It’s perfect symmetry — even if no one planned it that way.

As one member of the Cullman High baseball family steps aside, another is joining the head coaching ranks for the first time.

Clay Shearer, a 2001 graduate of Cullman High, was officially named head baseball coach at Vinemont High Monday night — the same night longtime Bearcats coach Bryan Bowen resigned as Cullman’s head honcho.

And though Bowen has stepped aside at his alma mater, Shearer said his legacy will continue a few miles north.

“He’s a great influence on my life. I told him last week, he’s probably the third greatest influence in my life behind the Lord and my parents,” said Shearer, who will teach health at Vinemont. “He taught us a lot of things more important than baseball. He’s the one that taught me how to play the game.”

Using that influence to his advantage, Shearer said he’d try to bring the Eagles back to being competitive with a combination of diligent work and plenty of fun.

“We’re going to work hard, get after it and have fun,” said Shearer, adding he’d use some of the same methods he learned at Cullman. “And Lord willing, we’ll win few ball games.”

Despite being on the job just a few days, Shearer has already met most of his new team. Once he meets the rest, he said they’ll get to work rebuilding the program.

“From what I’ve seen, they work really hard,” said Shearer, who has met with all the players except the seniors. “It’s a great group of kids. We’ve got some great talent from what I’ve seen.”

Shearer’s appointment comes after assistant coaching spells at Jacksonville, Alexandria and Tuscaloosa County, where he coached under Chad Shannon, another member of the Cullman family.

After graduating from Cullman in 2001, Shearer played one year each at Bevill State-Sumiton and Enterprise State.

Now that he’s back in his home county, Shearer said couldn’t be more thrilled.

“This is where the Lord has placed me, in Vinemont, and I’m glad to be there,” he said.