Counting down the Albany Area’s Top 10 sports stories of 2018 — No. 10: A pair of Lee coaches step aside

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Herald’s sports staff has chosen the Albany area’s Top 10 sports stories from 2018. Today marks the first of the 10 we’ve picked as having a significant influence as we count down to No. 1, which will appear in the Dec. 31 edition.

LEESBURG — They were two of the Albany area’s best high school coaches during the spring sports season. And both had good reasons when it came to stepping down.

Lee County High School baseball coach Brandon Brock and girls soccer coach Dave Baltenberger called it quits after successful seasons in 2018.

Brock, a 1994 graduate whose head baseball coaching career spanned just five seasons, turned in his resignation after guiding the program to three region championships and a Georgia High School Association Class 6A state runner-up finish in 2017. He kept the program running at a high level after replacing longtime coach and 500-game winner Rob Williams after the 2013 season.

Three young children at home and teaching Advanced Placement classes were the biggest reasons for his departure.

“With newborn twins, a 15-month-old and no built-in baby sitter, I need to be a good dad and a good husband,” said Brock, who remained at Lee County as a teacher. “There’s no way to do that and give the baseball team what it deserves. This is the right thing to do for the right reasons.”

Brock guided the program to the state playoffs every year of his tenure. His 2018 squad won the Region 1-6A title before falling to Greenbrier in the second round of the state playoffs.

His replacement was assistant coach Brian Trivette, the team’s pitching coach, who joined the Lee County program in 2006 as a volunteer.

“I’m a huge fan of Brian,” Brock told the Herald. “He’s been a big piece for us the last five years. He’s as good of a baseball guy as I’ve been around. I attribute a lot of the success that we’ve had to him. They are in good hands.”

Baltenberger, who also remained as a physics teacher at the school, said it was time to step away after leading the Lee County girls soccer program for 10 years.

He won 125 games as the school’s head coach and established the Lady Trojans as one of the Albany area’s top girls soccer programs.

“It’s time for somebody else to take it to that next step,” Baltenberger said.

Baltenberger led Lee County to a 12-7 record in his final season and a trip to the second round of the state tournament. His 2017 team won another Region 1-6A title after making the state semifinals in 2017.

Boys coach Colby Simpson will coach the girls program in 2019.