Bobby Saeger says one door closed for him when the Upper Perk Braves won a state championship. Four days later, another opened.

            Earlier this month, the Upper Perkiomen School Board voted to approve Saeger

Bobby Saeger

as its new varsity baseball coach. The Marlborough resident succeeds Frank Mercon, who resigned earlier this year after 13 seasons.

            A lifelong resident of the district, Saeger described his hiring as a dream he never knew he had. A confluence of events connected him to the position.

            "It's like the planets lined up," said Saeger, a 1993 graduate of Upper Perkiomen and a standout shortstop on the team coached by Ernie Quatrani. "I never gave the job a second thought until it opened."

            Saeger, a fixture in youth baseball in the Upper Perkiomen Valley since his graduation from West Chester University and a three-week professional stint in sport, has worn a uniform for 25 consecutive seasons as a coach. Next year will end his tenure as president of the Upper Perk Kiwanis Baseball, an organization he has served in multiple roles during the same period.

            The Palm native – just the program's third coach since 1978 – served multiple stints with the Braves since 1999. In 2002, he managed them to a Twin County League Championship and an Eastern Regional appearance. He served as a coach for the team that reached the state tournament title game in 2014.

            Saeger's most recent on-field run with the team ended Aug. 2 with the first state championship in franchise history in Berwick. It completed an impressive three-year run that included previous third and second place finishes.

            Standing on the field and celebrating a state title, Saeger said the vision he developed several years earlier, while coaching several of the players, had been fulfilled. He said it felt like he needed a new challenge.

            Four days later, he received an email stating that Mercon decided to resign as the high school coach. Saeger described it as the new opportunity he was looking for.

            "I feel like it's all part of God's plan for me," he said. "I have so many positive memories of the program."

            According to Saeger, his new dream is to lead the Tribe to a PIAA championship. He hopes to imbue his players with that ambition.

            "If that's not your goal, I'm not sure why you're playing," said Saeger, who also assisted Ursinus College head coach Brian Thomas for 12 seasons.

            The Tribe returns a large senior class from a team that reached the District One Class 3A title game. A majority of the roster consists of players Saeger coached with the Braves.

            "I love this group like they are all my own kids," Saeger said. "They have a lot of talent."

            His coaching staff – Joe Dulin, Dave Pierce and Evan Wickard – worked together previously for Saeger with the Braves. All three are Upper Perkiomen graduates. Wickard played for the other three on the Youth Legion team.

            Saeger will coach third base for the Indians. He filled that role for several seasons with the Braves and for nine of the last 11 springs as an assistant at Perkiomen School.

            "We are going to take risks on the bases," Saeger said. "This team is going to err on the side of being too aggressive."

            The coaching staff's goal will stress fundamentals, professionalism and discipline with the game, according to Saeger. He said it must be sure the players are prepared but that they have fun.

            "We will never be outworked by an opponent and always hustle," Saeger said.