by USA Baseball
Federation announces managers, coaches and administrators for 18U, 15U and 12U National Teams
USA Baseball announced the coaching staffs for its 2013 national teams. Highlighted by Wright State University head coach, Rob Cooper, who was announced as the field manager of the 18U National Team in January, the staffs for the 18U, 15U and 12U National Teams have been finalized. The inaugural 12U National Team will be led by Corona del Sol High School’s Dave Webb.
Cooper, a two-time Collegiate National Team staff member, will be joined on the coaching staff by pitching coach Mike Maack and assistant coaches Kevin Wilson and Eric Munson. Maack, the head coach at Prestonwood Christian Academy (Texas), has more than 27 years of NCAA Division I and high school coaching experience. Currently in his 12th season at Prestonwood, Maack previously was the head coach at Tennessee Tech University and before that served as the pitching coach for the University of Central Florida and University of Tennessee.
Wilson is a two-time Tournament of Stars and National Team Identification Series taskforce member and will be making his first appearance on a national team coaching staff. The former Cincinnati Bearcat enjoyed a six-year professional playing career before moving into coaching and now runs Kevin Wilson Baseball in Philadelphia. Munson, a USA Baseball Collegiate National Team alum (’97-’98) and Golden Spikes Award finalist, is currently an assistant coach at the University of Dubuque in Iowa after a year as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Southern California, and a professional career that saw Munson spend parts of nine seasons in the major leagues. Munson joined 18U manager, Cooper, at last summer’s inaugural 17U National Team Development Program as one of the on-field coaches. Steve Domzalski, from Wayne State University, rounds out the staff as the athletic trainer.
“We continually look to raise the bar higher in regards to the coaching staffs and administrators who lead our athletes in competitions each year,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. “This year is no exception, and we are thrilled to see alumni of our programs return to help manage and coach for their respective clubs.”
The 18U National Team will return to Taichung, Chinese Taipei, for a second consecutive season to compete in the IBAF 18U Baseball World Cup, August 30 – September 8. Last year’s 18U team played exhibition games in Taichung before winning gold at the IBAF 18U Baseball World Championships in Seoul, Korea.
In addition to the 18U staff, USA Baseball also named its 15U National Team and inaugural 12U National Team managers, coaches and administrators today. Chatsworth High School (Calif.) head coach Tom Meusborn will return for a second season to manage the 15U team, and he will be joined by pitching coach Matt LaCour, the head coach at Harvard-Westlake High School (Calif.), and assistant coaches Chan Brown (Parkview HS – Ga.) and George Sanchez (Corona del Sol HS), all of whom have previously worked in some capacity for USA Baseball and its various youth-level teams.
Meusborn – who won his 600th game as head coach at Chatsworth High School this season – and LaCour were part of the inaugural 15U National Team coaching staff that went 4-0 during its friendship series in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, last August. This year’s 15U National Team will compete in the COPABE “AA”/15U Pan American Baseball Championships, in Barranquilla, Colombia, which will be held July 26 – August 4.
Also announced was the staff that will guide USA Baseball’s first 12U National Team at the IBAF 12U Baseball World Cup in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. Dave Webb, head coach at Corona del Sol High School in Arizona, will serve as the manager, with the assistance of Terrence Freeman (Eagle’s View Academy – Fla.), Jason Sekany (private instructor – Calif.) and Tanner Vesley (Corona del Sol HS) in the dugout.
Webb has plenty of international experience having led the 2008 and 2009 14U National Teams to gold medals in Guatemala and Ecuador. Webb will also have the benefit of having Bill Krejci on the staff as the business manager. Krejci has been the athletic director at Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa, since 2000 after 22 years as the school’s baseball coach. In addition to his duties at Southwestern, Krejci has been involved with USA Baseball for the last 18 years.
USA Baseball previously announced the coaching staff for the 2013 Collegiate National Team, with TCU’s Jim Schlossnagle tabbed as the team’s manager. Schlossnagle’s staff includes Tim Esmay (head coach, Arizona State), Mike Bianco (head coach, Ole Miss), Ed Servais (head coach, Creighton) and bullpen coach Brett Basham. Brandi Davidson and Danny Wheat, both of TCU, will serve as the team’s press officer and certified athletic trainer.
USA Baseball is still in the process of finalizing several coaching and administrative positions for its various national team programs. A final announcement will be posted to www.USABaseball.com.
