Peabody hires Ramsey to lead baseball team

By Gary L. Smith,

Sports Editor

With the retirement of 26-year veteran baseball coach Todd Lumley, Peabody High School begins a new era in the sport.

In an attempt to maintain the Golden Tide’s buoyancy as one of state’s top baseball programs, PHS has hired Jake Ramsey as head coach. Ramsey comes to Trenton from Ripley High School, where he has been associated with the Tigers’ baseball program for the last five years, including head coach since July 2016.

Coach Ramsey brings impressive credentials to the job. During his five years at Ripley, he helped coach 97 total wins, including two district championships, two region runners-up and two sub-state appearances. He has coached 10 players, who have signed scholarships to play college baseball.

During the recently completed season, Ramsey coached Ripley to a 19-12 record and a third place finish in the District Tournament. Two teams from the district advanced to the Class AA Baseball State Tournament.

Explaining the rationale for hiring Ramsey as baseball coach, Peabody Assistant Principal Shane Jacobs explained, “When we started the hiring process, we wanted to find a coach that, number one, would be a good person, a good man and a good fit for our kids. Obviously, the baseball part of it was very important, but Coach Ramsey’s application stood out very early in the process of being exactly what we were looking for and as we called his references and started looking into his record in terms of being a baseball coach, that made him the front-runner going into the interviews. Talking with him, with Coach (Tim) Haney and Coach (Rickey) Hooker and Principal (Paul) Pillow, we all agreed that his passion and his excitement for the opportunity of this job made him a strong candidate. We are really excited to have him here. We are excited about the direction of the program and proud of how far Coach (Todd) Lumley has gotten it and Coach Ramey continuing the direction Coach Lumley had it going.”

Ramsey developed his baseball skills as a centerfielder at Milan High School, where he was a member of the Bulldogs’ 2004 State Championship Team. During his senior season in 2007, he was named to the Tennessee All-State and All-West Tennessee Baseball Teams.

Ramsey continued his baseball career as a corner infielder at Bethel University in McKenzie, where he was a four-year starter and member of the 2013 TranSouth Conference Championship Team.

While at Bethel University, he earned Bachelor of Science Degree in 2012 (Major: Physical Education and Minor: Secondary Education) and Master of Arts in Education in July 2013 (Field: Secondary Education).

He has taught at Gleason School, Dresden High School and Ripley High School and has developed a reputation for strengths in educational preparations and dependability in the workplace. Ramsey is certified in the field of physical education wellness.

Jake currently resides in Medina with his wife, Lindsey.

Explaining why he applied for the job, Ramey admitted, “I am very excited about the chance to coach baseball here at Peabody High School. I would like to thank Coach (Shane) Jacobs, Director of Schools (Tim) Haney and Trenton Rosenwald Middle School Principal (Paul) Pillow for the opportunity and for their belief in me. When I left here after the interview, I told my wife that Peabody felt like home and it just felt right. The administration here is fantastic. I have heard nothing, but good things about Trenton Peabody, the school and the athletics. I am excited and ready to get to work.”

Asked when he would begin work, Ramsey replied, “I will be here tomorrow (Tuesday). We have our first team meeting, likely, tomorrow. We will get boots on the ground next week, with tryouts starting at 6 p.m. next Tuesday, May 28 and Thursday, May 30.” (Tryouts are open to all incoming freshmen and anyone not on the team last year that is interested in playing.)

He continued, “We will try to start implementing through practice some of my philosophy and our culture and try to get the ball rolling on that. We will try to schedule as many games as we can fit this summer and just try to get to know the kids. Number one, whether we practice or play a game it is important for us to start developing those relationships and setting the culture.”

Asked to explain his basic baseball philosophy, Coach Ramsey informed, “Number one, and I just kind of elaborated on it, is relationships, and I don’t make light of that. If you want kids to play hard for you, through adversity, good times and bad, they have to trust you and know you care. So, our number one priority as a staff is going to be relationships and getting to know our kids. Beyond that, I am a pitching and defensive mindset coach. We are going to grind and work hard, but the biggest thing is we are going to get to know our kids.

Ramsey’s teaching duties have not been determined. He will help coach football.