Former Seabreeze baseball coach tabbed as FPC's next head coach

Also in Sidelines: Power hitting clinic to be held at OBSC.

By Ray Boone
| 2:40 p.m. June 3, 2019

Former Seabreeze baseball coach Anthony Campanella. File photo

Ormond Beach Observer
Sports

Anthony Campanella spent 25 seasons, 24 as a head coach and one as an assistant, with Seabreeze High School’s baseball team, stepping away from his position in June 2017.

He took a year off from the high school game. But while he was coaching the Orlando Scorpions travel ball team during the summer of 2018, he felt the itch again.

He wanted to return to high school baseball.

After spending the 2019 season as an assistant coach at Flagler Palm Coast, Campanella was recently hired to coach the Bulldogs, according to FPC Athletics Director Steve DeAugustino. He replaced Jordan Butler, who coached the Bulldogs for the past nine seasons.

Campanella spent 27 years teaching at Seabreeze after he was hired fresh after graduating from Flagler College in 1992. In that time span, he amassed 432-235 overall record and qualified for the state tournament 18 times. He led Seabreeze to seven district championships, three state Final Fours and a runner-up finish in 2001.

FPC was the only school he would leave Seabreeze for, Campanella said. His uncle was former FPC Principal Sal Campanella.

“It’s difficult,” he said of leaving Seabreeze. “I can’t look back, but Seabreeze was my home for so many years. But I’m glad to have this new home. I’m excited about the opportunity to start something new here. FPC has always been really close to me.”

Power hitting clinic to be held at OBSC

There will be a baseball and softball power hitting clinic from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on June 17-20 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. The clinic is open to kids aged 9-14. Register at the Leisure Services Office, located at 399 N. U.S. 1. It's $60 for Ormond Beach residents and $88 for non-residents. For more information, contact coach Gerry Pitchford at 386-676-3280 or at [email protected].