Escambia County High School has hired a successful Flomaton assistant as its new head baseball coach.

Michael Parker spent 17 years as an assistant coach with the Hurricanes under Anthony Davidson and will now have his first head baseball coaching job after a year away from the game.

“It means a lot,” Parker said of the position. “When Anthony retired the year before last I cut out with him and chose not to coach. I wanted a year off to see what I wanted to do.”

Parker, an Escambia County native, then heard from ECHS principal Dennis Fuqua about the position and decided to take it.

Parker, who will leave Flomaton Middle School to take the job with the Blue Devils, will become a drivers’ education and physical education teacher at ECHS.

Fuqua said he was looking for someone with a proven track record of success.

“I was looking for someone who could bring consistency to the program,” Fuqua said.

The 1983 W.S. Neal graduated added that he wants to reach out to baseball players within the ECHS district and let them know he plans on bringing stability to the program.

“I’m going to be there as long as they let me,” he said. “I’m a baseball guy.”

In all, Parker spent 25 years coaching baseball, football, basketball and softball at Flomaton High and Middle schools. His wife, Virginia, also teaches in the district.
Parker spent this weekend watching the 14-year-old Atmore all-star team play in the district tournament in Brewton. He said the young talent looks good, although he said he hasn’t seen the upperclassmen play yet.

“There are some really good athletes and not just athletes, but baseball players,” Parker said. “They seem to understand baseball.”

He said a good team will take more than nine really good players.

“We’re going to put the best players on the field,” Parker said. “You’ve got to have 15 or 16 to really contribute.”

He said once school starts he’ll know more about the team, like who his assistant coach will be.

“I know it’ll be someone on staff at ECHS,” Parker said.