Klein Baseball

Barry Smith

Coach Barry Smith is in his 24th year of coaching at Klein High School, and begins his 14th season as head coach of the Klein Bearkat baseball team in 2011.  Under Coach Smith, the Bearkats have been the State Champions in 1998, State Finalist in 2010, State Semi-finalists (2010, 2001, 1998), Regional Champions (2010, 2001, 1998), Regional Finalists (2010, 2001, 1999, 1998), Area Champions (2010, 2001, 1999, 1998), Area Finalists (2010, 2008, 2001, 1999, 1998), Bi-district Champions (2010, 2008, 2003, 2001, 1999, 1998), District Champions (2010, 2008, 2001, 1999, 1998), and District Runner-up (2005, 2004, and 2003).

Coach Smith graduated from El Campo High School where his team won the State Championship in 1982.  During that year, he led his team in batting average, homeruns and pitched 147 innings to have a 16-4 record with 4 saves.  At the state tournament, he was the winning pitcher in both the semi-final and the championship games and was named first team All-State pitcher.  He received his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Texas A&M in 1987 where he was a four-year letterman, and was voted captain of the team his senior year.  He was also a member of the 1986 SWC Baseball Championship team. 

Coach Smith was named the Chronicle’s “All-Greater Houston Coach of the Year” and the Baseball Sportswriter “Regional Coach of the Year in 1998.  In 2001, Coach Smith was awarded the Ray Knoblauch Coach of the Year Award.  He has been named the District 16-5A Coach of the Year in 2001, 1999, and in 1998.

During his years at Klein High School , Coach Smith has had the opportunity to work with many great athletes. He has coached players that have gone on to play Major League Baseball, and many others that have gone on to be successful college players.

Coach Smith and his wife Phyllis have four sons, Andrew, Adam, Aaron, and Alex.   

Coach Laich began his coaching career in 1972 at Spring High School.  In 1981 he moved to Westfield High School as a varsity assistant in football and baseball.  In 1987 he became the head baseball coach at Westfield.  Three of his teams won district championships and he was named district "Coach of the Year" in 1988 and 1994.  

He retired in 2006, but came out of retirement in 2010. That year was a big year for Coach Laich, as he recorded his 500th victory, made it to the State Championship game, and was named "Outstanding Assistant Coach for the State of Texas."

Coach Laich begins the 2011 season with a coaching record of 523 wins and 283 losses. Over the years, he has coached over 60 players that have gone on to play college ball, 12 All State players, 12 Texas All Stars, and 22 players that have been drafted by professional teams. This will be his 14th year at Klein High School. Coach Laich coaches hitting and infield play.

He and Becky, his bride of 37 years, have two grown children and five grandchildren.

Coaching the Junior Varsity team this season is Joel Reichling.  This will make it his ninth year coaching the JV squad.  It is also his ninth year coaching and teaching at Klein after spending one year in San Antonio at Robert E. Lee High School.  
He graduated from Klein in 1995 and played both football and baseball for the Kats.  Here he played free-safety and pitched.  After high school, he went on to Trinity University and was a four-year letterman in football and baseball.  Coach Reichling reflects fondly back on those years; becoming back to back National Semi-Finalists in football in 1998 and 1999.  In baseball, he was voted team captain his senior year and helped win the conference championship in 1999.  He graduated with a degree in History/Social Studies and stayed at Trinity in order to earn his Masters degree in Education.  Coach Reichling is now putting all this to work teaching Government and Economics.   
His biggest and most prized accolade includes building a successful family.  Joel married his beautiful wife, Sarah, six years ago and they now have three precious daughters.  Anna is four years old and Abigail is two.  The most recent addition is baby Ashley, born this January.  Outside of school, Joel and Sarah enjoy serving and honoring their Lord through various church ministries or bible studies.  They also enjoy camping, traveling, and simply spending time together as a family.