There is a new head coach that is part of the Bridgeport athletic program. That, alone, is not unusual.

 

What makes this coach’s arrival unique is that he is also coaching a new sport in the city. In a little more than a week, the first-ever Bridgeport Middle School baseball team will be taking the field.

 

Leading the way will be a person familiar with youngsters in the city and definitely familiar with baseball. Former high school and collegiate baseball standout Gabe “Gabie” Devono will be the coach for the first-ever Braves baseball team recognized officially under the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission umbrella.

 

“I’m excited and, even better, the kids are excited,” said Devono. “We want to make this first season is special and we’re working to make that happen.”

 

For those thinking this is brand new – as yours truly did – it is not a sport fresh off the showroom floor. Last year, play began in Harrison County at the middle school level and South Harrison Middle School, said Devono, was the first to throw their baseball hat into the ring.

 

Now, plenty of other schools are following. Devono, who is a substitute teacher in the Harrison County School system primarily in Salem is in his first official coaching capacity for anything involving the WVSSAC. However, he brings a boatload of baseball experience to the coaching table.

 

Devono is a graduate of Robert C. Byrd. His time goes back to the playing days of the late Felix Veltri as well as playing for current Doddridge County Athletic Director Scott Robey. He followed that up with a freshman year at Salem College where he earned second-team all-West Virginia Conference honors.

 

After one year with the Tigers, Devono transferred to Rio Grande in Ohio. He played there for three seasons and each season proved to be more successful than the previous.

 

As a sophomore, he earned second team All-American Mideast Conference honors and bumped it up to first team during his junior campaign. By his senior year, he was not only at the top of the conference play, Devono had earned Academic All-American status.

 

“I loved the game and ended up graduating in physical education and exercise physiology,” said Devono. “All of these years later I am doing kind of what I thought I would do coming out of college, and that was to coach.”

 

As anyone knows, you just do not decide to coach and show up. For Devono, who restored his passion for the game and coaching with his son on the Bridgeport youth sports scene, earned his coaching certification from the WVSSAC. And the most critical part of the process was applying for – and getting hired for – the coaching post.

 

“When the opportunity came about, I initially thought that sounded like a fantastic one for someone. Then I figured I should give it a shot, and here we are,” said Devono.

 

Where Devono was on Monday this week was on the field with nearly two dozen youngsters shortly after the BMS Braves softball team wrapped up practice. He gave a few pre-practice comments and then began dragging the field to prepare it for practice.

 

“We started not too long agon on Feb. 26 with tryouts the first week,” said Devono, who will be assisted by former Fairmont State player Robby Root.

 

According to Devono, roughly 30 individuals came out. There are 21 on the roster at the moment.

 

“We kept that number so we can internally scrimmage. Having the ability to get intrasquad scrimmages under our belts should help us as we get ready,” said Devono.

 

Getting to this point is never easy for a new coach, let alone a new program requiring the use of already cramped facilities during times of up and down weather. Devono had praise for Bridgeport Middle School Athletic Director Danielle Schoonmaker, Principal Gary Oldaker, Assistant Principal Emilee Yurish, officials at The Bridge, and the Bridgeport High School baseball program’s coaching staff and the BHS administration.

 

That cooperation will allow up to a 20-game season. The season will conclude with a Mid-Mountain Conference baseball tournament that has to be in the books by May 11, Devono said.

 

“We’re at the point where the kids are ready to get after it and represent the school. Their work in the school and on the field has helped make the opportunity to play middle school baseball a reality,” he said.

 

Devono said the goal is to teach the students baseball and life lessons. Along with that, he hopes to see the kids not only become an athletic feeder for arguably the most dominant baseball program of the last 20 years in West Virginia, but to also have some prep work done for any good enough – and considering – to play collegiately.

 

“We hope to be able to turn over these kids when their time is done with fine-tuned attention to the game to make the entire Bridgeport system continue to do great things,” said Devono.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Gabe Devono grading the field before practice, as the team warms up in the bottom photo. Middle image shows the first-ever Bridgeport Middle School baseball team.