Harless named Mosley baseball coach

LYNN HAVEN - Todd Harless made his mark wearing Black and Red in Bay County but his true colors are now Orange and Green.

The former Bay High standout was named the new head baseball coach at Mosley on Wednesday. He replaces Mike Williams, who resigned earlier this summer after two seasons at the helm.

Harless, 31, was one of seven finalists in the process slowed by the Bay County Schools' hiring freeze that ended last week. The list included more seasoned high school coaches, but Harless' experience on all levels placed him above the rest.

"Todd is so much more knowledgeable in baseball than his age would indicate," Mosley Athletic Director Tim Jennings said. "He has a lot of experience as a head coach and his connections on the college level will be valuable for our players."

Harless graduated from Bay in 1995 and played two seasons each at Wallace Community College-Dothan, Ala., and the University of West Georgia as a first baseman/pitcher. He took his first head coaching position with Bay County Baseball at age 19, leading the team to a 39-11 record, a state championship and a fourth-place finish at the national tournament.

He also served as an assistant coach at Wallace, Okaloosa-Walton and Chipola. He was recruiting coordinator for five years at both Wallace and O-W.

It was in this position that he learned to deal with pressure, something that will surround him as the coach of the highest profile program in the county.

"When you coach in college there's a lot of pressure when you bring in a guy and then he plays in the fall and he's no good," Harless said. "That all falls on your shoulders."

The same can be said for failure in high school, especially at Mosley. The Dolphins, who won the 2002 Class 5A state championship under Doug Lee, have struggled of late. Save a rebuilding 2007 season, winning hasn't been an issue at Mosley, at least during the regular season.

Mosley won its first district championship since 2003 last season and will return a roster full of experienced players in 2009. Harless said the goal is to not only win district titles but to win games in the postseason. Mosley hasn't won a regional tournament game since 2004.

"You have to get back to winning games in the playoffs," Harless said. "My job is to find out what the issue is and work to correct it."

Harless said a lack of cohesion in the program, while not a direct result, is never good. He is Mosley's third coach in as many years, and plans to remain in the area for a long time.

Harless has a wife, Beth, an 18-month-old daughter and another son on the way. He is a product of the county and teaches at Waller Elementary. And while college coaching is always a lure, he realizes that Mosley is the most sought after place to coach high school baseball in the Panhandle.

"I always said it would take a special high school job to keep me away from college," Harless said. "It's very important to take time to build a program.

"It's tough when you have new coaches every two or three years. It's now my job to get everyone on the same page and play as one."