Coaches Return
- Updated: December 18, 2023
The Kelowna Falcons are excited to announce the entire coaching staff will return for the 2024 summer season which opens on May 31st.
Head coach Doug Noce will again lead the club as he enters his third season. Last year the team and roster made significant steps getting back to the post season for the first time since 2018. The 31 regular season wins was second most all-time in franchise history.
“The coaching staff is excited to build on last summer’s success both on the field and in the stands,” says Noce. “On paper our Falcons roster looks promising. The key is getting the team to gel together quickly like they did last year. Our coaching staff is devoted to getting our players the work and reps that they need to continue their journey of being the best version of themselves on and off the field.”
Noce will have some familiar faces in the dugout with him as both his brother John Noce and Angelo Loomis also return for their third seasons while Cole Van Every is back for his second campaign.
Like Noce, Loomis brings a wealth of baseball knowledge back to Kelowna. His expertise working with hitters and catchers has paid dividends for the roster the last couple of seasons. He was often the first coach at the ballpark in the summer working with the hitters and throwing extra batting practice.
“After a taste of the playoffs in our second year as a coaching staff we are extremely excited to get going again and start competing for the WCL title. I felt we came up a bit short of our potential in 2023,” said Loomis.
John Noce shares the same thoughts as Loomis hoping for more as expectations are higher for this team in 2024.
The addition of Cole Van Every last summer to work with the pitchers paid off. As a Falcons graduate, Van Every provided immediate feedback and evaluation to the staff with his West Coast League experience fresh in his mind. “I am super excited to return for my second year with the Falcons,” he says. “Last year was a great experience with the team and going to post season play. We are super excited for this upcoming summer season and believe with the roster that is being built we can contend for a championship.”
Just because the Falcons aren’t playing games here in December, doesn’t mean the coaches are sitting around waiting for summer. Doug has retired from coaching in California but still teaches high school and works with hitters through the week.
Coach Loomis is entering his 20th coaching season at San Benito high school in California while John is the head coach and physical education teacher at JW North high school in Riverside, California, a position he’s held since 2016.
Van Every is back at his college alma mater, Southwest Baptist University in Missouri this season and has become the new pitching coach for the Bearcats.
Head coach Noce believes that any player that comes to Kelowna and the Falcons organization will have an experience like never before, “I believe our players will find that they couldn’t ask for a better town to play in during the summer, Kelowna has it all! Our billet families truly make the boys feel as if they are a part of the family and take great care of them. Global Fitness is one of the finest gyms and has everything our players and coaches need to stay in shape over the busy two months. We are counting down the days and can’t wait to get the summer season underway.”
All four coaches and the new Falcons roster will open the 2024 West Coast League season on Friday May 31st at Elks Stadium with the Nanaimo NightOwls in town.
Pick up a 10-game punch pass for the regular season now for just $100. The price goes up on January 1, 2024. Reserve yours by emailing mark@kelownafalcons.com.
Photo courtesy of Tami Quan Photography
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