NEW MADISON — Tri-Village Local Schools has named veteran educator and coach Doug Fries its next head baseball coach, adding a leader with experience at the high school and college levels to the Patriots’ athletic department.
Fries brings 14 years of baseball coaching experience, including one year as a graduate assistant at Indiana University, eight years as an assistant coach at Greenville and five years as a head coach at Ada and Greenville. Four of his former players have gone on to play professional baseball.
“I have a rich family tradition in the field of education, athletic competition and coaching,” Fries said. “There is nothing I enjoy more than working with young people to build character through athletic competition involvement.”
A graduate of Ada High School, Fries earned 10 varsity letters in baseball, basketball and cross country. He attended the College of Wooster and Bluffton College, continuing his athletic career in baseball and basketball. During college, he served as a team captain and earned all-conference and academic all-conference honors.
Fries graduated from Bluffton College and earned master’s degrees in guidance and counseling from Bowling Green State University and educational administration from the University of Dayton.
His education career includes four years as a teacher and 12 years as a guidance counselor at Ada and Greenville. He also spent four years as an assistant principal and principal at Piqua and 23 years as a superintendent at Lincolnview and Greenville.
In addition to his baseball coaching experience, Fries spent a combined 15 years as a head basketball coach at Ada and Greenville.
In its announcement, the district welcomed Fries and his family and cited his extensive background in educational leadership and coaching. School officials expressed confidence that his experience guiding young people would have a lasting impact on Tri-Village students.
“I look forward to joining the rich tradition of athletics at Tri-Village High School and appreciate the opportunity the administration and board have offered me in coaching baseball,” Fries said.
The district is finalizing plans for a formal community introduction and will announce the date and time when arrangements are complete.
