Berns ‘Reenergized’ to Return as Eagles Coach

John Berns

After resigning as Southern Door’s varsity baseball coach following the 2023 season, John Berns said he had a “change of heart” this summer and wanted to come back for his second season in charge of the team.

When the Eagles’ baseball season came to an end this spring, Berns said he wasn’t ready to sign the contract that needed to be signed by June 15 for him to return.

“I was then asked to submit a letter of resignation, which I submitted,” he said. “By the middle of July, I was reenergized and informed [athletic director Mark Jonas] of my interest in continuing as the Southern Door baseball coach.”

Berns said he then applied for the position, went through an interview process and was approved by the school board at its Aug. 21 meeting.

Berns, who previously was a head baseball coach at Sevastopol and Sturgeon Bay before taking over as the Eagles’ coach this year after Dave Neinas resigned in February, said he is “very pleased to continue for a second year in the Southern Door baseball program.”

In his first year as the Eagles’ head coach, Southern Door finished runner-up in the Packerland Conference and also advanced to the WIAA Division 3 regional final, finishing the season 19-4 overall.