Prep baseball: New Palmer head coach is following in his father's footsteps

Nov. 3, 2006

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

PALMER - For David Combs, the Palmer High School baseball program is pretty familiar territory.

He's a 1997 graduate of PHS and played on the first Moose baseball squad. He's been one of the team's assistant coaches for the last three seasons. And his father, Mike, is the man credited with bringing baseball to PHS.

So it's only natural that Combs will serve as Palmer's next head baseball coach.

And earlier this week, it became official.

&#8220The tradition his family has brought to the high school sport helped make this an easier decision,” Palmer activities director Jeff Thiede said.

Combs succeeds former skipper Steve Mossburgh who moved on to become the head coach of the Alaska Road Warriors, the local American Legion squad.

When the opportunity to apply for the vacant position at his alma mater become available, Combs dove at it.

&#8220I've been waiting for this ever since I got out of college,” Combs said. &#8220I wanted to be the next guy to step in.”

After graduating from Palmer High School, Combs attended Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Ore., and George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. He played one season of college baseball at George Fox, and graduated from the school in 2002.

Combs started playing baseball in the local youth leagues when he was about 5 years old, and was coached by his father throughout most of his childhood. When Combs was a junior in 1996, his father started a high school program at

PHS.

&#8220There's been a Combs involved in Palmer High baseball ever since it started,” Combs said. &#8220[I'll] keep the tradition going.”

Combs said the idea of coaching has always intrigued him.

&#8220I've always wanted to get to that side of the ballgame,” Combs said.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.