On November 18, 2025, long-time Blue Mountain varsity baseball coach Scott Blood announced that he was stepping down after 21 years at the helm. Blood made the decision for something that he has preached to his players for years: family first.
When Coach Blood was asked to explain the reason for his retirement, he said, “First and foremost, I made this decision for my family. I have a daughter in college in Nashville; I have a son who is going to be competing in college baseball.” He made it clear that it was a tough decision, but the right one. He looks forward to traveling to see his son play baseball, flying to Nashville, and supporting his daughter’s musical career. He wants to support his family as a pair with his wife.
Blood also pointed out that head coaches need to give their full undivided attention to the team, and at this time, he cannot do so, and he doesn’t want to put his team through that. According to Blood, he’s definitely going to miss baseball – from the crack of the bat to pregame BP with the music blaring, he knows it’s going to be tough to watch from the out-of-play lines.
Blood definitely brought home the hardware as head coach with 12 finals appearances, seven championships, five runner-ups, and 265 wins. Including ending his career with 3 straight state championships. He is the first coach in BMU history to achieve this victory. But one needs to look at more than just the stats to recognize how great of a coach he was. When asked about what he appreciates about coach, Senior Kasey Ingerson, highlighted “the confidence he gives you, he makes you feel like you’re the best player out there and you’re the only one that can do what you do.” Ingerson’s words speak to the fact that a coach is a mentor on and off the field, and Coach Blood had this effect on him. When asked about how Coach Blood impacted him off the field, Assistant Coach and former player Matthew Page said, “he made me a better teammate, and that translated to my future career. He made me a better person.”
One thing that you could tell about the Blue Mountain baseball program was the (all-in buy-in) under Coach Blood. Teams worked hard during practices, from unique team challenges that made you wonder what you were doing, but there was always a good reason for them to practice every day, where players took reps with intensity and focus. In the interview with Coach, he emphasized, “the hardest part was not winning the last game of the season, but making sure the kids still know that there was still success and the hard work still pays off.”
The baseball program extended way off the field, often extending into the hallways. A tradition Coach Blood implemented was Suit Day on opening day, where players sported their best attire. Team outings were a big part of making sure the team was one big family, from going to scout teams that often ended in a restaurant or dinner at Coach Blood’s house. It was clear that everybody was together.
Coach highlighted that he’s not closing the door to coaching. Being away from the game for a couple of seasons will be good for him, and he will see where he’s at in a couple of years. It’s definitely been one heck of a chapter for him and for Blue Mountain Baseball as a whole. The next head coach is going to have some big shoes to fill.
