Coach Lozano
Coach Fanning
Coach Lozano
Bearcat softball has been dominant as of recent years. Last year, in the spring of 2022 the Bearcats placed first and won the Mountain League under new head coach Jeananne Ruck, and advanced to CIF where they dominated. After the season Jeananne Ruck left the head coach position to be filled by current coach Lauren Lozano. Coach Lozano is a sophomore English teacher for Paso, and is learning her way through the new campus.
Playing since she was a little girl, coach Lozano has made a name for herself as a player before taking on her coaching adventures. Growing up she played three years of varsity softball, then went on to play at the division one level for four years at the college of Charleston. After graduating college and seeing the end of her career, Lozano decided to pursue her dream job of being an English teacher and softball coach. As a new english teacher, Lozano won district rookie teacher of the year on May second 2023. New to both positions, Lozano is excited to build the Bearcat softball program.
“My vision for this program is for these girls to live by being Great and being Grateful. I am not just here to create athletes, I am here to help mold young women into becoming the best versions of themselves. Continuing to preach these two things will not only make them great athletes, but great women,” Lozano said. With coach Lozano guiding the Lady Bearcats this year, they look to hold their title of Mountain League champions.
Coach Fanning
In the past five years there have been three different head coaches in charge of Bearcat baseball. In 2018 Coach Derek Stroud retired after being the head coach of the baseball team for two decades. His replacement was coach Jonathen Thornhill who coached the boys from 2019 to 2022, but was fired at the end of the 2022 season. This year, coach Chal Fanning, Paso baseball alumni, was hired to take charge of the Bearcats and veer the program in the right direction.
Fanning has been around baseball for a long time. He played all through highschool and continued his career for three years at the junior college level. In his last two years as a pitcher in college baseball, he played at Cal Poly Slo. After playing the game, Fanning decided to coach. His first coaching job ever was being the jv coach for Paso in 1993. From there he would scatter across most levels of baseball, coaching at the junior college and division one level. Now back coaching at his alma mater, Fanning feels it is the right fit. “I wanted to get the job at Paso because of my heart. I am an alumni and will have a chance to coach at all my alma maters. Also I was hired to get the culture back to what Bearcat needs to be. I love being back at home and hope to get the respect of the Bearcat baseball program back,” Fanning said. With a new coach who cares about the program, Bearcat baseball may have the potential to become something great with Fanning in charge.
