Now Available!
Meet Our Coaches
Jared Sandberg:
Current Coach in the Tampa Bay Rays Organization
Manager, Hudson Valley Renegades
Jared Sandberg was born and raised here in Olympia, WA grew up playing at Bucknell Park for the Thurston County All-Stars. He graduated from Capital High School and earned a scholarship to the University of Hawaii but passed on the scholorship and signed a professional baseball contract.
Sandberg, 32, is now entering his second season of managerial duty after making his debut in 2009 with the Princeton Rays (Rookie).
His first coaching job came in 2008 with the Renegades as the hitting coach. Sandberg retired from playing after the 2007 season from a 12-year playing career as an infielder, including three major league seasons, all with the Rays (2001-03). During that time he compiled 25 home runs, 92 RBI and a .221 average. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI in his major league debut against the Yankees at Tropicana Field on Aug. 7th, 2001. Sandberg spent the rest of 2001 in the majors and split 2002 and 2003 between Tampa Bay and Triple-A Durham.
During his career he spent a total of nine seasons in the Rays organization and holds the Rays all-time minor league records with 113 home runs, 473 RBI and 417 runs.
He was drafted by the Rays in the 16th round of the June First Year Player Draft in 1996. Sandberg left the Rays organization in 2004 and joined the Red Sox organization. In 2005 he played for Portland and split time between Corpus Christi (Astros) and Akron (Indians) during the 2006 season. He concluded his playing career in 2007 by playing 18 games for Wichita (Royals).
Sandberg is nephew of Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg.
How is Jared's Team Doing?
Stephen Vogt:
Current Player for the Tampa Bay Rays
•A 4 year NAIA All-American & 2 time Conference Player of the Year at Azusa Pacific U.
•He has 21 years of baseball playing experience and
16 years of catching experience, as well as outfield and infield.
•Stephen has played in 3 professional seasons for Tampa Bay Rays, Org.
•Career College batting average .448
•Career Professional batting average .287
Check out Stephen's Stats Here
Ryan Reynolds:
Ryan is a South Sound native, born in Olympia and graduated from Tumwater High School. As a four sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball, and track) at Tumwater, he chose to go to Edmonds Community College to play baseball and continued from there to Bellevue University in Nebraska.
The two athletic accolades that Ryan is most proud of are being named All American in track (high jump) and getting drafted by the Houston Astros of the National League in baseball. After college he began his coaching career back at Edmonds CC as the pitching coach then to Phoenix, AZ as the head assistant at Phoenix College. After two seasons as an assistant, he was named the Head Coach. Ryan was the skipper for four years before returning to Olympia to work with the family business at Reynolds Real Estate as a REALTOR. Once home he also continued with baseball as the pitching coach at Saint Martins University.
Ryan's baseball career however, has not just been involved with playing and coaching. He has worked as an associate scout for the New York Mets, Florida Marlins, and most recently has accepted a job with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The most important part of Ryan's life is his family, wife Christy, son Nolan, and daughters Addy and Averie. Christy is also from Tumwater, and they feel blessed to have the opportunity to live, work, and raise their children back home in this community.
Don Heinze:
•2008, 2009 WA State, Class B,
•Coach of the Year at NW Christian High School
Coach Don Heinze grew up surrounded by baseball in Southern California. He developed a love and passion for the game while being taught by his father, an avid Dodger and Angel fan. After high school, and a short college stint, Coach Heinze played in the Southern California Independent League against former and future major leaguers. Coach Heinze has over sixteen years of baseball coaching experience. In addition to coaching the Halos, he's currently the head coach at Northwest Christian High School. In 2009 his high school team went 26-1 and won the Washington State Championship. He has been named State of Washington Division 2B Coach of the Year the past two years. Coach Heinze is a Police Officer with over twenty years of police service in Washington and California, and has twice been named Police Officer of the Year. He and his family live in Olympia, Washington.
Joey Swanson:
Please note: Joey will be working with Stephen to insure
smooth transition and consistence in training.
We are pleased to present one of our newest instructors at Courts & Cages.
Joey Swanson is a graduate of North Thurston High School in 2000.
Joey played varsity baseball and football at North Thurston before attending
Lane Community College and Skagit Valley College to play baseball.
He has been an instructor and select team coach since 2002 and coached at the
Junior Fall Classic with Baseball Northwest in 2003 and 2004.
Coach Swanson is a graduate of the Jim Evans Professional Umpire Academy (2007)
and is currently the manager of the
Pierce County Diamond Jaxx Baseball Club (197 wins over four seasons).
Mike Blaksley:
Mike has been playing baseball since he was a little boy. He played for and graduated from Black Hills High School in 2000. Has played for Centralia CC, Central Oregon CC and moved to Scottsdale, AZ to play a year for the Scorpions. His experience as a "utility player" has provide him success as a pitcher, catcher and center fielder. Mike has been working with kids for over 5+ years, is energetic and has a winning attitude that he will pass along to the kids he works with.
Erica Early:
Played four years of varsity fast pitch at Tumwater High School.
Her Junior and Senior year she was named team captain and earned honors as an All-League and All-State player.
Erica has also played two years of college ball for Pierce College and Pacific Lutheran University.
Her experience is in playing infield and outfield positions along with some pitching in her younger years.
Most recently Erica has been an assistant coach at North Thurston High School.
Erica defines her hitting styles as a ‘Left handed slapper’.