Cleland Stepping Down as Henley Baseball Coach
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Henley High School (KCSD)
Cleland coached for 15 years, led Hornets to five state championship games
Tim Cleland is stepping down from the head coaching position for the Henley High Hornets baseball.
Cleland has coached at Henley for 15 years, 11 of which he served as head coach. He led the Hornets to post-season playoffs all 11 years: seven times to the semifinals, five times to the state championship games and his teams won the state title in 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Cleland said he chose to step down to “take a breath.” He will continue working as a PE teacher at Henley. The school is searching for a new head baseball coach.
“I’ve learned something from each one the teams that I’ve been in charge of,” Cleland said, “and have been blessed to be put in this capacity for the time that I was here.”
“He won’t take credit, but Coach Cleland’s impact on the baseball program made Henley baseball what it is today,” said Henley High Athletic Director Tom Loney. “Coach Cleland made the Henley Community very proud, made Henley a better place and impacted his players by teaching them how things are supposed to be done both on and off the baseball field.”
Cleland said his love of baseball comes from the inspiring coaches he played under, and from the diversity of the game, being both an individual and team sport.
“It can be such a challenging sport,” he said. “Sometimes you can count on a teammate and other times it’s completely up to you. That’s one of the beautiful parts of the game.”
Cleland is proud of the impact he has had on students over the years. One of the best parts of coaching, he said, is seeing his players succeed beyond high school and grow into young adults with the morals and character they learned in baseball.
“Sports in general put kids in an environment where they might face adversity, and that’s a good thing for teenagers to face,” he said. “We do a good job in our community with all the sports around here. There’s good coaches within our Basin that do a good job of developing kids.”
“He taught his players the game of baseball, but more importantly he taught them life skills that develop into positive relationships,” Loney said. “Anyone who truly competed for Coach Cleland knows that he cared more about them individually than just winning games. He was a great leader and role model to his athletes and touched the lives of many who played for him more than most realize.”
For more information, contact Tom Loney at Henley High School: 541-883-5040.
Press release from Samantha Tipler, Public Relations, Klamath County School District.
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