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Coaching Staff
Eric Albright
Varsity Head Coach
Coach Albright joined the Basha Bears coaching staff in 2021, his first year of High School coaching. After playing college and professionally with the Chicago Cubs Organization, Albright started coaching at the youth level and has been involved in youth and club baseball in the area for more than 10 years. During that time, the passion has grown to coach at the next level.
Coach Albright's playing career:
Los Alamitos High School, graduated 96 (Orange County, CA)
- Sunset League All-League 1996
- Offensive player of the year 1996
- Sunset League All Star Team 1996
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Golden West Community College (Orange County, CA) 1997 - 1998
Chapman University (Orange, CA) 1999 - 2000
- Second Team All American 1999
- First Team All Region 2000
- First Team All American 2000
- College World Series appearance 2000
- Drafted by the Chicago Cubs (Pitcher / Third Baseman)
Chicago Cubs Organization (3 years)
- 2000 - Short season A Ball (Eugene, Oregon) Northwest League
- 2001 - Long season A Ball (Lansin Michigan) Midwest league
- 2002 - High A Ball (Daytona Beach, Florida) Florida State League
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After Coach Albright's playing career, he began his family with his wife, Heather. They have been blessed to have five kids: Cannon, Brooklyn, Logann, Hudsyn, and Eastyn.
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"This game has given me so much joy in the past and I cant wait to work with the boys and help them grow as young men and baseball players. Thank you to coach Schilling and staff for the opportunity!" - GO BEARS
Kurt "Pops" Popkins
Varsity Assistant Coach
Coach “Pops” was an Assistant Varsity Coach at Basha from 2016 to 2023 and returns for the 2023 season. Before that he was an Assistant Coach at McClintock High School for 10 seasons. He was part of Coach Harold Bull’s staff that captured the 2007 State Championship.
A 1979 graduate of McClintock, Coach Popkins went on to play Junior College baseball at Phoenix College before heading to California to play collegiately at San Jose State University.
Kurt and his wife Carrie have been married for 30+ years and are the proud parents of Kylie and Connor.
“I enjoy teaching kids. It’s very gratifying to work with a player and then watch him improve. This instills a relationship of trust between the player and coach, which I enjoy. The kids keep me young. There is never a dull moment coaching 16 – 18 year old kids.”
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Hayden Witmer
JV Head Coach
Victor Olivares
Varsity Assistant Coach
Kevin Bergstrom
Freshman Head Coach