By Chris Chaney
Sports Editor
Clermont Northeastern High School athletic director Mike Kirk announced the hiring of two new varsity head coaches on Jan. 25, naming Jeremy Fishback as the new varsity head football coach and Don Gullett, Jr. as the new varsity head baseball coach.
Kirk announced their arrival via email. The new coaches will meet with current and prospective members of their respective teams on Jan. 28 in the high school library beginning at 6 p.m.
“I have spent the past 11 seasons on the diamond for either Williamsburg or Clermont Northeastern,” Kirk said. “I have been very fortunate to have coached some really good players and have built some fantastic relationships with parents and community members during that time.
“My own kids are getting to the age where they will be playing sports a lot and I want to be able to see them as much as possible.
“I wouldn’t say I’ll never coach again in some capacity. It’s something I truly love to do.”
Gullett, Jr. comes to CNE with a wealth of experience. Aside from being the hitting instructor at the Champions Baseball Academy, Gullett, Jr. was previously the general manager for the Cincinnati Fury, an assistant coach at Northern Kentucky University and Greenup County High School and the head coach of the NKy. Bandits and the American Legion South Shore Post 276.
“I feel very confident that Coach Gullett will be able to take the baseball program to the next level,” Kirk said. “His baseball expertise is unmatched and the school district is really excited to see what he can do starting this spring.”
Aside from his introductory meeting, Gullett, Jr. is prohibited by Ohio High School Athletic Association rules to have contact with the team before the first day of coaching is allowed on Feb. 22.
“Our goal is control our attitude and preparation,” Gullett, Jr. said “We’re going to try to get better every day. We want to carry forward the work that Coach Kirk has put in and build on it.”
With the quick turnaround between his hire, winter sports winding down and spring starting up, Gullett, Jr. said that he and his coaching staff, including new pitching coach Roger Strunk, will begin with the basics and work their way toward the beginning of the season in late March.
“We’re going to work on fundamentals for a few weeks, try to hammer those home for the first few weeks,” he said. “Guys should be throwing already and getting ready to start working out. We’ll phase in mechanics and some form work in late February, early March and work our pitch counts up as we get into the beginning of the season.”
The Rockets have won at least a piece of three of the last five Southern Buckeye Conference National Division titles and are coming off of an 11-17 (6-4) record in 2015.
Fishback takes over the football program from the outgoing Scott Gildea who had a two-year stint in the position.
“I want to wish Coach Gildea the best of luck as he looks for his next head coaching job,” Kirk said. “We were lucky to have him for the time we did.”
Fishback will be the Rockets’ fourth head coach in the last six years — Larry Blackstone was hired prior to Gildea, but did not preside over any games, resigning shortly after taking the position.
Fishback, formerly an assistant on the middle school team, is a 1997 graduate of CNE, a fact that Kirk said was an important piece in his hiring.
“Jeremy and the rest of the Fishback family have been huge supporters of athletics and football at Clermont Northeastern,” Kirk said. “I feel very confident and proud that we were able to land a community member who bleeds blue and gold and wants to make a positive change in the Clermont Northeastern football program.”
Fishback takes over a team that has won one game over the past two seasons and is looking for its first league title since 1996.