CHS baseball team to have new leadership

When the baseball season opens for the Cairo High School Syrupmakers next month the team will be under new leadership.
Last week, it was announced that CHS head football coach Steve DeVoursney will serve as the head baseball coach with assistant head coach Chris Wheaton for the 2017 season.
DeVoursney is taking the place of coach Ron Best who was relieved of his coaching responsibilities by Grady County School Superintendent Dr. Kermit Gilliard last week. Best, an in-school suspension teacher at Washington Middle School, will not return to the classroom for this school term, according to Dr. Gilliard.
“It is a personnel issue and I have no additional comment,” Dr. Gilliard said.
Best has coached the baseball team at CHS since 2007 and since 2014 has also coached girls softball at CHS.
Coach Best came to Cairo from the Thomas County School System where he coached and was employed from 1990 until 2007. Prior to that, Best coached in the Dougherty County School System where he was employed from 1986 until 1990.
Until last year, Best was a teacher at Crossroads, the county’s alternative school located on the campus of CHS, before being transferred to WMS for the 2016-2107 school term.
DeVoursney, who played baseball on the collegiate level, and Wheaton have begun baseball practice as the Syrupmakers prepare for the season opener on Feb. 13 at home against Early County. Game time is 6 p.m.
“We will advertise the vacancy and plan to hire a permanent replacement for the 2017-2018 school year,” Dr. Gilliard said.