Alan Hardcastle is embracing the challenge ahead of him as Siloam Springs' new head baseball coach.
Hardcastle, 38, was hired July 17 by Siloam Springs School District as the new head baseball and assistant football coach.
In baseball, he inherits a program that's won just four games combined in the last two seasons while playing in the rugged 7A/6A-West Conference.
But Hardcastle, who is the Panthers' third head coach in three years, said he's ready to tackle it head on.
The Panthers will compete in the 7A/6A-Central next spring and have virtually every player from last year's roster eligible to come back.
"I'm excited," Hardcastle said Monday. "I'm looking forward to the challenge."
A 1994 graduate of Springdale, Hardcastle went into the restaurant business for several years before returning to school and getting his bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas in 2008. While he was earning his degree, he spent time as a volunteer coach at Springdale Har-Ber in football and in baseball, and was part of the Wildcats' 2009 Class 7A State Football championship.
In 2010, he took a job as an assistant football/baseball coach at Leesburg (Fla.) High School, where he became head coach in the summer of 2011.
He moved to Eustis (Fla.) High School for the 2012-13 school year before returning to Arkansas for the 2013-14 school year as an assistant football/baseball coach at Mountain Home.
"He had those years in Florida and gained some experience at a really good program," said Siloam Springs athletics director Kevin Downing. "I was impressed. He knows all aspects of the game. I think what I like about him is he's coming here to build a program and that's what we need."
Downing said Hardcastle was excited to take on the challenge.
"He knows baseball," Downing said. "He wants to promote the program. The kids are going to like him. Everybody we talked to spoke highly of him. I think he's going to be a great fit for us."
Hardcastle said the foundation of his baseball philosophy centers on pitching and defense.
He said he enjoys taking care of a baseball field and is "the first one to get there and the last one to leave."
"I would love to get the community involved as much as I can," Hardcastle said.
Hardcastle has a good deal of familiarity with Siloam Springs. He was an applicant for a job in the district last year. He served as a volunteer assistant at Har-Ber with current Panthers assistant football coach Zach Pruitt, and also knows head soccer coach Jason Bowen and vice principal Kevin Snavely.
Hardcastle will coach running backs and tight ends for the football team.
Hardcastle played football at Springdale High for legendary coach Jarrell Williams.
"He knows what winning is like and knows what it's like to be a part of a good football program," said Panthers head football coach Bryan Ross. "I think his background is good. Coach Pruitt has known him for quite a while and thought highly of him. We interviewed him last year and it didn't quite work out. We're glad to get him this year. He's excited to be coaching football and baseball."
He will teach career orientation at the Middle School.
Hardcastle's wife, Heather, was also hired at the Middle School to teach social studies.
He has four kids, Lexi, 18, Trey, 12, Reece, 8, and Brooklyn, 6.
Sports on 07/23/2014