WD Baseball Welcomes New Head Coach

West Deptford has no shortage of support for new head baseball coach John Oehler. Roughly a dozen players came out in support of Oehler, who was approved by the school board on Monday, Nov. 26.

“The players are really excited to have a coach in place,” said West Deptford High School Athletic Director Tim Cammarota.

Cammarota, who played a part in the selecting Oehler, said Oehler’s wealth of experience made him stand out among the candidates. The selection process took about six weeks to complete, with two weeks just for interviews. Selecting from what he described as a “strong candidate pool,” Cammarota called the process thorough and deliberate.   

“He has a strong commitment to baseball,” said Cammarota.

Oehler stood out in baseball as a catcher while attending Audubon High School, and later went on to play for Old Dominion University. He currently has six seasons of assistant coaching—and recently head coaching—at Gloucester High School under his belt. Oehler is also a physical education teacher in the Pennsville School District.

In addition to his experience, Oehler will bring a “youthful vitality” to his new team, Cammarota said—the same vitality Cammarota said was the secret to former head coach Mike Rucci’s success.

Rucci was the head coach for the past two years, before leaving to take a head coaching job at Gloucester Catholic High School. In his first year of coaching, Rucci helped the Eagles bring home a sectional title.

Being a product of the Colonial Conference, Oehler knows the conference well—which is a major advantage according to Cammarota. He believes that Oehler will not only to strengthen the skills of his current team, but will also continue to build the program for newcomers, as well.