Dave Empey, head coach and GM
Jason Andrew, associate coach

ASSISTANT COACHES
Josh Hundal
Devon Franklin
Jovan Ewusie
JR Robinson

CATCHING INSTRUCTOR
Jake Elder

SUPPORT COACHING STAFF
Lorne Berkun, sprint coach
Dan Adams, UBC kinesiology, strength and conditioning

                                 Dave Empey, head coach and GM

Dave Empey has had 24 players drafted by major league teams.  That includes Ryan Dempster, who is in his 15th year in the big leagues, signed a $52 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, was an all star in 2000 and 2008, and was recently traded to the Texas Rangers to bolster their pennant drive.  Dave also coached major leaguers Simon Pond, who played for the Blue Jays in 2004, and Chris Mears, who closed for the Detroit Tigers in 2003.

Three players from the same high school level team playing in the big leagues is unprecedented in Canadian history.  What’s more, Dave has also helped more than 60 players find baseball scholarships in American colleges.

Dave publishes a 262-page  instructional book, “Developing Pitchers” with Dempster.  He spent five years with the Vancouver Sun sports deparment, covering everything from baseball to hockey, from boxing to soccer, from football to basketball.  He spent a full season with the AAA Vancouver Mounties and manager Bob Lemon, the Hall of Fame pitcher who later became skipper of the New York Yankees.

In 1984 Empey interviewed Yankee icons Roger Maris, Whitey Ford and Don Larsen. “The media portrayed Maris as a difficult man,” Empey says, “but I found him to be very articulate and open, a great interview.”

While covering the Golden Gloves, Dave met Rocky Marciano, the legendary heavyweight champ, who retired undefeated. “Marciano’s eyes lit up when I asked how he’d fight Muhammad Ali,” says Empey. “He said he’d pin him on the ropes and pound his arms until they were black and blue. Then, when Ali’s arms were so tired he couldn’t lift them, Rocky would knock him out.” Dave also spent two seasons on the lacrosse beat with players like the ineffable Jack Bionda, Cliff Sepka and hardrock Bill Chisholm.

Empey has interviewed everyone from Bobby Hull and Brett Hull to soccer great Pele, skiers Nancy Greene and Jean-Claude Killy, legendary Olympic sprinter Jesse Owens, plus football’s Joe Kapp, Jim “Dirty 30” Young and Norm Fieldgate, wrestler Gene Kiniski, Babe Pratt, Dennis Ververgaert, jockey Jimmy Arnold, and former prime minster Joe Clark. He covered hydroplane racing in Kelowna and took a three-lap 150-mph ride with superstar driver Billy Schumacher.

Dave also manages a rock band and hosted a TV show called “North Shore Beat” for three years on Shaw Cable where he talked to the likes of Tiger Williams, Terry David Mulligan, Tom Larscheid and Playboy photog Ken Honey.

Dave played Babe Ruth, Connie Mack, Junior and Senior baseball. At 19 he was scouted heavily as a LHP with command, a nasty curveball and snakey change-up, plus a devastating pick-off move. Yankees scout Eddie Taylor said he would have signed Empey if he’d thrown a little harder. What’s more, in grade six, he met Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, when they were on tour in Canada.

                                Dave Empey draft picks
(Name, position, round, team, years in pro baseball)

Ryan Dempster, RHP    Round 3   Rangers       18 years, 15 in big leagues
Chris Mears, RHP            Round 5   Mariners     10 years, one in big leagues
Simon Pond, SS                Round 8   Expos          13 years, one in big leagues
Nom Siriveaw, 3B           Round 9   Blue Jays     4 years
Ryan Kenning, OF          Round 12  Angels          2 years
Adam Daniels,LHP        Round 15  Cardinals      4 years
Round 43  Cubs
Round 22 Rockies
Round 19  Twins
Round  27  Blue Jays
Connor Janes, OF             Round  27   D-Backs     2 years
Matt Huntingford, OF    Round 29   Giants        2 years
Round 29   Mariners
Dom Laurin, SS                   Round 29   Dodgers      4 years
Dustin Schroer, OF           Round 36    Dodgers
Round 37   Dodgers      Unsigned
Clint Hosford, RHP            Round 41    Dodgers      6 years
Jamie Metzner, RHP         Round 46   Brewers       Unsigned
Beau Payne, RHP                  Round 71    Marlins        Unsigned
James Paxton,LHP             Round 1      Blue Jays     2 years
Brandon Kaye, RHP            Round 45   Blue Jays     2 years
Rowan Wick, OF                     Round 9     Cardinals        First year
Round 19    Brewers
Vaughn Covington, RHP   Round 11    Reds            2 years
Tom Robson, RHP                  Round 4     Blue Jays     2 years

