Get to Know the Oakton Community College Baseball Coaches

Oakton Community College’s Baseball Coaches are some of the best in the business. Get to know them better with this behind-the-scenes look at their work.

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Introduction

Oakton Community College has a long-standing tradition of success in athletics. The Owls have won numerous conference, regional, and National Championships across several sports, and the baseball team is no exception. Under the guidance of Head Coach Dan Schmitt and Assistant Coach Steve Dorn, the Owls have won two NJCAA Division III national championships and have made nine trips to the NJCAA World Series

Coach Schmitt has been with the Owls since 1999 and has a wealth of experience at the collegiate level, having previously served as an assistant coach at Daley College and Triton College He is a two-time NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Oakton Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.

Coach Dorn joined Coach Schmitt on the Owls Coaching Staff in 2013 after a successful playing career at Triton College, where he was named an NJCAA Division III All-American. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Owls coaching staff and has helped lead the team to new levels of success.

The Oakton Community college baseball Coaching Staff is one of the best in the country and is committed to helping their players succeed on and off the field. If you are interested in playing baseball at Oakton, or if you are just looking for more information about the program, please contact Coach Schmitt or Coach Dorn.

Who are the coaches?

Oakton Baseball is coached by head coach Joe Dndal and assistant coaches Rob Johnson and Steve Salgado. The team is a Division III college baseball program that competes in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. The Cougars have won nine conference championships and made one appearance in the NCAA Division III World Series

What are their backgrounds?

Oakton’s baseball coaching staff consists of four full-time Assistant coaches Pitching coach Rigo Beltran, hitting coach Matt Hoffman, Infield Coach Steve Cruz, and outfield coach Brad wearable. All four coaches spent time playing college baseball and have coaching experience at the collegiate or professional levels.

Rigo Beltran (pitching coach)
Beltran is from Venezuela and played college baseball pitching for Mercer County Community College He then went on to pitch for Midland College before finishing his career pitching in the Independent Leagues. Beltran has coached at the collegiate level for 10 years, including stops as an assistant at his alma mater, Mercer County Community College as well as Maryland’s Harford Community College He has also served as a pitching coordinator and director of baseball operations. In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Beltram served as an assistant coach with the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League’s Bravos de Margarita club in 2013-14.

Matt Hoffman (hitting coach)
Hoffman is a native of Park Ridge, Illinois and played collegiately at Iowa Western Community College before transferring to Northern Illinois University. Hoffman was a three-year starter in the outfield for the Huskies from 2009-2011. Following his collegiate career, Hoffman spent two seasons playing professional baseball in the Frontier League with the Windy City ThunderBolts and Joliet Slammers. Hoffman began his coaching career as an assistant at Benedictine University in 2014 before moving on to Elgin Community College for the 2015 season where he helped lead the Spartans to a 34-17 overall record and a berth in the NJCAA Region IV tournament semifinals.

Steve Cruz (infield coach)
Cruz is originally from Peru and came to Oakton after spending one season as an assistant coach at Triton College where he worked with the infielders and hitters. Prior to Triton, Cruz served as an assistant at Morton College where he helped lead the Panthers to 34 wins, their most since 2003. Coach Cruz also has experience working with several area High School programs over the past ten years including Maine South high school ( Park Ridge, IL), Highland Park high school (Highland Park, IL), Glenbrook South high school (Glenview, IL), Mundelein High School (Mundelein ,IL). Cruz played collegiately at Oakton Community College where he was an All-Region selection while helping lead the Owls to a conference championship appearance in 2009. After Oakton, Cruz transferred to Eastern Illinois University where he finished his career playing second base for the Huskies from 2010-2011

Brad wearable (outfield coach)
Wearable is originally from Downers Grove , Illinois . He played two years of junior college ball switch hiting outfielder / second baseman for Heartland Community College . After heartland brad played one year at Dominican University where he set school records for stolen bases , runs scored , walks , doubles , triples . Brad was then recruited to play pro ball by San Diego Padres organization . Brad decided finish school first getting degree sports management Northern Illinois University Go Huskies !! Upon Graduating wore number 37 his entire life decided change number 22 After graduation brad was quickly scooped up again this time Cincinnati Reds organization playing right field third base hitting cleanup everyday Low A Dayton Dragons coached by Joey votto

How did they become involved in coaching?

