Ask anyone who knows Shane Shallenberger, and they’ll tell you the former Clovis High School baseball coach is all about baseball.

Notice, “former” Clovis High coach. Shallenberger is now the newest varsity coach at Cleveland High School, so he’ll still be wearing a CHS cap.

The Wildcats (12-16) recently ended their baseball season, losing a pair of first-round games at top-seeded La Cueva. Shallenberger’s final memory of the diamond as a ‘Cat will be a dismal one: The Bears whipped his team 17-0 to advance into a state quarterfinal game with Valley. He’s got better memories of his seven-year helm of the ‘Cats (94-89 under Shallenberger), namely their run to the 5A state championship game in 2004, when they fell to La Cueva, 11-0.

“That was pretty fun, an unbelievable run and we ran into the No. 1 team in the nation,” he recalled.

Like most ballplayers, Shallenberger played Little League ball before making the team at Portales High, where he graduated in 1991. Although Baltimore drafted him in the 35th round that summer, Shallenberger, a left fielder, opted to play college ball.

He headed west and played two seasons at Cochise Community College, returned to the Land of Enchantment to play a season at New Mexico State University, and then completed his eligibility at Eastern New Mexico University, setting single-season records (most tied or broken since) for doubles (22), runs (57), batting average (.430) and on-base percentage (.515).

It was obviously a great season as a Greyhound, and one that led to his induction in ENMU’s Hall of Honor for the sport, but Shallenberger doesn’t like to talk about himself and his accomplishments.

“I want to get kids to have those same dreams,” he said. “The thing I’m most proud of is I got to play the greatest game in the world and I got my education paid for. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to college, and it was something I was good at. That’s my personal greatest attribute.”

Rio Rancho Public Schools athletic director Bruce Carver said the choice — there were four other finalists, including former Cibola coach Glen Copeland, Rams assistant Sean Enriquez, Mid-High coach Jim Tillery and Manzano baseball coach Jim Briggs — was a good one.

“I’ve had obviously a great chance to watch him coach in the last seven years,” Carver, former Hobbs High athletic director, said. “I’d just say he’s made Clovis baseball into a very, very respectable sport.”

In Clovis, baseball takes a back seat to football and boys basketball and, Carver added, “They’re real strong in track, boys and girls. Kids start running track in junior high.”

Shallenberger’s leadership in 2004 was remarkable, Carver said. “(They had) never been to the playoffs and he takes them to the championship.

“He’s definitely a baseball guy that’s intense and a tireless worker, a no-nonsense type of guy. He’s going to have discipline and they’re going to do it the way he wants them to do it.

“He lives eats and breathes baseball — he’s a student of the game, (and) he’ll bring Cleveland success real quick,” Carver said.

Rio Rancho High School baseball coach Ron Murphy said Shallenberger reminds him of a younger Murphy. After the Wildcats’ loss at La Cueva on May 17, Shallenberger drove to Rio Rancho with his wife and young son (Treston, 7) to visit with Murphy, take another look around the city, and start looking at houses.

It wasn’t easy leaving Clovis, Shallenberger said, but the opportunity to start a new program is exciting.

“It was like leaving a family,” he said. “Starting all over? It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be a challenge. I’m going to implement my philosophies with them at a young age. Their back’s not against the wall, like we’ve got to win (right away).”

Shallenberger said he’s a proponent of “sharing kids” with other sports teams.

“You’ve got to,” he said. “Every sport complements another sport. I think you need to share kids — don’t make kids choose. Let the kids choose what they want to play.

“I’m all about academics. They need to succeed in the classroom before they succeed in the field. (And) one thing we want to do is pride ourselves on our sports teams,” he added.

Shallenberger said his fam-ily is looking forward to a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm in July, and then buying a home here. He’s also working to complete his master’s degree in administration.

All too soon, it’ll be time for him to start thinking about building a baseball program for the Storm and holding tryouts for the ninth-grade team at the Mid-High, where he’ll teach physical education. CHS fields its first varsity teams in 2009-10.

“I’m very excited to be at Cleveland High School and have this great opportunity and new traditions,” he said.

Shallenberger and Murphy have been friends and rivals for about 10 years. The Rams annually play in Clovis’s baseball tourney.

“He’s a great fit for Cleveland High School with his intensity, passion and discipline. I see him as a young model of myself,” Murphy said.