Nelson Gord

Notre Dame College Prep

Owner & President of Play Ball USA

Great Lakes NTIS 13U Head Coach

Pitch & Hit Club and ABCA Member

Gord began his coaching career at Play Ball USA in Des Plaines, IL and purchased the facility from previous ownership in 2008. He has coached at every level of amateur baseball including two years in the college ranks (Harper/2005 & Oakton/2009). Nelson’s coaching career followed a successful playing career which started at Buffalo Grove High School where he was an All-Area player and the Mid-Suburban League East Player of the Year in 1999. The numbers he put up as a senior at BGHS earned him a scholarship to play NCAA Division I baseball at the University of Illinois @ Chicago. While at UIC Nelson was twice named to the All-Horizon League Team and started for the Flames for four years at 5 different positions (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, and SS). The versatility Gord showed as a college player allowed him to sign a professional contract with the Schuamburg Flyers in June, 2004. Nelson found himself playing all over the field in his 3 years as a Flyer and eanred a spot on the 2006 Northern League All-Star team after setting career highs in hits, stolen bases (27), and set a all-time Northern League record by being hit by 28 pitches. After the 2006 season Gord signed a contract with the Houston Astros and went to spring training with the club in 2007 as a catcher. He then finished the season with the Kansas City T-Bones where he set career highs in 2Bs, HRs and RBIs. On September 2, 2007 Gord was honored and played all 9 positions in a 9 inning game. He also went 2 for 3 in the game, capping off what was to many a mediocre career, but to him a “dream come true”.

Gord’s passion is in helping kids both on and off the field. His work with groups such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Pitch & Hit Club of Chicago, the ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) and the APBPA speaks volume about his love for our national pastime. Nelson and his wife, Sarah, reside in Wheeling and they have a daughter, Lacey Marie, who was born in June 2009.

 

Jim Richardson “JR”

St. Charles North HS

Great Lakes NTIS General Manager of Baseball Operations

ABCA, IHSBCA and Pitch & Hit Club Member

Coach Richardson graduated from West Chicago Community High School in 1997.  At West Chicago Richardson earned four varsity letters in baseball, three unanimous All-DuPage Valley Conference selections (two as a catcher and one as a third basemen), two All-Area selections and held four school records: career doubles, career home runs (tied), single season doubles and most saves in a season.  Richardson went on to play collegiate baseball at Elgin Community College where he was a two-time first team All-Skyway Conference selection and a two-time first team All-NJCAA Region IV selection.  Parlaying his success at the junior college level Richardson earned an athletic scholarship to play baseball at The University of South Carolina-Upstate. While at USC-Upstate Richardson lead the team in on-base percentage and finished second in batting average.  Multiple shoulder injuries ended his career prematurely.

Richardson has been coaching amateur baseball since 2001 when he assisted Bill Angelo at Elgin Community College. During his tenure at ECC the Spartans set team records for most wins (54), runs scored (547), hits (680) and stolen bases (188).  They also won four Sectional titles, three Regional Championships, one District Championship and made back to back apperances in the NJCAA Division II College World Series.  Since 2007 Coach Richardson has served as the Hitting Coach and Varsity Assistant at St. Charles North HS (IL). Since joining the program Coach Richardson's NorthStars have set team records for most wins (33), batting average (.385), hits (394), slugging percentage (.531), on-base percentage (.464), rbi's (281), doubles (76) and homeruns (27). They have also won 3 regional championships in the last 5 years and 2 Upstate Eight Conference Championships. During the summer season JR serves as the General Manger of Baseball Operations for the Great Lakes Region of USA Baseball’s NTIS program, provides private baseball instruction and runs practice orientated baseball camps through his company Richardson Baseball.

Coach Richardson has earned an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership with an advanced certificate in Human Resource Management and a Master’s Degree in Psychology.  His Master’s Thesis entitled, "What Makes Average Baseball Players Above Average" focused on one of the most overlooked aspects of athletic skill acquisition, PERCEPTION.  He is currently in the process of submitting his research for publication.

