" title=""/>
DeLand High School has announced the hiring of a new baseball coach for the Bulldogs: Tim Ballesteros will take over the Bulldog baseball program.
Ballesteros is no stranger to the West Volusia area, as he played his college baseball at Stetson University, and is the current coach for the DeLand prep team. He has managed baseball teams from Little League to Men’s Leagues. He also plays for the Daytona Rays in the Orlando Baseball League.
In 1988, Ballesteros graduated from Stetson, where he played third base. In 1987, he batted .347, and led the team with 54 RBIs. He is one of only 25 players in Stetson history to produce 100-plus runs and have 1,000-plus OPS in a single season.
The public once again can attend Volusia County School Board meetings in person. Attendance at all public meetings will be very limited due to social-distancing requirements.
School Board meetings will continue to be aired online, with the link www.vcsedu.org available on the Volusia County Schools website homepage on the day and at the time of the meeting.
Volusia County Schools has been granted permission from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Food and Wellness Division, to add Ivy Hawn Charter School of the Arts and the Richard Milburn Academy West to the meal program that allows all children under age 18 in schools and the community to eat for free. This started Sept. 21.
For students not attending in-person classes, schools are still open for curbside service for all children 18 years and younger. Families may pick up meals 6:30-7 a.m. each Tuesday. The program will operate through Dec. 18.
Register for meals using this form: https://forms,gle/vUWCh3GazNwN62966. Parents must show their ID when picking up meals, as well as a form of ID for each student requesting meals. Current student ID cards or birth certificates are acceptable.
Pine Ridge High School
Leonard’s Senior Portraits will be on the campus of Pine Ridge High School in Deltona from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28. Photos will be taken by appointment only.
Stetson University
On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Stetson University alumni, parents and friends will have the opportunity to participate virtually in welcoming Dr. Christopher F. Roellke, Stetson’s 10th president. During the virtual meet-and-greet, Dr. Roellke will address the challenge of the global pandemic, his thoughts and priorities for the 2020-21 academic year, and observations about the opportunities that lie ahead.
To register, go to www.stetson.edu/president-meet-and-greet.
Another program funded by Stetson’s Nina B. Hollis Institute for Educational Reform is the AAUW Florida Tech Trek STEM Camp for Girls. This is a one-week residential summer camp that is backed by the American Association of University Women’s research, and designed to make STEM fields exciting and accessible to middle-schoolers.
Stetson University Athletics
The Stetson University baseball roster grew to 49 players at the beginning of the school year. Thirteen freshman-signees are on campus, along with five transfers. The transfers include graduate transfers Hernen Sardinas, University of Maine, and Jackson Olson, University of Hartford. The other three are undergraduates: Chase Costello, Louisiana State University; Banks Griffith, Furman University; and Seth Klaiber, Xavier/Sinclair Community College.
West Volusia high-school football
This past week, four West Volusia football teams played, with three of them playing their first game of the season.
Orange City University topped Winter Springs, 41-7, while Pierson Taylor stopped Bell, 30-12.
Deltona opened the season with a loss to Seabreeze, 30-8, while Deltona Trinity Christian suffered its first loss after winning two earlier games. Trinity was stopped, 6-0, by Christ Church of Jacksonville.
On Friday, Sept. 25, DeLand opens up with Deltona in Spec Martin Memorial Stadium, while Pine Ridge of Deltona starts its 2020 season with a trip to Father Lopez. Deltona Trinity Christian travels to Central Florida Christian Academy in Orlando, while Orange City University goes to Seabreeze at Daytona Stadium, and Pierson Taylor travels across the state to Newberry. All these games start at 7 p.m., except the Taylor game, which starts at 7:30 p.m.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.
