While Mr. Dehaven is not on the Baseball Field in this pic, I must admit that he wears the look of Athletic Director very well !
Following Rod Bryant, Matthew Tompkins and Casey Burcham, its Kevin’s turn at the dish. He steps 🚶♂️ into the batters box, knocks the dirt from his spikes, points his bat to centerfield and ala Babe Ruth he has called his shot.
Then DeHaven hits a bomb 💣 off the scoreboard, just like Roy Hobbs in The Natural. Scratch that last part, as AD it would be his job to replace the scoreboard……
In the words of Kevin DeHaven :
As I try to follow the three people before me writing what Cavalier baseball means to me, I have to start from the beginning.
To me to be from one of the greatest brotherhoods, in my opinion, it all is about the love for all players by their coaches and tradition’s. I was a 7th grade student at what then was Hillsville Intermediate school and none other than Coach Rick Nester as the head baseball coach.
At CCHS we’ve always had a tradition of having excellent catchers. Well, if it wasn’t for Coach Nester I may not be writing this excerpt. He molded me into the catcher that loved the position due to being gritty and a team player.
He was tough but a great coach and mentor. He expected the most out of each player he coached. Which leads me to talking about one of the greatest coaches at CCHS, Bill Worrell.
As most people that know me, I am tearing up as I type! Coach Worrell meant the world to me, but I didn’t realize this while I was a player. It wasn’t until later in my life I figured out what he was trying to teach me when I was in high school.
The three people that have written our Cavalier baseball before me have talked about Coach Worrell in some fashion. Now, it’s my turn!
I had been to CCHS baseball games as a young kid. I had no clue what was in store for me as a player. I do remember Coach Worrell coming to HIS(Hillsville intermediate school)to talk to another player and myself about playing to our 9th grade year. He took the time out of his day teaching to come talk personally to two players he wanted to play up in his program.
That meant the world to me! Even though I started with the JV team, I didn’t care. Coach Worrell wanted me to play in his program! WOW! I was jacked! I was able to play both JV and varsity.
Long story short, I ended up playing at the varsity level for four year’s. The trust and belief in a young kid to play at a high level of baseball filled with tradition was unbelievable! He also allowed me to call pitches, which at that time was unheard of at the high school level. But this was the trust he had in me to allow me to do this.
Speaking of traditions, Coach Worrell would let his players be themselves. I know Doug McCraw talked at the recent alumni game about making the horseshoe with ball in the middle of it as a superstition! Well, it continued until I graduated in 1993 ( and after).
Other superstitions that Coach Worrell instilled was having the same medicine kit, bucket he sat on, and turning our hats around when we won! I personally loved turning the hats around when we won so people would know who just beat you as we left! But, we won with class and this was all from the respect and tutelage from Coach Worrell. This man could just give you a look (not being mean or hateful) and you knew what he was trying to convey to you.
He expected the best out of every player he coached. It didn’t matter if you were a starter or a role player, you knew your role! This was all because Coach Worrell had established relationships with each and every player and the respect that comes with it. Talk about respect, Coach Worrell didn’t demand it, it was just the way he carried himself that every player gave and earned it.
He would make trips to watch former players play at the next level. To take the time out of his schedule to make trips to watch former players at college meant the world to me.
Now let’s progress to when I started coaching. Thank you Joe Tompkins for asking me to find you a catcher during the spring of 1999! This gave me the opportunity to start coaching the game
that I truly love. He then gave me
The chance to coach JV baseball as an assistant with Brad Bowman (RIP- love you brother!). Also, thank you Coach Motley for leaving CCHS and coaching boys basketball at Grayson Co, or I may not be writing this letter! Joe also believed in a young man that ended up being his assistant for several years.
Then for some dumb reason he decided to retire. Well, Mr Thompson allowed me to become only the fourth head coach in CCHS baseball history! What high expectations. Hopefully I was able to carry on the high level of coaching that the three before me did! I would be very self-centered if I didn’t thank my family for all the support given to me, all the coaches that coached me and worked with me for their support, the administration at CCHS for allowing me to coach the game I love and last but not least the former players throughout my 26 years of coaching.
I love each and every one of you! I know the program is in great hands with Coach Burcham! Current and future Cavalier baseball players work hard , be great, and carry on the traditions given to you from all the previous players and coaches. Also, Coach Worrell you will never be forgotten!
Thank you for allowing me to ramble on about what Cavalier baseball means to me!
Coach Combs you’re next!
Coach DeHaven
Coach even took the time to put Steve Combs on the Clock ⏰ !
A.S.P.N on The Hill 