plans are to have themes for the games and play upbeat music. He understands that attending the games should be enjoyable whether you are on the field or looking over it.
Make sure to come out to the ball field to watch Wagle’s strategies in action. He is looking forward to the season and hopes to see you supporting our Lancers at the Chris Bradford Stadium this spring.
