FAIRMONT, W.Va. — When Fairmont Senior opened up its 2015 baseball season earlier this week with a 5-2 win over Lewis County, it marked the first time in 25 years the Polar Bears were without Steve Naternicola at the helm.
The veteran Fairmont Senior baseball coach made news back in January with his resignation, citing family health problems at the time.
It brought an end to an era of Polar Bears’ baseball that saw Naternicola collect 518 wins and make 13 trips to the state tournament in all (11 of those coming in the last 12 years).
“We were consistent in what we did from year-to-year,” Naternicola said on the MetroNews High School Sportsline. “The very first year that I began coaching, we were 5-15. The second year we were 15-13 and then the third year we won our first NCAC championship – we were just consistent with what we did.
“You have to have plenty of good pitchers (to have success),” he continued. “We were successful, but the kids bought into it. We took them everywhere. Starting in 1996, we went to Winter Haven, Florida three years in a row. In 1998, I raised enough money where we flew to Tampa Bay and were able to see a space shuttle launch.”
The Polar Bears never won a title in those state tournament trips, but were state runners-up seven times (1996, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2013).
“I enjoyed it,” Naternicola said. “The only thing that I regret is not winning (a championship) for our seniors. It’s tough every year on our seniors to make it down there and we couldn’t win one. We’ve had a great group of seniors every year. There were so many great kids – they really bought our system and that’s what it takes.”
Naternicola is currently serving as an assistant with Fairmont State University, but hasn’t ruled out the option of returning to high school coaching in a couple of years. Dave Ricer is in his first year the helm with Fairmont Senior, taking over for Naternicola.
The complete MetroNews High School Sportsline interview is posted above.
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