Boardman hires new varsity baseball coach

The Boardman Board of Education approved the hiring of Robert Beam as the new high school varsity baseball coach at its last meeting.

Beam replaces Jack Hay who retired last season as the head coach and also as a teacher in the school system.

Beam was a 1993 Boardman graduate who went on to play for Youngstown State University in 1994 before transferring to Hiram College to finish out his career and earn a degree in teaching.

He is currently a seventh-grade science teacher in the Springfield Local school system where he has been the head baseball for the last six seasons, earning a 140-42 record for the Tigers.

His teams at Springfield have posted some impressive statistics, including being state finalists in 2009, regional champions in 2009 and regional finalist in 2008. They won four league championships, six sectional championships and two district titles.

In all, he has 13 years of high school coaching experience, earning the Mahoning Valley Coaches Association’s “Coach of the Year” award in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

He also currently coaches summer baseball for the Ohio Glaciers and has in the past coached with the Astro Falcons in the Youngstown Class B league.

Coaching with Coach Beam for the 2011 season will be Joe Gabriel (pitching coach), Marc Jakubovic (infield, third base), Bob Mingo (outfield, first base), Tommy Tedesco (junior varsity coach), Jay Dana (freshman and junior varsity) and Brett Pitzulo (freshman).

The group has more than 70 years coaching experience and is looking to add three additional coaches to the staff.