Champion high school baseball coach heads for home

Jillian Brant – LRHS News

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) – One of LRHS’s most beloved teachers, PE Coach David Moates, is retiring after this school year. After 25 years of teaching, Moates has decided that it’s time for a change in his life.

Former major leaguer and state champion baseball coach Dave Moates is hanging up the cleats.

Moates has had many memorable moments at his schools, including Palmetto, Manatee and Lakewood Ranch High Schools, Bradenton’s IMG Academy, Sugg Middle School, and the State College of Florida (SCF)Manatee-Sarasota.

Moates says LRHS holds special memories, “The thing I will miss most from LRHS is the faculty and staff. There is a lot of motivated people working here. In a way we are a big family. The ability to help kids is more extreme here than other schools, from what I have seen.”

There are several reasons Moates is retiring. He has been doing this for 25 years. His wife has been sick for some time and she needs more care from him now. He also wants to be more a part of his grandson’s lives.

Moates’ first profession was a professional baseball player. He retired from that after 40 years. “I got to prove that I could play baseball and make my dream come true,” said Moates

After retirement Moates will have a part time job at SCF.

“I’ll have more time after retirement to do things for me, pick and choose my own schedule,” he said.

Moates’ proudest moments are enabling students to do things they have never had the chance to do before, such as catching fish in his Outdoor Recreation Class.

Another proud moment was winning a 2003 state title as LRHS head baseball coach. That was the first team state tittle for the school. The starting shortstop for that game, who scored one of the runs, was new LRHS Baseball Coach Ryan Kennedy.

Moates has helped create many success stories such as college pitcher Matt Bruback, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs. Another is Lance Carter, assistant pitching coach for the University of South Florida. He also coached Bryan Tolberg, who played for the San Diego Padres.

Teaching at the same school for a long time, Moates has seen many generations come and go, “We live in a small enough community where you can have multiple generations with the same last name come through my classes.”

Although Moates will be greatly missed from LRHS, retirement opens a new door for him.