Kevin Keyes joined the Roadrunners baseball staff in August of 2020. Keyes has spent a career in athletics and the development of young people with his time as a player, coach, broadcaster, peace officer and community advocate for the youth in Bakersfield and Kern County.
Keyes recently retired from the Kern County Superintendent of Schools where he served as a community prevention specialist working with at-risk youth through caring adult relationships, gang diversion programs and crisis response. Prior to that he worked for the Kern High School District as a community specialist for 11 years where he also coached football at Liberty High School. He also served as a correctional officer and sergeant in the California Department of Corrections from 1988-2000. Prior to serving as a peace officer Keyes was a juvenile probation group counselor where his passion for helping prevent the incarceration of young people led to his true calling in life.
A Bakersfield native, Keyes was a standout athlete in football and baseball at Highland High School where he graduated in 1980 after an all-star career at second base for the Scots. He went on to play at Bakersfield College where he was All-Metro Conference, team captain and the only player in Renegades history to play all nine positions in one game. Following an appearance in the Metro Conference All Star Game in 1982, he accepted an offer to continue his career at Long Beach State where he played second base and pitched for head coach John Gonsalves from 1983-1984.
Along with his work history in Bakersfield, Keyes has been an active community advocate for young people reaching the ‘Trainer of Trainers’ level in Youth Asset Development. He is active with We Are G.A.M.E. (Getting Athletes Mentoring and Education) which assists student-athletes in time management, academics, and life skills. He has worked with the United States Army National Guard mentoring at-risk youth training mentors and military staff. He was also instrumental in working with Major League Baseball and the Bakersfield Police Activities League to bring the Junior Giants Baseball program to the Inner City of Bakersfield providing a free league for over 300 players.
Keyes has served on the Leaders in Life Youth Conference advisory committee for 18 years, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, the Tobacco-Free Coalition for Kern County and the Clergy, Cops and Community program.
He has been married to his wife Jen Ryan Keyes for 39 years. They have two children Dustin Keyes, Brittany Ruffin and four grandchildren.
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