The softball community in the High Desert is mourning the loss of local icon Jesse Angel, a longtime coach who touched the lives of hundreds of players over the last four decades.
Angel, a husband, father of four and grandfather to seven, lost a battle to heart disease.
Angel died at 1:05 a.m. on March 30. He was 75.
Yvonne Angel is inviting the public to her husband's memorial services, which will be held at 11 a.m. on May 10 at Calvary Chapel of the High Desert.
“My phone has been blowing up with many people reaching out,” said Yvonne Angel, his wife of 31 years. “So many players telling me that he was just the best coach they ever had in my life. He cared so much about every one of the kids that came to us. I want to thank the people in the High Desert for allowing us to be with their children. We could have had a bad day in our own home, and kids show up for lessons and it changes our attitude. I am so thankful that the High Desert entrusted their children with us.”
Born in the Coachella Valley, Jesse Angel grew up with aspirations to be a professional baseball player. But he served in the Vietnam War after being drafted.
When Jesse Angel returned home, he got back to the ball fields looking for a shot at still playing and attended tryouts.
“He came back a bit old but he could still play. He was so frustrated because he would hit balls out of the park, and the teams would go ahead and sign the pitcher,” Yvonne Angel said.
He became a teacher and coached the freshman football team at Kolb Middle School in Rialto.
As fate would have it, he was approached about coaching softball. He was hesitant at first.
“I don’t know anything about softball,” Yvonne Angel said was her husband’s response.
The rest is history.
A match made in heaven
Yvonne Angel graduated from UC Riverside in 1973 and grew up playing softball; however, the school didn’t field a softball team until 1976.
Yvonne and Jesse met on the softball field in 1987 as they both coached at UC Riverside from the 1988-93 seasons.
A relationship blossomed, and the couple married in 1994.
“It was a match made in heaven,” Yvonne said. “Having the opportunity to coach with him there, coaching little league, travel ball, high school, from Eisenhower to Apple Valley and Hesperia, was the time of my life. We got a chance to touch so many lives. We were both very compassionate about what we do and we went all in on coaching softball. ...
