The firing of Galena High baseball coach Mark Saake has left many Grizzlies baseball parents upset as the south Reno school once against finds its athletics department mired in controversy.
Saake told Nevada Sports Net on Friday he was fired by school principal Jay Salter for allegedly putting pressure on players to participate on Galena’s fall-ball team if they were not playing another sport. That firing happened Wednesday with Saake informing parents via email later that day he was no longer in charge of Galena baseball after being hired less than a year ago last October.
“Principal Salter let me know he has made the decision not to bring me back as the baseball coach at Galena this year,” Saake’s email to parents read. “He received a complaint from one or more parents feeling that I was putting undue pressure on players to participate in our fall workout program, and he felt it was a violation of the rules. That was not my intention, but for those that raised the issue, I apologize your son felt that way.
“I want to thank all of you who made my year at Galena a great one. From day one, you all made me feel welcome. I could not have made it through this past season without the wonderful support from our Baseball Booster Staff. I am truly indebted to you. I hope that you will extend that welcome to whoever becomes the new coach. As for me, many of you know I am a man of faith and that I believe that God is intricately involved in our lives. He opened the door for my time here at Galena, and as this door closes, I know that He has another plan for me.
“Please know I am here for your boys even as my time closes here at the school. If there is ever anything I can do for them, they just need to reach out and let me know. That goes for not only their baseball activities, but anything in life. As always, it has been about them, both individually and as a group.”
A petition on Change.org, which now has 172 verified signatures, was posted by Mitchell Williams, who said his son plays in the Galena High baseball program.
The petition partially reads: “The head coach at my son’s high school was peremptorily dismissed, we believe unjustifiably, and we’re fighting to get him reinstated. Coach Saake is not just a coach; he is a leader of young men and a role model in the community. The baseball program at Galena High School has experienced significant upheaval recently, and removing Coach Saake only contributes to the instability we are trying to overcome. His dismissal does not align with the values and standards that should guide decisions in educational and extracurricular settings.”
Salter, the Galena High principal, did not respond to an email or phone message left for him with Galena’s administrative assistant Thursday morning. This is the latest controversy within the Galena athletics department involving the parents of athletes.
In June 2023, Washoe County School District temporarily suspended all activities of the Galena High baseball program after four lawsuits alleged libel; harassment; sexual and physical assault; stalking; bullying; racism; death threats; child pornography; and embezzlement among those within the program. The team’s head coach at the time, Beau Walker, was permitted to coach in 2024 before he stepped down last August. Walker is now Reno High’s athletic director. Those lawsuits were later dismissed with prejudice, meaning the case is over and cannot be reopened with each party responsible for their attorney fees.
In 2017, longtime Galena football coach Steve Struzyk stepped down after a lawsuit was filed earlier that year by three former Grizzly football players who claimed they were bullied, taunted and demeaned by the coach. Struzyk said his resignation was not tied to the lawsuit, which was dismissed later that year. Galena High also has made multiple changes to its athletic director position in the last year.
Jason Ferrin, the father of a freshman in the Galena baseball program, told NSN he was disappointed with Saake’s firing. Ferrin said other Northern Nevada baseball programs require their athletes to play in the summer and fall if they’re not involved in other sports.
“I think he was doing a good job of trying to improve this program and give the kids an opportunity to get better in the fall,” Ferrin said. “He’s a really good guy and seems to really take a lot of time to try to help the kids out. He invested so much time over the summer to help all the kids that were willing to come, and he was trying to give individual lessons to these kids. I think the sentiment from the large majority of parents is we really just respected the time and effort he put in with these kids on a personal level. With the time and effort he put in with these kids, it seems like he deserves more of an opportunity than just the nine months he was the coach.”
In its one season under Saake, Galena went 16-12 overall and 9-7 in the Northern 5A, tying for fourth place in the nine-school league. The team won two games in the regional tournament to finish in fourth place. The Grizzlies will have their third head baseball coach in as many years next season, with the team’s fall-ball schedule in flux with no current leader of the program.
“Looking at the seniors at Galena in the baseball team, they’re going to have three coaches in four years during their career,” Ferrin said. “To try and improve and become better players and people, to go through that much change is difficult. From my son’s standpoint, just talking to him and letting him know that the coach was fired, he was extremely disappointed because he worked so hard to attend all summer to kind of build a camaraderie and get to know the coach and work hard. Knowing he’s going to have to start from scratch again this fall or spring or whenever this coach is hired was really disappointing for him.”
Saake said he’s been heartened by the support he’s received from many Galena baseball parents and hopes the best for the program’s future.
“I am immensely proud of the culture we built at Galena in such a short time,” Saake wrote in an email to NSN. “Our focus extended beyond the field, emphasizing respect for the game and our opponents, academic excellence, leadership development, and excellence and integrity in all aspects of life. We prioritized mental health and mental performance and created an environment where players grew not only as athletes, but more importantly as individuals. It was rewarding to hear from those within and outside our program who recognized we were doing things they considered ‘the right way.’
“Their appreciation means the world. I take pride in the processes we established to help our players who aspired to pursue college baseball. From our college placement planning meeting, to enhancing not only their athletic skills but their academics as well, to connecting players with colleges. This past season, every senior who aspired to play at the collegiate level received an offer — a testament to their hard work and our program’s support. The outpouring of support since this announcement has been overwhelming.
“From our players and parents, to umpires, fellow coaches and the broader community, your kind words of support have been truly humbling. To our players and families: know that we love you and we were committed to using baseball as a tool to help you become outstanding young men. A heartfelt thank you to our players, parents, my coaching staff and the Galena Baseball Boosters for their unwavering support this season. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served this program and community. While this chapter closes, I trust that God has a plan for me, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue to pour into the lives of young men in our community.”