The Oakton Community College Baseball coaching staff consists of four men who have all been involved in the Game of Baseball for many years.

Head coach Tom Paine has been coaching baseball since he was 25 years old, and he has been with Oakton since the college started its Baseball Program in 2002. Paine played baseball in college and then went on to play professionally for a short time before getting into coaching.

Assistant coach Steve Wickman also played college baseball before embarking on a coaching career. Wickman has been coaching since he was 23 years old and has been with Oakton since the 2014 season.

Assistant coach Matt Bradley began his coaching career after playing baseball in high school and then serving as a Head Coach at a local high school for several years. Bradley joined the Oakton staff in 2016.

Pitching coach Dan Desrochers also played baseball in college and then went on to play professionally for several years. Desrochers began his coaching career after his playing days were over, and he joined the Oakton staff in 2017.

What do they enjoy most about coaching?

Each of the Oakton Community college baseball coaches has their own answer to this question.

For coach John it’s the personal relationships that he gets to build with each of his players. He feels like he really gets to know them and their strengths and weaknesses on the field. He loves being able to help them grow as players and as people.

Coach Mark enjoys the challenge of building a successful team. He loves figuring out how to best use each player’s skills to create a successful team dynamic. He also enjoys being able to work with a group of young men and help mold them into successful adults.

Coach Steve loves the feeling of being out on the field, working with his players, and seeing them succeed. He also enjoys the camaraderie that he feels with his fellow coaches and the staff at Oakton.

What are their coaching philosophies?

Oakton Community College’s Baseball coaching staff brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the program. Head coach John Baumann, who is entering his 18th season, has guided the Owls to 12 conference titles and 11 appearances in the NJCAA Division III World Series. Assistant coaches Pete Grieshaber and Steve Heilenbach have a combined 41 years of collegiate coaching experience, and both have helped lead Oakton to conference championships.

The Owls Coaching Staff believes in hard work and discipline on the field, as well as in the classroom and in life. They are committed to helping their student-athletes develop as baseball players and as young men.

If you are interested in playing baseball at Oakton Community College or if you would like more information about the program, please contact Coach Baumann at 847-635-1844 or by email at [email protected]

What is the most challenging aspect of coaching?

“The most challenging aspect of coaching is dealing with the day-to-day grind,” said Niki Peters, Oakton’s head baseball coach “It’s a long season and you have to be able to keep your guys focused and motivated.”

Peters, who is in her fourth season at Oakton, said that another challenge is dealing with the expectations of the players and their families.

“They all want their son or daughter to play,” she said. “And sometimes, they don’t understand all that goes into being successful at this level.”

Peters added that she enjoys the challenge of coaching and helping her players reach their goals.

“It’s very rewarding to see the hard work pay off for our guys,” she said. “It’s also gratifying to know that we’re helping them prepare for their future.”

What do the coaches feel are the most important lessons that their players can learn from playing baseball?

Though winning is always the goal, the coaches of the Oakton Community College Baseball Team feel that there are more important lessons that their players can take away from playing the sport. They believe that baseball can teach teamwork, dedication, discipline, and how to handle success and failure. They also feel that the game can instill a sense of pride and camaraderie in their players. Whether their team is winning or losing, the coaches want their players to take away these important lessons from every game.

What do the coaches hope to accomplish with their team?

Under head coach Anthony Sanchez, the oakton Community College has set a goal to be one of the top baseball teams not only in the conference but in the country. To do this, they recruit some of the best baseball players from around the world and provide them with an opportunity to get an education while playing the sport they love. In addition to on-the-field success, Coach Sanchez and his staff also hope to develop their players into young men that can be successful in all aspects of their lives. They stress the importance of being good students, husbands, fathers, and citizens.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Oakton Community college baseball coaching staff is experienced, qualified, and committed to helping their players succeed on and off the field. If you are looking for a Community College where you can play baseball and receive a quality education, Oakton Community College is a great option