Kiser gets nod for PC baseball

As the saying goes, “If you can’t beat ‘em, abduct one of their coaches.”

It might not be the most conventional form of the adage, but that’s the take Porterville College men’s baseball is using.

After sifting through at least 15 applicants in the wake of former head coach Del Marine’s departure, Pirates baseball announced it will hire Jake Kiser to fill the void.

In doing so, PC drew away one of the coaches from its top rival — College of the Sequoias — where Kiser spent four seasons as an assistant.

“We had a lot of qualified candidates from across the state interested in the position,” PC athletic director Eric Mendoza said. “And, to his credit, Jake was able to surface to the top.”

At 30 years of age, Kiser was likely one of the youngest applicants and joins a recent youth movement at Porterville College, which hired 29-year-old men’s basketball coach TJ Jennings last summer.

That’s not to take away from Kiser’s credentials, which outline a rapid ascent up the coaching ranks since his graduation from Golden West High.

A Paso Robles-native, Kiser returned from playing ball at Allan Hancock College and Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa (where he was second in the nation in stolen bases) to coach his old high school.

Kiser led the Blazers to a pair of West Yosemite League championships in 2005 and 2006. At 26, he guided the Blazers to a semifinals appearance in the Division II Valley playoffs.

And after helping the Giants through three 20-win seasons, Kiser had an offer he couldn’t refuse from PC.

“I’m very excited about joining the Porterville College athletic department,” Kiser said in a statement. “I appreciate the opportunity from the administration, and I’m looking forward to working hard and preparing for next season.”

In addition to his duties on the diamond, Kiser will become a part-time adjunct instructor for PC’s physical education division. Kiser earned a bachelor’s in kinesiology and a master’s in health and human performance from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, last year.

As Kiser begins preparation for next season, Mendoza says most of the recruits who committed will stay, along with at least 10 returning freshman from last year’s Pirates, who struggled with a 7-29 (6-18 Central Valley Conference).

“Our goals will be to recruit quality talent from the Valley, field a team that is highly competitive and prepare our students to be successful in life,” Kiser said.

Mendoza has no doubts Kiser will be a an ideal figure for his players in and out of the classroom, much as Marine was before he stepped down to be with his family in San Diego.

“Jake has demonstrated a commitment to helping student-athletes succeed,” Mendoza said, “and his character as a person makes him a great role model for our program. Jake has experience directing his own baseball program, and being a leader at COS has also prepared him for this level.”

Kiser’s responsibilities at COS were not limited to coaching instructions, as he helped with fund-raising, summer camps and off-season conditioning.

Kiser and his wife, Jae, currently make their home in Visalia with their two children.