BLAZE COACHING STAFF
The Northwest Blaze are led by a professional coaching staff that consists of some of the best instructors in the state. Our coaching staff includes former playing professionals along with college and high school coaches and players who know exactly what it takes to be champions on and off the playing field.
Terrel Hansen
Program Director / 18U Collegiate Head Coach Blaze
Northwest Blaze Career: 11th Season
Professional Career: 13 Playing seasons / 1 Season hitting coach - Seattle Mariners / New York Mets / Montreal Expos / Detroit Tigers
College Career: Washington State University
High School Career: Bremerton High School
Played under Head Coaches / Managers - Bobo Brayton, Clint Hurdle, Jerry Manual, Ron Washington, Jim Tracy, Lou Pinella, Mike Quade, Felipe Alou, Bill Plummer, Hal Mcrae, Larry Parrish, Terry Kennedy, Jeff Torborg, Jerry Royster, Marc Hill, Buck Rodgers.
Pete Randall
Pitching Coordinator
Northwest Blaze Career: 9th Season/ Current Olympic College Pitching Coach
Professional Career: 10 Seasons pro scout Boston Red Sox / Philadelphia Phillies
College Career:
High School Career:
Forrest Hartford
Strength and Conditioning Coordinator
Northwest Blaze Career: 8th Season
College Career: 4 years Starting Pitcher University of Puget Sound.
High School Career: Current Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Seattle Sounders.
Dan Steinmetzer
18U Pitching Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 7th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 18U Collegiate Pitching Coach. 2018 Blaze 18U Collegiate Pitching Coach. 2017 Blaze 18U Collegiate Pitching Coach. 2016 Blaze 18U Assistant Coach. 2015 Blaze 18U Assistant Coach. 2014 Blaze 18U Assistant Coach. 2013 Blaze 16U Assistant Coach.
High School Career: Bremerton High
Rod Benson
18U Collegiate Bench/Catching Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 7th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 18U Catching/Bench Coach Coach. 2019 18U Catching/Bench Coach Coach. 2018 18U Catching/Bench Coach Coach. 2017 18U Collegiate Assistant Coach. 2016 18U Assistant Coach. 2015 16U Blaze Head Coach. 2014 15U Blaze Assistant Coach. 20 Years coaching all aspects of youth and select baseball.
High School Career: Beaver High School, 1986. Starting varsity catcher 1983 - 1986.
Darren Liebmann
18U Collegiate Assistant Coach/Infield Coordinator
Northwest Blaze Career: 6th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 18U Collegiate Assistant Coach/Blaze Infield Coordinator. 2019 Blaze 18U Collegiate Assistant Coach. 2018 Blaze 18U Collegiate Assistant Coach. 2017 18U Elite Assistant Coach. 2016 Blaze 15U Head Coach. 2015 Blaze 14U Assistant Coach.
College Career: Olympic College
High School Career: Bremerton High
Ben Palau
15U Head Coach / Blaze Hitting Coordinator
Northwest Blaze Career: 9th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 15U Head Coach. 2019 14U Blaze Head Coach. 2018 13U Blaze Head Coach. 2017 12U Blaze Head Coach. 2016 18U Assistant/Hitting Coach. 2015 18U Assistant Coach/Hitting Coach. 2014 Blaze 16U Head Coach. 2013 Blaze 15U Head Coach. 2012 Blaze 14U Head Coach. 2012 Blaze 12U Assistant Coach.
High School Career: Bremerton High
Craig Hoem
15U Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 6th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 15U Assistant Coach. 2019 14U Assistant Coach.2018 13U Assistant Coach. 2017 12U Maroon Assistant Coach. 2016 Blaze 11U Maroon Head Coach. 2015 Blaze 10U Assistant Coach.
College Career: Olympic College/Concordia College
High School Career: South Kitsap High School
Collin Palau
15U Pitching Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 5th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 15U Pitching Coach. 2019 14U Pitching Coach. 2018 13U Pitching Coach. 2017 13U Pitching Coach. 2016 12U Black Pitching Coach.
College Career: Olympic College
High School Career: Central Kitsap
Dave Gagnon
15U Collegiate Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 5th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 15U Assistant Coach. 2019 18U Collegiate Assistant Coach. 2018 18U Collegiate Assistant Coach. 2017 18U Collegiate Assistant Coach. 2016 11U Maroon Assistant Coach.
College Career:
High School Career:
Josh Eveland
14U Maroon Head Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 5th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 14U Maroon Head Coach. 2019 13U Head Coach. 2018 12U Head Coach. 2017 11U Pitching Coach. 2016 11U Black Pitching Coach.
College Career: Stetson University
High School Career:
Pat McGanney
14U Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 6th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 14U Maroon Assistant Coach. 2019 Blaze 14U/18U Assistant Coach. 2018 Blaze 12U Assistant Coach. 2017 Blaze 12U Black Head Coach. 2016 16U Assistant Coach. 2015 15U Assistant Coach.
High School Career:
Kevin Brown
14U Maroon Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 2nd Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 14U Assistant Coach. 2019 13U Assistant Coach.
College Career:
High School Career: Olympic
DJ Hall
14U Black Head Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 2nd Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 14U Black Head Coach. 2016 15U Assistant Coach
College Career:
High School Career:
Bill Bumbalough
14U Black Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 1st Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 14U Black Assistant Coach.
College Career:
High School Career: Central Kitsap
Don Zimmerman
14U Black Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 1st Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 14U Black Assistant Coach. 2019 Titans Assistant Coach. 2018 Titans Assistant Coach.
College Career:
High School Career:
Jeran McCormick
12U Head Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 8th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 13U Head Coach. 2019 12U Head Coach. 2018 11U Head Coach. 2017 11U Head Coach. 2016 15U Assistant Coach. 2015 Blaze 14U Head Coach. 2014 Blaze 13U Head Coach. 2013 Blaze 12U/13U Head Coach.
High School Career:
Ian Hollis
14U Maroon Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 4th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 13U Assistant Coach. 2019 13U Assistant Coach. 2018 12U Assistant Coach. 2017 15U Assistant Coach
College Career: Olympic College
High School Career: North Kitsap
Chris Uzzell
13U Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 1st Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 13U Assistant Coach.
College Career:
High School Career:
Rick Biehl
12U Head Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 1st Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 12U Head Coach.
College Career: University of Washington
High School Career: North Mason
Ritchie Alexander
12U Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 1st Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 12U Assistant Coach.
College Career:
High School Career: South Kitsap
Chris Castro
10U Head Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 9th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 10U Head Coach. 2019 9U Head Coach. 2018 9U Head Coach. 2017 9U Head Coach. 2016 9U Head Coach. 2014 16U Head Coach. 2013 Blaze 15U Head Coach. 2012 Blaze 13U Head Coach.
David Anderson
10U Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 5th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 10U Assistant Coach. 2019 9U Assistant Coach. 2018 9U Assistant Coach. 2017 9U Assistant Coach. 2016 9U Assistant Coach.
College Career:
High School Career:
David Benninger
10U Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 6th Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 10U Assistant Coach. 2019 9U Assistant Coach. 2018 9U Assistant Coach. 2017 9U Assistant Coach. 2016 Blaze 13U Assistant Coach. 2015 Blaze 13U Assistant Coach. 9 years of youth and select level coaching.
High School Career:
Brian Gadberry
10U Head Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 1st Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 10U Head Coach.
College Career: Olympic College
High School Career: North Mason
Derek Watson
10U Assistant Coach
Northwest Blaze Career: 1st Season
Coaching Career: Current Blaze 10U Assistant Coach.
College Career:
High School Career: