The Kamloops North Paws didn’t have to look far to solve their coaching problem ahead of the 2023 West Coast League season.

Keith Francis is set to take the reins of the baseball club after would-be head coach Brian Anderson accepted a position with Northwestern University.

Both Francis and Anderson, who were working with the Pima Community College Aztecs in Arizona, were set to head to Kamloops for the NorthPaws sophomore West Coast League season this year – Anderson as head coach and Francis as his assistant.

“Yeah, I was going to help Brian out. I’ve know him just about his whole life, I guess. I was his high school coach and so I’ve known him a long time, “Francis said. “He asked me to help him out [in Kamloops] and so I was going to, so yeah, I was coming anyway.”

Francis is expected to be Kamloops by early June, depending on how Pima fares at the National College World Series. Until then, he will reach out to players who have already committed to joining the NorthPaws this season, and recruit at least one assistant coach to come to Kamloops.

“We are going to approach the West Coast League aggressively,” he added. “We will steal a lot of bases, do a lot of hit and runs.  That is West Coast baseball. That is the way we will play.”

While officially the third head coach in NorthPaws history, Francis will be second person behind the bench. He’ll take over from Cole Armstrong, who coached the North Paws to third in the West Coast League’s North Division last year.

“We’re really excited to be able to move on so quickly with Keith’s hire,” NorthPaws co-owner Norm Daley said, in a news release. “We know that Keith has a wealth of experience and a great knowledge of players and are looking forward to another great NorthPaws season.”

The NorthPaws open the season in Victoria on June 2, before the home opener at Norbrock Stadium on June 6 when they host the Portland Pickles.