Coaches
Frank Ambrozic - Head Coach
Frank coaches our elite 18U RIPS team. Frank has been a driving force from the ground up in the Brewers success. He has helped in every aspect of RIPS and the Brewers from budgeting, accounting, tournaments, instruction, coaching, etc. He is the backbone of the Brewers.
Ambrozic graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 1974. His leadership skills were apparent at JFK. Frank was Student Body President, played Varsity Baseball, and helped organize many large fund raisers and activities for the school.
Frank's many years of experience in coaching Kennedy High School Baseball and 18U Select Baseball as well as running Southwest Pony Baseball have made Frank one of the top coaches in Washington. His hardwork and dedication has been greatly appreciated by many.
Ambrozic will also be assisting with the 2009 Area Code Games to be held at Blair Field in Long Beach, California next August.
Frank has worked at UPS for 34 years in the finance and accounting departments. He and his wife Connie have two sons (Tyler and Casey) and a daughter (Donna). He is also the proud grandfather of Max.
Aaron Horrocks - Assistant Coach
Aaron has been involved with coaching youth baseball and the Brewers since 1984. Prior to running the Brewers, the Seattle native played for Gonzaga University in 1978. Aaron is a 1977 graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Burien, WA.
Under Horrocks's guidance the Brewers dominated the Koufax Division in the 1990's winning several league, state, and national tournaments and titles
In 2003, after taking a few years to restructure the Brewers program, the Brewers opened up the 2003 season with teams ranging from 13U-18U. This season Aaron will be coaching the RIPS Brewers 14U Blue & 18U RIPS teams.
Aaron has been one of the coaches for the Area Code Games the past two seasons. He will also be doing the same job for the upcoming 2011 Area Code Team.
During his tenure with the Brewers, Horrocks has seen the program produce many High School All-League Selections, D1 Prospects, and Professional Players.
DJ Lidyard - Pitching Coach
DUSTIN “DJ” LIDYARD joins RIPS coaching staff following an outstanding two years of college baseball at Lower Columbia and two years in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
DJ attended LCC after graduating in 2004 from class A Cascade Christian High School in Puyallup WA where he played football and baseball. DJ went on to help lead LCC to become NWACC Champions in 2005. DJ was part of a pitching staff that had 466 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.46 while only giving up 90 runs in the season. DJ’s ERA was an outstanding .92 while going 9-2 with 71 strikeouts in 59 innings and giving up 20 free passes. After a very successful freshman year DJ was voted as Western Region first team pitcher. In 2005 DJ was drafted in the 19th round by the Baltimore Orioles.
In the summer of 2005 a college league was formed in the northwest called West Coast College Baseball League (WCCBL) where he led the Bellingham Bells to a Western Division Championship only to lose in the best of three for league Champions.
In 2006 while attending LCC DJ struck out 103 batters in 70 innings while only walking 22 batters over the course of a 43-5 season with a fastball that reached 95 MPH only to come within one out of winning a second NWACC championship. Again DJ was named to western Division first team pitcher and all NWACC team for 2006. DJ was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers after signing a letter of intent with the defending national champions Oregon State Beavers.
That same year DJ went on to throw the first and only complete game no hitter while playing for the Wenatchee Applesox in the WCCBL and to this day still holds the league strikeout record of 86 K’s. DJ was named the starting pitcher for the league’s inaugural All Star game and went on to be named co-MVP. After much thought DJ decided to pursue his dream of professional baseball and forgo his college playing days with OSU and signed and received 7th round money with the Milwaukee Brewers.
DJ’s professional career was cut short with an shoulder injury after playing for the West Virginia Power in the South Atlantic League where the Power lost in the finals for SAL Championship. DJ in 2010 made an attempt to make a comeback after hard work his shoulder just never came back to top form. Closing the chapter on playing baseball DJ turned his excitement and knowledge of the game to coaching.
DJ will bring his fierce competitors attitude to RIPS pitching staff to develop, train and lead what he has learned and experienced over the course of his very successful baseball career. His numbers and success speak for themselves and he is excited.
Ron Hall - Assistant Coach
Ron has coached all three levels of Little League...before they started JR, SR, and Big League. He has coached Bronco, Pony, Colt, Palomino, Mickey Mantle, Connie Mack, Stan Musial, Jr. and Sr. Legion, Sr. Babe Ruth, and High School Ball. He has been to thirteen World Series with youth teams including five trips to Crystal Lake, IL.
Ron has had one player that he coached for a complete season make the "show" and countless others have played minor league ball...which tells you something about how hard it is to make it to MLB. Many of Ron's players have played college ball...D1, D2, D3, and Community College. 32 players that he has coached have gone on to pursue coaching which is something Ron is most proud of. He has also had a number take up umping...for which he apologizes!
Why does he coach???????? Because it is an addiction. It is a great feeling to teach and have players move on to the next level.
Duane Briley - Assistant Coach
Joe Gately - Assistant Coach
Joe is currently in his 4th season as Assistant Coach for the Brewers Organization. Prior to coaching for the Brewers, Joe coached 3 years at Kent Little League and played baseball for Shadle Park High School in Spokane, WA.
Joe resides in Kent with his wife Kelley, 17 year old son Lucas and 13 year old daughter Becka. He has worked for Gensco for the last 20 years.