Sotir, the successful Homestead High School baseball coach and key contributor to the Fort Wayne-based World Baseball Academy, will move to El Paso, Texas, in February to take a position running a baseball academy and four-field complex.
“The thought of returning to a full-time baseball job and helping build this facility was just too exciting to pass up,” Sotir said.
Sotir has worked in Southwest Allen County Schools for more than 18 years in a number of positions, including middle-school athletic director at Summit and Woodside, SWACS head of facilities and Homestead baseball coach.
Sotir coached Homestead’s baseball team for eight seasons, compiling a 165-60 record and winning six sectionals, three regionals and one semistate. His Spartans reached the Class 4A semistate last season. The Spartans were Class 4A state runnerups in 2008.
A native of Cincinnati, Sotir has worked in baseball most of his life. He served as director of development for the International Baseball Federation, running camps in Australia, Bulgaria, Curacao, Ecuador, England, Germany, Guam, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Scotland, and Spain. He was a college coach at Georgia Southern and he worked in a number of other international situations.
Sotir has collaborated with Caleb Kimmel over the years as Kimmel developed the World Baseball Academy at the ASH Centre.
Sotir and his wife, Therese, have three adult daughters who live in Florida. His brother, Gary, lives in El Paso, so he’ll have a family connection there.
“Leaving the family of Southwest Allen County Schools and our friends of over 20 years in Fort Wayne will absolutely be the worst part of this whole opportunity,” Sotir said.
The academy in El Paso will also include an indoor facility. As director of coaching, Sotir will coordinate high school and college clinics as the complex develops.
Sotir has nothing but fond memories of his time coaching Homestead’s high school team.
“It has just been an awesome experience for me,” Sotir said. “I’ve said it 1,000 times. I’ve been truly blessed to have outstanding student-athletes, and the chance to work with the coaches I’ve been involved with and developed relationships with over the past eight years has been priceless.”
While his success on the field can be attributed in large part to his sharp baseball mind, Sotir points to the broader picture as the key to Homestead’s strong program.
“The coaching is really all about relationships and caring for their kids, on the field and off the field,” Sotir said. “I will often say that I’ve had the greatest seat for the past eight years to watch Homestead baseball, and what a show they have provided. Year in and year out, we have some absolute superstars and we have kids that just really work hard, and that combination has allowed us to be successful year in and year out.”
