Building off last year’s district semi-finals loss to Royal Oak, Coach Dunfield and the Bears are looking forward to the start of the season and looking to win a district championship. Coach Dunfield took over for Coach Rawlik last year, and in his first season as the varsity head coach, Dunfield went 17-20, ending the season on a five-game winning streak heading into districts. Dunfield touched on the upcoming season by saying, “Our team goals in the 2026 season are to develop a team atmosphere that is competitive and supportive in order to win our league and to win our district.”
Building relationships and establishing team bonds are essential for a successful year. “In scheduling this year, I made a point to schedule more contests before spring break to help us be more prepared for the start of league play,” says Dunfield. “We are beginning our season with six road games on fields with turf to prevent cancellations when the weather is bad.”
As Coach Dunfield mentioned, the Bears will play their first six games on the road to prevent cancellation. He also noted that all the games being played will be on turf, while Berkley doesn’t have turf; there are some new renovations that are exciting. “There have been some improvements put in place for the Comm one facility,” says Dunfield. “The bathrooms are in working order, and there has been a new scoreboard purchased by the Berkley Dad’s Club. I am also very excited about the new fieldhouse being built, which should be completed by the end of the year. It will open up so many opportunities.”
While the program continues to improve its facilities, Dunfield believes the biggest progress has come from within the team itself. He said, “After completing one year as the Varsity coach at Berkley, I have learned a great deal; the most important thing is that I have gotten to know the players in our program quite well. I have already met quite a few of the incoming freshmen prior to the season starting.”
The Varsity team had seven seniors on the team last year; with that in mind, there are some big shoes to be filled. “Our three starting outfielders are no longer here, so developing a strong outfield is number one,” says Dunfield. “A majority of our seniors were excellent baserunners with speed as well, so working on base stealing is also a must.”
Although the loss of seven seniors will hurt, Coach Dunfield believes in his returning players. “Everyone returning to our varsity roster, I am confident, will step up,” says Dunfield. “Every player on our team is versatile in their ability, and that can fill multiple roles. My job filling the remaining roster will be the challenge because there are a lot of players that can contribute at the varsity level.”
The increased depth within the roster reflects the overall growth of the Berkley baseball program. For the first time since 2021, the Berkley baseball program is adding a third team (JV B). With so many freshmen wanting to play this year, the addition of a third team was essential to give every player a chance to develop and contribute. “Having three teams in our program is something to be excited for the 2026 season,” says Dunfield, “The Freshman class participation is great, and there is a lot of young talent.”
With the addition of the third team, the Bears hired Jim Clemens. Clemens brings nearly 40 years of coaching experience, beginning in recreational leagues before advancing to the high school level. Over the years, he has coached at Berkley (serving as the freshman coach in the 1990s), as well as at Divine Child and Waterford Kettering. For Clemens, returning to BHS is a full-circle moment: “I actually started coaching high school at BHS 30-some years ago when Frank Stutcher was the Varsity coach,” says Clemens. “I will be coaching my 18th season of Berkley Fall Ball this year, so safe to say I just really love the community. No place I would rather be than BHS.”
Coach Clemens is currently retired after working in commercial banking for several years. Although he is retired, his passion for baseball remains strong, “I love teaching the aspect of coaching and also just getting to know the kids of each and every team is what I love about coaching baseball,” says Clemens, “Getting to know each and every player on the team and helping them improve [is what I am most excited about for the season.]”
In addition to his excitement for the players, Clemens also emphasized the importance of building a strong coaching staff. “I selected all four of my assistants,” says Clemens. “My senior assistant has now been with me for a few years, both at the high school level as well as Fall Ball. I coached all three of his kids, so we know each other well, plus he has an in-depth knowledge of the game.” Clemens is also bringing three other assistant coaches who are all former players of his. “They are of high character and very dependable, so I am highly confident they will be great for the team as well as the program as a whole.”
For Coach Dunfield and the Bears, this is the best time of the year. Looking ahead, Dunfield says he can’t wait to get the opportunity to match up against Royal Oak in Districts and “avenge our loss from last season!”
