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Hoptown Hoppers News
Brissenden Named Hoppers Skipper
In November of 2023, the Hoppers announced the club has turned to the Prospect League to find their new head coach, when GM Danny Roberts introduced Jarrod Brissenden as the man who would guide the 2024 OVL campaign.
He was head coach of the Midwest Moos in Kansas Collegiate League last season where his team had a potent offense with multiple hitters near the .500 mark and Kyle Mager leading the league in home runs.
Brissenden spent the 2022 season as a hitting coach for the Alton River Dragons. Two of the Dragons took three of the league’s top honors, claiming the batting title, the home run title, and Prospect League MVP.
In 2021, he was a hitting coach for the O’Fallon Hoots.
Brissenden played for Olney Central College, Greenville University, and McKendree University.
He was a coach at Althoff Catholic High School in Bellville, Illinois, for six years. Brissenden has also coached American Legion baseball in Illinois in Flora and Highland, where he currently resides with his wife and two children.
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Hoppers Return to HHS in '24
The Hoppers will return to the Hopkinsville High School Tiger Field facility for the 2024 season as part of the club's annual rotation between the Hopkinsville and Christian County baseball complexes.
The well-maintained facility includes the Bart Cayce Fieldhouse for team use for indoor workouts and dressing rooms. The HHS facility has a beautiful field setting nestled into area neighborhoods and sitting on the HHS campus. Ample parking is available north of the left field line. And, the HHS Baseball Boosters will once again be manning the concession stand with their outstanding and affordable menu of food, specials and beverages for each game.
The field also features plenty of permanent chair seating. However, ardent Hoppers fans arrive early with personal chairs to take advantage of field-side seating behind the safety netting along both baselines.
The address for the HHS Field is 430 Koffman Dr, Hopkinsville KY 42240 (school address). The field can also be located by turning onto Gateway Lane off of Lafayette Road.
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OVL Undergoes Reorganization
After swelling to a record 12 teams for the 2023 season, league membership has changed for the upcoming year as the historic Ohio Valley League reverts to most of its original membership. Conversations continue with several communities about joining/rejoining the OVL for 2025, but in the meantime the keen competition will continue between the traditional rivals.
During the 2023-24 off-season, franchises folded for various reasons in Bowling Green, Clarksville, Louisville, Muhlenberg Co., and Owensboro. Two other clubs left for different leagues. The OVL has now reverted to longtime members from the same geographic footprint - the Hoppers, Fulton Railroaders, Madisonville Miners, Paducah Chiefs, and Henderson Flash. There may be fewer OVL teams, but the intensity and great play will still take place nightly.
New Hoppers Board Members
The Hoptown Hoppers Board of Directors announced a new member over the off-season, as Adam West joined the 11-member volunteer group. West is a local small business owner who also has 13 years of military service to his credit (6 years active and 7 reserves). As is the case with many Hoppers board members, the West family has also been a host family for our "summer sons" for the 10-week season.
The addition of West to the board took place when longtime Hoppers supporter and local historian, William Turner, was made a board member emeritus, pledging to remain as active as possible.
The Hoppers board roster is Charlie Henderson (President), Nate Craig (Vice-Pres), Travis Martin (Treasurer), Tab Brockman (Secretary), Jamie Folz (Housing Co-Ord), along with John Atkins, Holly Hampton, Brandon Killebrew, Mark Salmons, Bruce Smiley and Lorie Wagoner.
Danny Roberts is in his second year as General Manager, with Asst. GM Randy Morris returning as well.