On January 24 and 25 in Portland, the West Coast League’s board of directors and general managers convened for the League’s annual winter meetings. Held in conjunction with the annual Northwest Baseball Coaches Association Convention, the League’s meetings celebrate and reinforce the deep, long-standing connection between the League and the region’s coaches from every level of baseball.

“We know everything starts with our youth, high-school, and college coaches,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer this week, “so we’re thrilled with the chance to connect with our region’s top baseball coaches every winter at the NWBCA Convention. And I’m personally thrilled to play my small role in celebrating a few of the Northwest’s leading lights.”

Saturday night was marked by a special ceremony at the convention, when Commissioner Neyer presented Whatcom County, Washington’s Dane Siegfried the WCL’s prestigious Grass Roots Award. The event drew a large audience, highlighting Siegfried’s long-term contributions to the Pacific Northwest baseball community.

Siegfried began his coaching career at his alma mater, Sehome High School in Bellingham, Washington, where he was assistant from 2012 through 2014. Also in 2013 and ’14, he served as a clubhouse manager for the WCL’s Bellingham Bells before becoming an on-field assistant coach in 2015.

A native of Bellingham, Siegfried was director of baseball operations at Northern Colorado in 2016, and has now been the head baseball coach at Sehome since 2022.

“I was honored to receive the West Coast League Grass Roots Award,” Siegfried said. “This award honors people in baseball who dedicate their life to growing the game. I am super humbled by the award, and am lucky to have great mentors and baseball people in my life who’ve helped drive me to be a better coach and person.”

Selected as the fourth recipient of the Grass Roots Award, Siegfried follows in the footsteps of esteemed figures such as Randy Rutschman, former coach at George Fox and the Aloha Knights in 2024, Nova Newcomer, Director of Community Relations & Mariners Care Foundation for the Seattle Mariners in 2023, and Whatcom County coaching legend Jerry Smoot, winner of the inaugural award in 2022.

Earlier Saturday during the convention’s annual Walk of Champions, Commissioner Neyer had the honor of introducing the 2025 Jerry Gatto Award winner, Portland’s own Jack Dunn.

After playing four years in the Dodgers’ organization and six seasons with the Salem (Ore.) Senators, Jack spent his entire coaching career in Portland, his hometown. He started by guiding Cleveland High School and Wilson High School, then took over at Portland State, where he led the Vikings from 1975 through 1994. In 20 seasons at PSU, Dunn never had a losing record and his teams posted a .589 winning percentage.

Upon the surprise announcement, coach Dunn, who turns 96 this spring, practically skipped to the podium before treating the many Northwest coaches in the room with a few words of his wisdom, underscored by his trademark humility and passion for coaching.

About the West Coast League: The West Coast League is western North America’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Encompassing Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alberta, the WCL showcases pro prospects from major collegiate conferences around the nation. Every summer, the League features unparalleled fan and player experiences, with North America’s best baseball weather and a mix of classic and modern ballparks, all surrounded by the sport’s most stunning scenery. 

In 2024, Travis Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick in MLB’s First-Year Player Draft by the Cleveland Guardians. Bazzana was the 2021 WCL MVP while playing for the Corvallis Knights and joined fellow Oregon State Beavers Adley Rutschman (2019) as WCL alumni selected No. 1 overall.