MEET THE COACHES
Coach Michael Spradlin
Coach Mike Spradlin's love for the baseball life started LONG before he founded CT Elite Baseball and the Northern CT Mustangs. While he has been coaching baseball in this area for nearly 10 years, his story story starts much earlier - and much farther away - than that.
Back in his high school days, Mike spent his time at Hamilton High School in Fort Worth, TX as a catcher and 3rd baseman for the mighty Hamilton Buffalos. Everything is bigger in Texas, and baseball is no exception! Not only did Mike strengthen his skills on the field, but the time he spent playing high school and college baseball in Texas taught him the values that he would later dedicate himself to passing on to others - honesty, integrity, teamwork, persevering through adversity, striving for excellence, and competing with dignity and pride.
Coach Spradlin's dream of coaching was first realized when he began coaching in his Junior and Senior years of college, and it ultimately led him to CT in 2010. His goal was to create a team where young players would get more coaching and training than they were currently receiving in Little League. He just knew in his gut that the players were hungry and screaming for more. His priority has always been to train his players the right way, and train them well. This meant he would have to be super picky when choosing his staff too- so while he carefully hand-picked all his staff, he put a high premium on coaches that not only wanted to train the boys to be better baseball players, but better MEN too. The focus is on the larger picture, and just as much time is put into values and fundamentals as any on-the-field skill.
And it seems he's found the right formula! When he started the Northern CT Mustangs, it was comprised of just 2 teams - and now has exploded into 8 teams! Coach Spradlin's expert coaching - both on the field and off - is attracting more and more players every day. Some of his players travel 1.5 to 2 hours a day just to play and be coached at CT Elite Baseball. As for the future of the Mustangs? The sky's the limit - Coach Spradlin looks forward to continuing to grow and expand for years to come.
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Coach Brian Strong - Player Development / 11U Mustangs Head Coach/ Associate Head Coach 14/15/18U
Before Brian joined CT Elite Baseball, he worked for the Red Sox AA Affiliate Portland Sea Dogs in the 2019 season. He is from Simsbury, CT where he played on the Simsbury High School baseball team. He also played in many summer leagues. Brian played positions in both the outfield and infield.
He graduated from Endicott College in 2015 with a degree in Exercise Science including a concentration in Strength and Conditioning and certification in Coaching. While at Endicott, he was a volunteer Assistant Coach for Endicott College Baseball team in the Spring of 2015 and ran strength and conditioning for the team in 2014-2015, helping the players to improve their skills and performance on the field.
Brian completed an internship at Harvard University Strength and Conditioning and Dartmouth College Strength and Conditioning where he worked with baseball players and many other athletes to help them get in shape or stay in shape for their season. Brian had also worked at Wayne’s World EFT in Lebanon, NH, Athletic Republic in Norwood, MA and Healthtrax Fitness & Wellness in CT where he worked with many clients - even including professional athletes and clients of different levels and backgrounds.
He wants to help athletes to increase player development and get ready for higher level. Brian is currently pursuing his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification.
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Coach Darien Lewie - Head Coach of the 12U Mustangs
Coach Darien Lewie grew up in Glastonbury, CT where he was an Eagle Boy Scout and graduated from Glastonbury High School. After high school, he not only went on to earn his BA in Economics from Eastern Connecticut State University, but he also rose to the rank of Corporal in the United State Marine Corps!
Coach Lewie has a 20+ year career as a financial advisor, initially working at Merrill Lynch before striking out on his own as an Independent Financial Advisor in 2008. In 2007, he got married and moved to Granby, CT where he now resides with his wife Shannon, and three children - Joseph Madelaine, and Bailey. Coach Lewie came to the Northern CT Mustangs in 2015, and is the Head Coach of the 12U team. However, you can almost always find him coaching and lending a hand at tournaments, camps and clinics for all the Mustang teams!
To quote Coach Lewie - "As a coach I use baseball as a metaphor for life. As a coach my #1 priority is to train players to be confident in the abilities of themselves—and each other. We bring in Wild Mustang baseball players and they come out as great men, never forgetting they will always be a MUSTANG. The Mustang philosophy of better men first makes better baseball players!"
And Coach means what he says. Just ask some of his players! They will proudly tell you that not only is he a great coach, but "Coach D" is also a huge role model and trusted confidant.
Coach Brandon Freeman - Head Coach of the 13U Mustangs
BIO COMING SOON!
