(WNY News Now) – Jamestown, NY – Persistently dedicated, Douglas Kaltenbach, the former Westfield Wolverines Varsity Baseball Team head coach, secures his spot in the 2024 Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, marking 30 years of unwavering commitment and success.
For 30 years, 1987-2017, Doug was the head coach of the highly successful Westfield Wolverines Varsity Baseball Team. His 476 wins is the third most victories in Chautauqua County baseball history. With only 154 losses, his winning percentage was over 75%.
His teams won 14 Chautauqua County Athletic Association division titles, with 6 of those titles being in a row from 2011-2017. During the period of 2014-2017, Westfield strung together a record setting 55 league victories in a row.
He skippered the Wolverines to 8 Section VI final game appearances and won Section VI titles in 2015 and 2016. The 2015 squad was NYSPHSAA Far West Regional Champions and competed in the New York State finals, where they finished second in New York state.
Kaltenbach was named a Chautauqua County Athletic Association division Coach of the Year 13 times and was chosen as the Post-Journal Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2015. He was recognized in 2014 by the Chautauqua County Baseball Showcase. Persistence describes Doug off the baseball diamond, too.
In February 2011, Doug sustained a serious, life changing injury. While using a miter saw, he severely cut his arm. Despite the many daily challenges that came along with the injury, including five surgeries and intensive occupational therapy for a year and a half, Doug continued teaching high school art and coaching. His longtime assistant coaches, Don Mansfield and Dan Martin, stepped in to help Doug with running the physical aspects of coaching baseball, while Doug remained instructing and leading the team. Together, they led Westfield to an undefeated CCAC league championship and Section VI final.
Throughout this experience, Doug taught his players and students the value of having a positive outlook and being persistent. It was these attributes that made Doug successful in the classroom and on the baseball field.
Doug is a 1978 graduate of Brocton Central School. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from SUNY Fredonia. Now retired from teaching and baseball, Doug resides in Fredonia with his wife, Jane, and daughter, Olivia.
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