Steinbrenner baseball job too good to pass up for Crumbley

Hillsborough County's all-time winningest baseball coach is returning to the dugout.

Former Jesuit coach John Crumbley, who won 575 games and three state titles at Jesuit, has been hired to start the baseball program at Steinbrenner High School, the school announced Monday.

 "I've missed it from the day I walked away," Crumbley said. "The opportunity to start a new program at a school named after George Steinbrenner is exciting. I'm grateful for the 25 years I spent at Jesuit. There was never a day when I got up and didn't want to go do my job."

Crumbley's contract as athletic director ends in May. He will begin at Steinbrenner, where he will also teach algebra, in August.

Steinbrenner will draw some 1,500 students from Sickles and about 230 from Gaither.

Crumbley coached 22 years for the Tigers and has 575 career wins. He guided Jesuit to three state titles in 1994, 1997 and 2000. His teams made 17 playoff appearances and 11 trips to the final four. He is a member of the Florida High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Tigers' Hall of Fame.

Crumbley's career record is 575-154. His teams went 44-14 in the playoffs. The list of alumni he coached includes Marc Valdes (1990) Brad Radke (1991), Jason Michaels (1994), Sam Marsonek (1996) and Geoff Goetz (1997) and Shane Robinson (2003).

New district realignments could place Steinbrenner and Jesuit in the same district in Class 4A.

"After being there 25 years, it would be a little strange if we play at Jesuit that first time," Crumbley said.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA & IZZY GOULD