The decision to leave Reading High School’s baseball program wasn’t any easy one for longtime coach Pete Muehlenkamp.
Former longtime Reading coach Pete Muehlenkamp, a University of Wisconsin graduate, is the new Sycamore baseball coach.
“I love this community,” Muehlenkamp said.
But, when the position opened at his alma mater Sycamore, Muehlenkamp felt it was the right opportunity.
“It’s always great to go back to your alma mater and go home,” Muehlenkamp told WCPO.com. “It’s a real honor. I’m very lucky.”
Sycamore Athletic Director Phil Poggi announced Muehlenkamp as the Aviators’ next baseball coach Friday morning. The Sycamore Board of Education approved Muehlenkamp on Wednesday.
“Coach Muehlenkamp embodies the passion, competitiveness, integrity, abilities and experience to lead our young me and to help them become men of character and success after high school,” Poggi said. “His passion for the game of baseball and for student-athletes is evident in everything that he does and made him a perfect fit for the future of Sycamore Aviator baseball.”
Muehlenkamp, 47, just finished his 14th season as the Reading baseball coach. He won 268 games in that 14-year span including nine section titles, two districts and four Cincinnati Hills League championships. In 2009, he led the Blue Devils to the Division IV state semifinals.
Overall, he was at Reading for 18 years. He’s very proud of the impact the program had on the student-athletes and the scholarship money raised by the annual Ramsey Tournament.
“I feel like we produced quality people and people who were good citizens for the community,” Muehlenkamp said. “I’m most proud of the kids.”
Muehlenkamp, a 1987 Sycamore graduate, played outfield for the Aviators on their most recent league title team (1987).
He has served as a classroom teacher, athletic director, vice principal and varsity baseball coach at different points of his career. He lives in Anderson Township with his wife Shelli and three children – Maddie, Max and Leo.
Reading is expected to eventually post the baseball position internally for 10 days after Muehlenkamp officially resigns, according to Athletic Director Nick Lunsford.