 

Jim Hall

Lockport HS (Retired)

ABCA Hall of Fame

IHSBCA Hall of Fame

BCA Hall of Fame

Coach Jim Hall graduated from Marist High School and Illinois State University as a baseball and football player. He taught one year at Marist and then moved to Lockport High School as a varsity baseball and football assistant coach. He became head baseball coach in 1990 at

Lockport and gained success with back to back 8A football championships in 2003-04 and the  AA State baseball championship in 2005. In Jan. 2011, Coach Hall was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

Since his retirement from teaching in 2006, Coach Hall has coached Team Illinois and internationally, taken teams to Italy, Japan, and Aruba, Dominican Republic and most recently to Puerto Rico. He also is a sought after clinic speaker and instructor. Additionally, Coach Hall gives individual hitting and fielding instruction.

 

Terry Ayers

Fenton HS (Retired)

St. Charles North HS

ABCA Hall of Fame

IHSBCA Hall of Fame

Coach Ayers loves the game of baseball and has dedicated his life to coaching. After graduating from Western Michigan University in 1966, where he played for ABCA Hall of Fame Coach Charlie Maher, Terry received his Masters of Arts degree from Northwestern in 1970 and was a graduate assistant in football. His high school coaching career began in 1972 as head baseball coach at Fenton High School in Bensenville Illinois, where he had a lifetime career record of 334 and 231 until retiring in 1989. After Fenton, Terry coached AAU baseball taking them to the National tournament three times and had a lifetime record of 198 and 79.

In 1990 Terry became the regional Director for Doyle Baseball School. As regional director he was the lead instructor in hundreds of baseball schools for players and coaches. Giving coaching seminars in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois. He also is a member of the Pitch and Hit Club of Chicago where he serves as Secretary and Board of Directors. He co-chairs the annual Showcase for the Club. In 2009 received the Pitch and Hit Club Charlie Hum Service Award for contributions to the community service in baseball.

Terry has spoken at several state coaches clinics Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, as well as the National Baseball Coaches Clinic in 1999, as well as the American Baseball Coaches Association Clinic in 2001. Terry has attended every clinic since 1973. He serves on the ABCA Hall of Fame Committee for the past twenty-one years also, served on the expatiators committee for five years prior to being on the Hall of Fame Committee.

In 1999 Terry was elected into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He received the Len Diforte Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. Other honors are coaching in the Pan American Games and International baseball in Europe.

In 2006, Terry came out of retirement after his son was finished playing college baseball at the University of Louisville. He is currently the volunteer assistant Pitching Coaching at St. Charles North High School, in St. Charles Illinois. Helping the team win a Conference Championship in 2007 as well as the Regional Championship in 2007 and 2008. The team has compiled a record of 78 and 29 with a team era of 2.15 this past season.

Terry lives in Elgin Illinois with his wife Carole, they have two children, daughter Sarah and son Stephen. Both children are married and he is now a grandfather too.

 

Mike Marshall

11 Year MLB Professional

World Series Champion - 88’ Los Angeles Dodgers

Marshall was an All-Star first baseman and outfielder who played eleven seasons in the Big Leagues.  Marshall played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, both of the National League, and the Boston Red Sox and California Angels, both of the American League. He also played one season in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Nippon Ham Fighters in 1992. Currently, Marshall serves as president and general manager of the Chico Outlaws of the North American League.

One of the heroes of LA's 1988 World Series Championship (He homered in Game 2), Marshall has managed or been an administrator in the minor leagues for the last seven years.  Marshall successfully led the Yuma Scorpions to the Championship of the Arizona Winter League in February.

 

John Sarna

Head Coach - Hampshire HS

Sarna began his high school coaching career in 1996 at Rolling Meadows High School in Rolling Meadows, IL.  Previous to that he was in the Player Development Department with the Florida Marlins as an Athletic Trainer.  Since departing Rolling Meadows in 1999 he spent a bulk of his career as the Varsity Assistant at H.D. Jacobs High School in Algonquin, IL.  He ended his tenure at H.D. Jacobs on November 8th, 2011 to take over the head coaching reins of the Hampshire High School baseball program.
 