      Jason Andrew, Associate coach

• 19 years coaching experience
• Co-founder of Langley Blaze in the BCPBL
• runner up 2 times in USSSA World Series
• six-time World Series participant (runner up 3 times)
• sent over 50 players to US Colleges
• Level 3 certified coach
• Coached Langley Little League to victory over Chinese Taipei at the Little League World Series 2011
• Brett Lawrie: Team BC, Team Canada, Drafted 1st round by Milwaukee Brewers (highest positional player in Canadian history)
• Evan Hildebrandt: Team BC, Team Canada, drafted and signed by Cincinnati Reds
• Jamie Metzner: Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers
• Jared Johnson: Team BC, Central Arizona College, drafted by the Florida Marlins
• John Hesketh: Team BC, Vernon College, drafted by Colorado Rockies, signed with Seattle Mariners
• Jordan Lennerton: Team BC, Team Canada, Oregon State University (Div I national champs), drafted and signed by Detroit Tiger
• Justin Robinson: Team BC, Team Canada, New Mexico Junior College, drafted by Tampa Bay
• Rowan Wick: Drafted by St. Louis Cardinals, St John’s (New York)
• Ryan Jensen: Team BC, Team Canada, drafted and signed by Milwaukee Brewers
• Ryan Lennerton: Team BC, Team Canada, University of Arkansas (Div I), drafted by LA Dodgers, coaching at Wayne State University
• Ryan Mcgovern: Team BC, drafted and signed by San Francisco Giants
• Scott Mathieson: Team BC, Team Canada, drafted by and played with Philadelphia Phillies
• Shayne Willson: Team BC, Team Canada, Iowa Western Community College, drafted by Minnesota Twins
• Stosh Wawrzasek: Team BC, Team Canada, drafted and signed with Milwaukee Brewers
• Tyson Gillies: Team BC, Western Iowa, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies
• Also coached Abbotsford Cardinals head coach Cory Eckstein, WhiteRock head coach Russ Smithson and his assistant Dillon O’Krane

Devon Franklin, assistant coach

• 2002-2003 Member of the White Rock Tritons (pbl)…League Champions 2003…League All-Star…Top Hitter Award… League MVP
• 2004 New Mexico Military Ins… Canadian Network Player of the Week Honors…2nd Team All Conference (ss)
• 2006 University of Wisconsin-Parkside… 1st Team All Conference (2b)
• 2007 Brescia University… 2nd Team All Conference (relief pitcher)
• 2007-2008 Member of the Okotoks Dawgs (WMBL)…Back to Back Champions…Canadian Rookie of the Year Award (2007)
• 2008 Played in the Pro League in Australia
• 2008 Starting SS for Team BC in World Baseball Challenge (Ended up 4th in hitting for the tourny)
• 2009 National Champions (Burnaby Bulldogs)
• 2010 Spring Training Invitee with the Victoria Seals under head coach Bret Boone
• 2010 Played for the Senart Templiers in the France pro league
• 2011 Played for Team Canada in the World Baseball Challenge

JR Robinson, assistant coach

• Drafted and signed with Tampa Bay
  
• Played at University of Oklahoma
• Standout at New Mexico Junior College
•  Led the nation in ERA 0.83
•  Batting Average Against .165
•  22-2 Junior College record
•  NJCAA World Series all tournament team
•  Canada Jr National team member