Derek Mayer takes over as head baseball coach at Napa Valley College
Photos are of Derek Mayer
Photos by Marty James
By MARTY JAMES
Napa Valley College begins the 2023-24 school year with two changes to its coaching staff, as announced by Jerry Dunlap, the Storm's Athletic Director and Division Dean.
Derek Mayer is the new head baseball coach, taking over for Dan Parker.
Parker is the new head softball coach, taking over for Mayer.
"We're keeping who we feel are two very good coaches in our family," Dunlap said on Tuesday. "They're just trading responsibilities. It's helping both of them out in some situations that they have.
"We're excited to see both of them build those programs and move forward."
Parker was Napa Valley's baseball coach for the last seven years.
Mayer was named as NVC's softball coach last year.
"It was just a switch" in coaching assignments, said Dunlap.
"It was mutual. It was brought to me, and I said I would support it if all pieces fell into place, which they did."
NVC's fall program for baseball began on Tuesday at Storm Field. The fall program continues into late November, with practices and workouts Monday through Thursday, from 3-6 p.m. The Storm has intrasquad games on Fridays, or will scrimmage other teams.
Dunlap said the goal is to have the Storm playing a softball season in 2025.
"The one thing this whole department is very happy with is we're retaining two coaches that are familiar with the campus, familiar with our staff, and are really good people and good teachers," said Dunlap.
Mayer spent the last year getting the word out about softball at NVC, attending practices at area high schools, meeting with coaches and players around the area, talking with prospective players, working on the intercollegiate field and trying to build a program.
He has also been a substitute teacher in the Napa Valley Unified School District.
"He's built a really nice base within our community the past year, working in Napa Valley Unified. He's been at pretty much every site and has gotten to know faculty in those areas," said Dunlap. "He's built a really good foundation for softball. People know Derek in the community. He seems to be very detailed, very driven. We're just hoping that that he can continue to work with our local schools to bring in student athletes onto our campus."
Napa Valley has not had a softball team since the 2016 season, when the Storm finished in second place in the Bay Valley Conference and went to to the California Community College Athletic Association Northern Regional playoffs.
Napa Valley has suspended its program in recent years due to not having enough players.
"Dan (Parker) has a lot of contacts as well, not just in the Valley, but statewide, so we're hoping he can continue to reach out and, maybe when housing comes, that some of these programs will expand a little bit," said Dunlap.
NVC's on-campus housing project, River Trail Village, will be completed in the fall of 2024.
Players in the NVC baseball program were at Storm Field for their first day of practices during the fall session on Tuesday. The practice plan had an emphasis on going over fundamentals, including bunting, base running, and being mentally prepared for an at-bat, said Mayer.
"This first week is very much instructional. There's a lot of instruction going on," said Mayer. "It seemed like a lot of the information I was giving was starting to resonate with some of the guys because they're starting to ask questions. What I'm finding is that the group is a very raw, talented team, and the information that I'm giving them, they're absorbing it.
"I think they're starting to buy in. Their character impresses me. It's been a little bit of an adjustment for them, but I think they're taking to it pretty well."
The idea of switching coaching assignments came about when Mayer said he was approached by Parker.
"Dan approached me with the opportunity, so we just kind of went with it," said Mayer.
NVC will play its first game of the fall against Sierra College-Rocklin on September 15.
Mayer calls it his "dream job," leading the NVC program.
"I don't think I've ever been happier with my life," he said. "I'm really excited about this opportunity. I'm thankful for it. It's been really just a pleasant surprise and just such a fulfilling opportunity. I am over the moon about this."
Mayer is working to make NVC a winning program.
"I'm hoping once I get comfortable with the network that I'm cultivating, that the system I put in will produce. In the next few years, I'm hoping to bring home a title. That's my plan," he said.
Mayer graduated from Sheldon High-Sacramento in 2005. He was a starting pitcher and played right field for Sheldon, the Delta League champion in 2004.
He also played for Southside American Legion in Sacramento.
He was a starting pitcher and reliever at San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton. He received his AA degree in 2007.
He pitched at Missouri Baptist University from 2007-2008.
He redshirted at Chico State (2008-2009).
He pitched one year for Lindenwood University (St. Charles, MO). He earned a degree in business administration.
He also played for the Reno Bighorns (Reno, NV) and the Marysville Gold Sox.
Mayer was a College Baseball All-Star selection as a relief pitcher in the Western Canada Major Baseball League.
He got his master's in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University in Irvine, CA.
Mayer has coached baseball at the youth, high school and community college level.
He was the head coach for the 14-and-under team for Walbeck Baseball Academy (2015-16) and was the 11U coach for California Academy of Baseball (2014-15).
Mayer was the junior varsity head baseball coach at El Camino High-Sacramento.
Mayer won four Metro League championships (2016-2019) as the head baseball coach at Laguna Creek High-Elk Grove. He was the conference's Coach of the Year all four years.
He was the third-base coach and recruiting coordinator for baseball at Sierra College for two years (2019-2021).
Mayer was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, and was also a kinesiology adjunct faculty member at Butte College (2021-2022).
He was a coach for the Las Cruces Vaqueros of New Mexico in the Pecos League, an independent league (2012).
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.