Jacob Pepper takes over the varsity baseball program at San Marcos High.
San Marcos has hired Jacob Pepper to be its new varsity baseball coach, the school announced Monday.
Pepper is the owner and founder of Full Count Fundamentals, a local business that focuses on baseball training. He replaces Pete Stathopoulos, who dedicated several years to rebuilding the San Marcos baseball program. Stathopoulos stepped down from coaching because his company has been relocated to North Carolina.
“The San Marcos baseball family is grateful for all of Coach Stathopoulos? contributions to the program and wishes him the best in his new endeavors,” said Athletic Director Abe Jahadhmy in a statement.
A 2004 graduate of UCSB, Pepper, 35, has spent most of his professional career in Santa Barbara, working with youth through the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department, Santa Barbara Unified School District and The Foundation for Girsh Park, where he is also the volunteer baseball operations manager.
He started Full Count Fundamentals in 2006 after seeing a need in the community for diverse training programs that strengthen the basic fundamental skills of young players into their teens. His business has been successful in developing strong, confident, athletes.
He aims to transfer those qualities to the Royals baseball team.
“I’m looking forward to providing the program with high level coaching with a focus on player development,” Pepper said. “I want student athletes who come to San Marcos to achieve success on and off the field en route to attending college and aspiring to play collegiate baseball.”
He added: “Our varsity team should be very competitive in the Channel League this year and our goal is to make CIF playoffs, which has not been accomplished at San Marcos since 2010.”
Pepper is originally from Tucson, Ariz. He attended Pima Junior College and played baseball there before transferring to UCSB. He also played in the Arizona Fall League. He names Clark Christ, a longtime scout for the Cincinnati Reds, and Kenny Lofton, a longtime major league player, as his baseball mentors.
Pepper lives in Goleta with his wife Alisa and two sons, Jonah (4) and Alex (2).
