BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — Tug Valley High School will have a new leader on the baseball diamond this season.

LeeAnn Blankenship, who served as an assistant coach last year, has been named the Panthers’ new head baseball coach.

A 1998 graduate of Tug Valley, Blankenship was a four-year starter in both basketball and softball. She continued her athletic career at WVU Tech, where she earned a scholarship and played both sports.

Blankenship brings a wealth of coaching experience to the role. At the high school level, she previously served as head baseball coach at Tolsia for one season and spent a year as an assistant at Tug Valley. She also led the baseball program at Kermit PK-8 for three years.

In addition to baseball, Blankenship has coaching experience on the basketball court. She was the head coach of Kermit’s girls’ team for one season and an assistant for the boys’ team for two years.

Over the past two decades, she has also coached various youth teams.

“It’s an honor to coach these young men. I love these boys—they’re like family to me,” Blankenship said. “I’ve watched them grow up and have tried to guide them along the way. I’m happy to give back to a school I love and graduated from. We have the best community backing us. We’re going to get to work and give it everything we’ve got.”

She added, “I’m excited about this season. We have a great group of boys, and we’re going to work hard and improve every day. I’ll give 100%, and I expect the same from them. It’s going to be a fun year.”

Tug Valley High School principal Doug Ward expressed confidence in Blankenship’s leadership.

“We are thankful to welcome LeeAnn to Tug Valley,” Ward said. “She brings prior experience as a head coach and understands the high expectations we have at TVHS, both athletically and academically.”

Crum Middle School head coach Marky Spaulding will join Blankenship as assistant coach this year. Spaulding, a Tug Valley graduate, also played baseball for the Panthers.

Blankenship replaces Teddy Hall, who recently stepped down from the position.