Jack Sturgeon takes over Norristown baseball
Norristown Area High School has a new baseball coach. The longtime head of Phoenixville’s baseball program, Jack Sturgeon, will take over the Eagles and lead them into their first season in the Pioneer Athletic Conference in 2017.
“The attraction to Norristown was a couple things,” Sturgeon said. “I knew (Norristown Athletic Director) Tony (Palladino). He was the AD at Phoenixville, so I knew I’d have a good working relationship with him. And the fact also that they’re getting into the PAC-10 next year. That’s where I spent my life, so that was also an attraction. And just wanting to get back into baseball in some fashion.”
Sturgeon, who was named the Norristown coach Monday night, coached at Phoenixville for 17 seasons — from 1999 to 2015. He led the team to three district championships, one PAC title in 2002 and a state crown in 2001.
“I come from a pitching and defense point of view,” Sturgeon said of his plans for Norristown. “Those are things I really stress. Then see what we have offensively. Developing our pitching and defense is what I think usually determines success for most high school programs.”
Before becoming Phoenixville’s head coach in 1999, Sturgeon coached Babe Ruth in Phoenixville. He came up through the high school — coaching the freshman and working as an assistant before taking over the varsity team.
“(Sturgeon) brings experience into the position,” Palladino said. “He’s familiar with the PAC. Since we’re moving into there next season, he knows all the coaches in that league and how they think and how they play the game. He’s a teacher first, so he teaches lessons that are important not only to the game, but to life. He understands and knows that he’s preparing these young men for life after high school that may or may not include baseball. He translates that real well. He’s everything you want a coach to be. He represents himself very well.”
Sturgeon didn’t coach anywhere this spring and is currently in charge of a 13-year-old team during the summer.
Rich Campbell stepped down from the position a few weeks ago.
“Rich did a really nice job with the program,” Palladino said. “When he took the program on, he got a late start in his first season as head coach and he had some building to do. He did a really nice job taking the program from where he had it to where he left it. I know Jack will continue that upward trend for Norristown baseball.”
The Eagles finished last in their final season in the Suburban One League American Conference in 2016, but there are reasons for optimism. They have two pitchers who impressed last season — rising senior Nick Edling and rising sophomore Dom Proietto — and rising senior Tyler Pastella leading the infield at shortstop.
