RAPID CITY, S.D. — Post 22 Baseball announced Monday that Head Coach Kelvin Torve will step down following the upcoming season, bringing an end to an eight-year tenure that saw the program capture three South Dakota State Championships.
Torve, who compiled an impressive 377-142 record, will guide the team through the transition year as the organization begins its search for the next head coach.
“Coach Torve has led the program with passion, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” the Post 22 organization said in a statement. “His leadership has continued the proud tradition of success that defines Post 22 Baseball.”
The news marks a significant moment for the venerable American Legion program based in Rapid City, a cornerstone of the Black Hills baseball community. Torve, a former Post 22 player himself from 1976 to 1978, returned to coach the team after a lengthy professional career.
That career included collegiate play at Oral Roberts University, 13 years in the professional ranks, three seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), and two years playing in Japan.
Although he is relinquishing the head coaching position, Torve plans to remain involved with Post 22, serving as an assistant coach at the younger levels.
Post 22 Baseball, one of the premier American Legion programs in the nation, expressed “sincere gratitude to Coach Torve for his years of dedication, commitment to excellence, and his continued contribution to the legacy of Post 22 Baseball” in South lDakota.