Forest City Owls

Former Forest City Owls skipper Phil Disher will not return in 2012. Disher recently accepted a new position at Georgetown University, and his increased workload and new role will not permit him the opportunity to coach in Forest City for the upcoming season. 

“I greatly appreciated the opportunity Forest City gave me, and I can’t thank the community enough for embracing my staff and I,” said Disher. “I had a great time this past season, and my experience was nothing but positive with the Owls.”

Last season Disher led the Owls to a 34-22 record, a first place finish in the West Division, and a berth to the Pettit Cup semi-finals. 

“We would like to thank Coach (Phil) Disher for his time here and wish him nothing but the best with his new opportunity. He did a tremendous job last season and kept the winning tradition of the Owls going strong,” added Owls General Manager Jeremy Boler. “We realized he left some big shoes to fill, but I am very excited about our new manager, and I believe he is a great fit for our organization. We wish nothing but the best for Coach Disher and his family in the future.”

That new manager will be David Tufo, who comes to Forest City from the Fayetteville Swampdogs and Menlo College. Last season Tufo stepped in as manager of the Swampdogs when Darrell Handelsman was sidelined for health reasons. He promptly led them to an 18-10 first half record and was a key reason they reached the Pettit Cup Championship. Tufo will be entering his third season as an assistant coach at Menlo College in Atherton, California where he coaches infielders, hitting and is the first base coach. He graduated from Willamette University where he played for the Bearcats from 2006-2009 with a BA in Economics. 

“I am very excited at the opportunity to join the Owls’ family. I had an opportunity to coach against Forest City the past two summers as an assistant, and I was always impressed by the caliber of their organization,” said Tufo. “The community does a great job of supporting the team, and I am looking forward to giving the community another great season of Owls Baseball.”

Tufo will join one of the most successful organizations in summer collegiate baseball, as the Owls have posted a winning record every season since they moved to Forest City in 2008. Included are two Petitt Cup Championships in 2009 and 2010, and the Owls have reached at least the semi-finals in each of their five seasons. 

“When I began looking for a manager, I needed to find someone who could carry on the winning tradition here,” said Boler. “I firmly believe we have. Tufo also has prior experience in the Coastal Plain League, and that should make for an easy transition. We were very excited to land him, and I have no doubts that he will be successful in Forest City.”

The Owls are currently in the process of adding players for their 2013 squad, and fans should be on the lookout for updates on the team’s official site for player signings. 

To find out more about 2013 Owls Season Tickets, please contact the Owls office at (828)245-0000 and speak to a friendly ticket sales representative. Or please visit www.forestcitybaseball.com

      The Forest City Owls are a proud member of the Coastal Plain League, the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. The CPL has had over 1,000 alumni drafted and 55 alums make their Major League debut thus far. For info on the Coastal Plain League, visit www.coastalplain.com.