Archbishop Curley Plays Its Final Home Game Ever

Thirty-eight years ago, Jerry Yeash came to South Florida from Pennsylvania to be a baseball coach and a teacher. Since that time Yeash has been at the helm of the Archbishop Curley baseball program, faithfully and loyally pouring his heart into the Miami-Dade baseball community.

Monday afternoon Coach Yeash and the rest of the Knights played their final home game in program history. At the end of the school year, Archbishop Curley will close its doors for good. It was fitting that the contest came against Chuck Sennett and the Miami Country Day Spartans, a program with close ties and friendships to the team. Country Day won the game 14-3, but on this day it did not feel like there were any winners.

“I really don’t want to quit. Teachers retire at 63 years old, but coaches coach forever,” Yeash said. “We haven’t been as good in recent years, but it has still been fun and they are good kids. That is all you could ask for. We were at Coral Shores two weeks ago and it dawned on me that we won’t get to do that anymore. I am going to miss the practices and I am going to miss the intra-squads most of all.”

Yeash had the opportunity to coach both of his sons during his long tenure. When the older son graduated in 2008, Yeash wept following the final high school game he coached him. The same thing occurred in 2013 for his second son, and Monday there were no dry eyes at the ball park either.

There is no numerical value that can properly quantify what Yeash has given to Archbishop Curley. Besides coaching and teaching, he personally oversaw the field maintenance and typically mowed the grass and raked the field himself. When you love something, you do not question anything you must do on behalf of those feelings. You do it because you love to do it.

While certainly it is a tough goodbye to have to make, the Knights can take solace in knowing that their reputation of class and dignity will live on forever. The Archbishop Curley program and Coach Jerry Yeash will always be remembered with respect and appreciation, and High School Baseball Network offers its thanks and appreciation for a lifetime of devotion.

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