Coach Sarna began his international baseball experience in 1996 with a trip to China, then in 2003 to Aruba, following up with back to back trips to the Czech Republic and Italy in 2004 and 2005.
 
He has represented the White Sox Scouting Department in the Area Code Games, the Double Duty Classic, the Mariners Cup, the Mentoring Viable Prospects Tournament, and in the 2011 WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida.
 
In 2006 he received the Pitch and Hit Club of Chicago Charlie Hum Service Award for his contributions to baseball through his community service.  In 2009 he joined the Advisory Board for the Pitch & Hit Club.  He also sits on the Sandlot Baseball board as he founded the Silver & Black Series held every June since 2003.  The Silver & Black Series established itself as the premiere event in the Chicago land area as 31 alumni were selected in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
 
John and his wife, Erica, reside in Walworth, Wisconsin with their two children, Logan who was born in February 2006 and Lucy who was born in February 2008.  He also has earned two masters degrees, one in Curriculum & Instruction and another in Educational Leadership.

 

Peter Caliendo

Owner & President of Caliendo Sports International

Current Technical Commissioner for the IBAF (International Baseball Federation)

Peter Caliendo‘s experience and expertise in the development of baseball skills for both players and coaches is among the most extensive found anywhere in the world.  He has shared his vast knowledge of the game around the globe earning immeasurable respect from the worldwide baseball community. His devotion to the game of baseball is greatly admired by all who have crossed his path.

Pete is currently the President of Caliendo Sports International, a global baseball organization specializing in the training of individuals, teams and coaches, as well as dealing with professional baseball operations worldwide. Caliendo Sports, travels with teams and players all over the world to bring a valuable international and cultural experience through sports. Pete has specialized in the training of volunteer baseball coaches for more than 30 years, advocating and helping youth coaches across the USA and around the world to better train young players.

Having studied the development of youth coaching at the legendary Mickey Owen Baseball School as well as Grand Slam USA, Billy Williams and Doyle baseball schools, Caliendo is a strong proponent for a national certification program for volunteers in baseball. To support this theory, he has produced 5 baseball instructional DVD’s (“Coaching Made Easy”) used as a benchmark resource by coaches around the world. Pete partnered with Baseball Coaches Video Library out of Canada to create an on-line baseball coaches certification program. Pete presented twice at the National High School Coaches Baseball Clinic as well as 14 additional High School Association Clinics and has presented in 20 different countries around the world including the (EBCA), European Baseball Coaches Association clinic.

During his 11 years as Technical Commissioner for the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), Pete served as the head of the Technical Committee for the 2009 historic World Baseball Cup in Europe which was held in 7 countries with 22 nations participating and the 2011 Pan Am games. Pete was also a part of the baseball delegation to the Olympic Games in Beijing, China and for the Olympic Qualifier in Havana, Cuba. He also serves on the IBAF Steering Committee.

Pete served as the Director of The Pan American Youth Baseball Association, an organization that represented the United States in the Youth Pan American Baseball Youth Championships (COPABE). Along with winning 3 gold medals, including one over Cuba, his six year involvement with the 16 and under program produced over 20 players in major league baseball. His experience also includes coaching the Belgium Baseball Federation National Teams. In 1999 he was on the coaching staff of Team USA, a team with professionals that competed in Australia’s Intercontinental Cup. He also served as Director for USA Athletes International’s Baseball Operations. While living in Europe Pete became an associate scout with the Toronto Blue Jays.

After a European tour Pete returned to the U.S. to work in professional baseball coaching for the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks in the independent Northern League.  He moved with the franchise from Thunder Bay to Schaumburg, Illinois as Director of Baseball Operations and Coach for the Schaumburg Flyers.  During his tenure, over 20 players signed with major league organizations. The Flyers appeared in the playoffs in their opening season. He also served as Player Procurement Director for the North Shore Spirit in the independent Northeast League, putting together the full roster of 22 players that went on to the Northeast League Championship Series and later as President of the Calgary Baseball Club also in the Northern League.

