Saying goodbye is never easy

That’s why the decision to step down as head coach of The Dalles baseball program was such a difficult decision.

“Baseball has always been a part of my life, whether I am playing or coaching,” Runyon said. “There are no words to describe my love for the game. When you love something so much and it is a big part of your life, it is going to be tough to be without it. It is going to be really tough.”

Creating a legacy

During his 11 years as a coach, 10 as the skipper for the varsity program, Runyon helped lead The Dalles to a 136-132 record, one league championship and seven playoff berths in a row from 2008 to 2014.

He coached The Dalles when they were a 4A program, and also coached against league opponents, Bend, Summit, Mountain View and others in the tough eight-team Intermountain Conference from 2007 to 2010.

He was Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2013 and amassed double-digit wins in all but two seasons.

In 2009, TD went 18-12 and then posted two one-run wins over Madison and Glencoe to vault into the semifinals, but then lost to Thurston to have its playoff run cut short.

In 2011, The Dalles had to forfeit six games and posted a 5-16 record, but still qualified for the playoffs, beating Parkrose and Wilson in the first two play-in rounds, until a 13-8 loss to Ashland capped that year.

In 2013, The Dalles won the Columbia River Conference and went 19-8 overall, but lost 9-8 in its play-in game to Corvallis.

Runyon had a 4-7 record in the playoffs, three of those losses by one run.

“We had a lot of great runs and did some really good things,” Runyon said. “We just had a few bad bounces and tough breaks in some of those games that kept us from going very far in the playoffs. I am still proud of those accomplishments.”

Now, the task of replacing a two-time Coach of the Year and a father figure to athletes from across the gorge is in the hands of athletic director Mike Somnis.

Somnis showed appreciation to Runyon for his many years of dedication to the youths of the community and to a program that is still highly-regarded in the state.

“J.R. was a pillar of the baseball community in The Dalles over the last decade,” Somnis said. “He’s a coach who worked tirelessly to get the best out of his players. J.R. will be missed and we now have some big shoes to fill.”

A successful opening chapter

J.R. Runyon, the son of Rod and Sherry, is a 1999 graduate of The Dalles High School, where he held a 3.73 grade point average and was a National Honor Society member.

On the diamond, he was a two-time all-league recipient and was a first and second team all-state winner at shortstop.

He was named as the Most Outstanding Player in the state all-star series.

After high school, Runyon played college baseball at Chemeketa, where he was a first-team all-region winner and a two-time all-star. He then went on to play one season at Oregon State University under head coach Pat Casey.

He came back home to teach physical education and latched on as a junior varsity coach in 2005 until getting the head coaching job in 2006.

Giving back to today’s athlete

Runyon, now 35, relied on the adage of asking that his athletes give everything they have, never giving up on themselves, playing the game the right way, playing it hard and sacrificing themselves for the good of the team.

One example of a player trusting in his coach was 2016 graduate Colton Walker.

In his sophomore season, Runyon moved Walker from infield to pitcher and outfield, with the notion being that it would be the best way to get Walker into playing baseball collegiately.

Walker is attending Blue Mountain Community College in the fall.

“It was him moving me that opened up pitching for me, so it gave me the confidence knowing my coach believed in my ability,” Walker said. “He always taught me that when we are out there on the field that we should play for each other and always count on others. I knew that I wasn’t going to strike everyone out and that I had people behind me that were going to make plays. That was the ultimate life lesson he taught me in my three years under him. I could not be more proud of that.”

Collaboration is key

Runyon doesn’t need to look far for another example of sacrifice – his wife Heather.

As a coach, time and commitment are necessary, given the practices, batting cage sessions, road trips and everything else.

Runyon credits his wife for being his rock and his foundation.

“She is outstanding. I could not have asked for a better wife,” Runyon said. “She has put up with a lot, as any wife of a coach will tell you. It is not easy being a coach’s wife. You are a baseball widow from January until August pretty much. I really appreciate all of her patience and her just being there as my biggest supporter. She has sacrificed a lot, kept me grounded and showed the love and made sure everything at home was taken care of. I could not have done any of this without her.”

Over the course of a decade, coaches come across individuals who are like-minded, know the game and are willing to teach it to youths.

Runyon named off assistant coaches Ben Donivan, David LaDouceur, Al Morrison, Danny Saldivar, Rory O’Halloran, Cory Carpenter, Jeremy Williams, Roger Ortega, Nick Hess, Jeff McCall, Jordan and Marcus Denney, as well as current coaches Chris Loyd, Matt Eby, Leroy Tharp, Ed Ortega and Doug Sawyer as coaches he shared many great moments with.

“I have had a lot of different coaches that have been a huge part of what we built here,” Runyon said. “I just want to give a big thank you to each and every one of them for all of their commitment, the effort and the hours spent here with these players to make them better, to make them succeed, not only on this field, but in life. I am really grateful for the staff that we have had. I will never be able to repay them for what they have given me.”

As he walks off into the sunset, Runyon knows he will not be totally away from the game he loves so dearly.

He will find time to catch an American Legion contest, a little league matchup, or a varsity tilt from time-to-time.

Instead of standing at his customary third base line spot, he will have a seat in the stands as a fan, cheering on the Riverhawks towards prominence and state championships.

“I look forward to watching these kids continue building on what they have here every spring and summer from here on out,” Runyon said. “They definitely have the potential to win a lot of games and really make a name for themselves and this program moving forward. That is the exciting part about this. I wish them all of the best. I can’t wait to see how they develop and how they mature and have success down the road.”