dave gasser

After retiring from teaching and coaching in the greater Portland area, Coach Dave Gasser became Astoria High’s head baseball coach in 2006. In his first year at the helm, he set the tone for the program, and it would characterize the next 13 years. Coach Gasser’s 2006 team went 25-4 and won the 3A State title, beating Sherwood 9-2 in nine innings. Over the next four years (2007-2010), his teams combined for a spectacular 100-12 win/loss record. Coach Gasser’s teams went to four straight State semi-finals, and three finals, and won two State titles.

Coach Gasser retired after the 2010 season, only to come back as the head coach in 2013 for five more years. During those five years (2013-2019), he acquired an amazing 105-50 record. His teams qualified every year for the postseason, earning two additional semi-final appearances during this time.

Coach Gasser’s overall record at Astoria High School is 230 wins against 66 losses. His teams won two state titles and had eight state semi-final appearances. Coach Gasser, after 34 years of coaching, accumulated an Oregon high school baseball record of 750 wins and 235 losses (76%).

During Coach Gasser’s time at Astoria, he initiated a movement to improve the baseball facilities. He started and built, with the help of our great community, an indoor hitting cage that not only served Astoria High School, but it also benefitted the entire community. The baseball field itself saw major upgrades with new netting behind the backstop, along with improvements to the dugouts. A new concrete seating area for spectators was also added.

Coach Gasser also served as the defensive coordinator for the Astoria High FightingFishermen Football program for three seasons in 2007, 2008, and 2012. His fundamental approach helped the Fishermen football defense in 2008 to a top 3 finish in Class 4A for scoring defense.

His first two years of work as defensive coordinator also paid huge dividends for Astoria Highstudent-athletes as he helped four players earn 1 st Team All-State honors in 2008: Trevor Puckett– LB, Mason Brause – DL, Jacob Hatcher – DL, and Jordan Poyer – DB (Poyer was also named the 4A Defensive Player of the Year). The ’08 campaign for the football program culminated with a record setting 14-0 won-loss record and a Class 4A State Championship victory vs league rival, Banks Braves. At the time of Coach Gasser’s induction, this is the only state championship victory for football in the school’s history.

Coach Gasser is now retired, and lives with his wife and is enjoying life. He teaches on-line classes with a series of athletic training videos. Coach Gasser is a member of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, the Oregon High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, and now…the AstoriaHigh School Athletic Hall of Fame.