Eyink hired as FR coach

As the Indians begin play on a new field this spring, they’ll have a new leader in the dugout, too.

And he’s one of their own.

Kevin Eyink was formally approved Monday by Fort Recovery School Board of Education as the next Fort Recovery High School baseball coach.

“Always kind of a goal,” Eyink, 38, said of becoming a head coach again after serving as an assistant under Jerry Kaup for nine seasons. Eyink, who teaches elementary and middle school physical education, was head coach at Indian Lake from 2009 to 2013.

“I was able to come back here and hope at some point I might get an opportunity again,” he continued. “I enjoy being at Fort Recovery and it just worked out.”

Eyink replaces the aforementioned Kaup, who was 148-99 with a 43-45 mark in Midwest Athletic Conference play in 11 seasons. Kaup guided the Indians to back-to-back Division IV state berths in 2015 and ’16, and the program’s first MAC championship in 2018.

He also coached two-time MAC player of the year Nick Thwaits, who was selected in the 2018 Major League First Year Player Draft and is in the San Diego Padres organization.

Eyink, who currently coaches junior high football for the Indians, is eager to get to work in the spring.

“Just continuing to build on where we’re at,” he said. “Jerry has got the program in a good place from where it was years ago.

“We just have to keep building on that; try to take the next step in the tournament. We’ve been there before, just trying to get back there again.”

Fort Recovery athletics director Holly Gann said Eyink was one of five applicants.

“We’re just really excited to have Kevin’s positive relationships and baseball knowledge along with head coaching experiences,” she said. “Obviously he’s very committed to Fort Recovery. We feel that he’s going to be a huge asset to the baseball program moving forward.”