2014 Baseball
2014 Baseball Coaches
Ryan Chipka Image
Ryan Chipka
Head Coach
1st Season

 

Coach Chipka joined the coaching ranks after a stellar career as player at Rochester College.  Ryan was the only four-year captain in the history of Rochester College baseball. He also was spectacular in the classroom as a three-year Academic All-American.

In his senior season, Ryan notched First Team All American Honors as the Warrior's shortstop. Ryan also holds RC records as the all time hits, assists, and consecutive starts leader. 

Before college, Ryan graduated from Anthony Wayne High School in Waterville, OH where he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. He received post-season accolades in all three sports.

Ryan's coaching experience includes Armada Middle School football, Rochester High School football, Lake Orion High School football, and Stoney Creek High School basketball.

Ryan is also an associate scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

Coach Ackerman on Ryan:

"Ryan was the best leader I have seen in my 12 years of coaching. He is was a top notch student and carried the team on his back on the field. As a coach, Ryan is going to be a huge asset to our program. He has a lot of energy and eats and breathes baseball. I am looking forward to coaching with him this season.

 
Hal Watts Image
Hal Watts
Assistant Coach
5th Season
Hal Watts has been around the baseball diamond for quite a while both as a player and coach. He played collegiately at Wayne State University in the 1950's.  He started as a head baseball coach in 1957, while in college.  He spent several years as head coach in summer recreation leagues while working as a writer/editor full-time and traveling throughout the U.S. and over seas.  Coach Watts began his head coaching stints with summer travel teams in 1981 and continued through 2006. His summer teams included coaching Buddy's Pizza, Burke's Sports, TSI, East Side Sports, Michigan Mustangs, Michigan Marauders, and the Grosse Pointe Avengers. Along with his summer teams, coach Watts has limitless experience working with former major league players, scouts, and with several college programs. He has worked with, among others, former Detroit Tigers 1st baseman Dave Bergman, former Cincinnati Reds scout Ken Stack, and Philadelphia Phillies scout James Ford. He has worked with Macomb CC head coach Joe Santilli and former Wayne State University head coach Angelo Gust, to name a couple. 

Coach Watts's travel teams have won several league and regional championships, and have qualified for and appeared in eight World Series, winning one and finishing second twice.  In three seasons as bench coach for the Warren Woods Tower High School varsity, he helped the teams win two district titles and a regional championship. As to why he loves being an assistant coach, coach Watts says, "The wear-and-tear of being a head coach just took its toll on an old man, but I really enjoy helping young  people learn the finer points of the game and also learn some life lessons".
 
Coach Watts has also helped in the game on the administrative side as vice president and executive board member of the Macomb Amateur Baseball Federation (MABF) -- an organization of 140 teams -- as well as a tournament site director for the national tournament organization, Triple Crown Sports.  He was presented with MABF's "Norv" trophy in 2007, becoming the first recipient of this award for "lifetime achievement" in the game.
 
Rick Desotell Image
Rick Desotell
Assistant Coach
5th Season

Rick Desotell is a well known name when it comes to coaching in southeastern Michigan. Rick has coached athletics at all levels including professional. Highlights of Desotell's coaching career are when he assisted De La Salle Collegiate to the State Football Championship and when he helped coach the former Saginaw Sting to a CIFL Chamionship. Along with an extensive coaching resume, Desotell has also acted in several TV shows including Days of Our Lives and Airwolf which have aired on National Television. As a youth, Desotell showed his versatility by making All-Star teams, playing all positions on the field.  As a coach, Desotell displayed that same versatility winning titles in golf, tennis, basketball, football, track, and baseball.  

Desotell resides in Rochester Hills with his wife Kimberly, son Josh, and daughter Kennedy.  

Coach Ackerman on Desotell:
"Rick is an extraordinary coach.  He specializes in the mental  aspects of athletics and is a top notch trainer.  Since Rick joined my staff last season, my players have been playing with more confidence and taking the right mental approach on each pitch defensively and at the plate.  Having Rick has been a Godsend for our program."  
 
Alex Hacias
Assistant Coach
2nd Season
 
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