As of 2009, Pete is heading up the Great Lakes Region for (NTIS) USA Baseball’s National Team Identification Program for potential national team players. The Great Lakes Region consists of 6 states, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Tryouts for potential national team players are held in each state at the ages of 17u, 15u and 13u under.

Pete currently serves as a Board Member for the Chicago Baseball Museum. Caliendo also served 8 years as President of the prestigious Pitch and Hit Club of Chicago, a professional baseball organization which supports baseball at all levels and raises funds for worthy causes, most notably the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation. Pete continues to serve as immediate Past President and Board Member of the Pitch and Hit Club. He has also served his community as a board member of the Greater Woodfield Sports Council, and has been the recipient of the prestigious “David Award” from the Italian American Association recognizing business excellence.

In January 2011 Pete Caliendo received the American Baseball Coaches Association Meritorious Service award. The ABCA is the largest baseball organization of college and high school coaches in the U.S. Along with the Pitch and Hit Club Paul " Dizzy" Trout Ambassador award.

Pete is currently working on hosting international baseball tournaments throughout the USA and organizing a national coach’s certification program.

Pete would like to thank his mom and dad, Vivian and Sam Caliendo, Brother Paul and wife Beverley for their continual love and support.

 

Mark Carvalho

Head Coach - Kansas Wesleyan

Mark "Carv" Carvalho has been a college coach for 17 years, 11 as a head coach and six as an assistant.  Carvalho was assistant coach at Friends University from 1987-1991 then was head coach from 1997-2006, going 234-169. He was named Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2004 when the Falcons set a school record for wins (38).

He was hitting coach at Bethany College where his team led the nation in hitting at .382. After that, then became head coach of Kansas Wesleyan University for the 2009-2010 season. In the 2010 season, the Coyotes won the KCAC Tournament and advanced to the National Tournament in Mississippi.

In the 2011 season, KWU won both the KCAC League Championship and the Tournament and advanced to the National Tournament again in Lubbock, TX. They lost the championship game to Lubbock Christian University who ended up being the NAIA World Series runner-up. Carvalho was named Coach of the Year for the 2011 season.

He also has been involved as a GM/Coach for summer baseball teams in the Walter Johnson League located in Kansas since 1997. The names have changed (Firebirds, Rattlers, Team Elite, Elite-Sluggers and now Salina Blue Jays), but they have been successful with making the NBC World Series for four summers.

 

Mike Schultz

Assistant Coach - Roosevelt University

Mike Schultz is in his second season as assistant coach with the Roosevelt baseball program after spending three years in a similar capacity at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind.

His expertise with the Wabash pitching staff helped the team earn its first two North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament berths in school history following the 2009 and 2010 seasons. During his tenure, Schultz mentored four All-NCAC pitchers, two NCAC Pitchers of the Week, and one pitcher that signed professionally with the Gary Railcats of the Northern League. At Wabash, Schultz also had duties with recruiting, field maintenance, and youth camps.

In the summer of 2009, Schultz also served as the pitching coach for the Waterloo Bucks in the Northwoods League. Four Bucks pitchers under Schultz in 2009 were selected in the 2011 MLB Draft, including 2nd rounder Lenny Linsky from the University of Hawai'I by the Tampa Bay Rays. In total, 10 players on the 2009 Bucks team were selected in the June draft.

Schultz is currently the Manager of the Des Plaines Patriots in the Metropolitan Chicago Summer Baseball League of Illinois. The Metro League is a wood bat summer league comprised of only college eligible players. In the Patriots inaugural season, they won the MCSBL title and placed 5th in the AAABA National Tournament. On the year, the Patriots were 30-14-1. The Patriots had similar success in the 2011 campaign with the Patriots qualifying for their second straight AAABA national tournament appearance with a 31-18 overall record.

 

Don Freeman

Head Coach - Clark College

USA Baseball (2003) Gold Medal Manager

USA Baseball (2000) Gold Medal Pitching Coach

13 Year Evaluator USA Baseball Selection Committee

Baseball has been a major factor in Coach Freeman’s life since he took the field playing for his Cub Scout team in a game across the border in neighboring White Rock, British Columbia. He played college baseball at Spokane Falls CCC and Eastern Washington University prior to beginning a coaching a 40-year coaching career. Freeman was a graduate assistant at Michigan State University when future World Series star Kirk Gibson began his baseball career in 1978. Since that time he has coached 25+ players that have made it to the major leagues through his high school teams and coaching with USA Baseball.

With USA Baseball and the 16U program, Coach Freeman has been a head coach (2003 World Champions, Taiwan), and pitching coach (2000 gold medal – Mexico and silver medal – Venezuela) in the COPABE Championships. He served as an assistant for the 2007 World Champions in Venezuela and again was the head coach in Venezuela for the bronze medal winning USA Baseball women’s National Team in 2010. He has served for the past 13 years as an evaluator on the USA Baseball selection committee for the 16U national teams.

His international background is quite extensive. Coach Freeman has taken teams to Australia eleven times and has represented MLB in Germany working with MLB International in 2009 and 2010. He has been a clinician at clinics in Leksund, Sweden; Bratislava, Slovakia; Brisbane and Geelong, Australia, and has spoken at the Baseball Coaches of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada five times. His expertise has been recognized by coaches associations all over the US with speaking engagements in Arizona, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio, Georgia, and Kansas. In addition he has been a speaker at the ABCA and BCA national conventions for those highly regarded coaching associations.

Coach Freeman has previously served as the president of the Washington Baseball HS Coaches association (1991-2001) and has been on several state committees regarding the enhancement of baseball. He has served on the ABCA High School all American and Coach of the Year Committee since 2006 and is currently the chair of the committee. He has been a member of the ABCA Ethics Committee since 2010 and began his ABCA committee work with the ABCA High School Committee in 2004.

His long career has been recognized with many awards from several national organizations and has been elected to the Washington Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in two sports (baseball & gymnastics).

Coach Freeman is currently the head baseball coach at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington. He and his wife, Roxy live in Battle Ground, Washington. He has two daughters, Tana and Traci and two grandchildren, Halee (9) and Zachery (6).

 

Ryan Nesbitt

Wabash College - Assistant Coach

Indiana Thunder - Assistant Coach

Current Assistant Baseball Coach Wabash College (Crawfordsville, IN) – Current Assistant Baseball Coach Indiana Thunder (Travel Organization) – Former Assistant Baseball Coach Schlarman High School (Danville, IL) – 2009 Graduate of University of Illinois (Champaign, IL) – Currently lives in Crawfordsville, IN.

 

Dino Moran

Stevenson High School - Assistant Coach

Coach Moran currently teaches physical education and is an assistant on the varsity and sophomore baseball teams at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, IL. In 2007 Coach Moran and his partner opened 3D-Baseball in Elk Grove Village, IL where he has trained many high school players who have gone on to play college baseball from junior college to Division 1 and some signing professional contracts. Numerous travel teams call 3D-Baseball their winter training home.

 

Darin Everson

Elite Baseball Academy Director

Elite Baseball Academy Director.  Fifteen Years of Experience in Professional Baseball as player, scout, hitting coach and manager;  Elite Baseball Academy/Midwest Catcher Camps Owner and Director.  Washington Wild Things Minor League Manager.  Florida Marlins Minor League Manager; Florida Marlins Minor League Hitting Coach.  Baltimore Orioles Associate Scout; Madison Area Technical College Assistant Coach.  Premier Collegiate Summer League Manager & Hitting Coach (Alaska Baseball League & Northwoods League); High School Head Coach; Youth Baseball Director; Youth Baseball Coach.  Played seven years of professional minor league baseball, including stints with three organizations: Montreal Expos, Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox.  Played in the Frontier & Northern Leagues. Played four years of college baseball, graduated from Mayville State University (ND) with B.S. of Education. Played H.S. baseball at Ada High School (MN).