Fred Beitler—Assistant Coach UBC Thunderbirds

Fred Beitler joined the UBC Thunderbird staff for the 2009 season and worked primarily with the catchers.  Before coming to BC, Coach Beitler spent 2008 in Saarlouis, Germany, at the helm of the Saarlouis Hornets of the German Bundesliga.  Prior to that, Beitler was an assistant coach at St. Clair College in Windsor, ON, where he worked with the infielders.

As a player, Beitler played three seasons of college summer league baseball in the Detroit, MI, area with two seasons in the Detroit Adray League and one in the Livonia Collegiate League.  Beitler also competed for the Windsor Titans who played in the Little Caesars Connie Mack League in Southeast Michigan, and spent a season with the Tecumseh Green Giants Baseball Club.

At University, Beitler played football for the Windsor Lancers.  On the gridiron, Beitler was a linebacker for the Blue and Gold, and his enthusiasm and intensity for sports has transcended into his baseball coaching style.

Wayne Corness – Assistant Coach

Wayne Corness joined the UBC Thunderbird coaching staff for the 2009 season. The Surrey resident brings a wealth of experience to the Thunderbird staff and is the older brother of UBC pitching coach Shawn Corness. Wayne was an assistant with Team Canada’s World University games team in 2009, that competed in Prince George, BC, as a tuneup for the 2010 games in Japan.

Wayne played for four seasons in the Houston Astro’s organization and is a graduate of Simon Fraser University, where he excelled on the basketball court as a member of the Clan’s varsity program.

Mike Elias – Graduate Assistant Coach

After concluding a four year career with the UBC Thunderbirds, Mike Elias joined the coaching staff in 2013 as a graduate assistant coach. The North Delta native arrived at UBC after playing locally with the North Delta Blue Jays of the BC Premier Baseball League. Elias was an outfielder who ended his UBC career with 6 home runs and 61 runs batted in 144 career games played.

Elias has been involved as an instructor both as a player and now as a coach. Elias was a camp leader for the 2012 summer camps.

Players

Brandon Kaye – Pitcher UBC Thunderbirds

A Junior College transfer from Douglas College, Kaye joins the T-Bird pitching staff for his junior year. In the summer of 2009, Kaye was part of Team Canada’s World University Games team that participated at the 2009 World Baseball Challenge held in Prince George, BC. Kaye is expected to contend for a starting spot in the Thunderbird rotation. Brandon was a 45th round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in the June 2009 MLB Draft. Kaye is the half brother of Toronto Blue Jays right handed pitcher Scott Richmond.

Alex White – Second Base UBC Thunderbirds

A Junior College transfer from Allan Hancock College in California, Alex White is entering his senior season as a UBC Thunderbird. A Richmond, BC, native, White was a Rawlings Gold Glove award winner in 2009.

In 2008, Alex represented Canada at the World University Games in Brno, Czech Republic, and again in 2009 at the World Baseball Challenge held in Prince George, BC. For the last two summers, Alex has played his summer baseball for the Burnaby Collegiate Bulldogs and competed in the 2009 Canadian Junior Championships held in Trois Rivers, PQ. At UBC, Alex is studying Commerce at the Sauder School of Business and is majoring in accounting. Alex’s parent, Maurice and Stacy, were former T-Bird athletes who played soccer and field hockey respectively.

Jordan Herbison – Pitcher UBC Thunderbirds

The Brockville, ON, native joins the Thunderbird pitching staff as a Junior College transfer from Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York. For the last three summers, Herbison has played summer ball in the Western Major Baseball League with the Yorkton Cardinals. A stalky right handed pitcher, it is expected for Herbison to contend for a starting spot in the T-Bird rotation.

Former/Casual Instructors

Connor Janes

For the summer of 2012, Connor Janes has joined the Edmonton Prospects of the Western Major Baseball League as their hitting coach. Coach Janes will remain with the UBC Thunderbirds program as an assistant coach and will be entering his sixth season with the T-Birds. In 2006 Coach Janes was drafted in the 27th round of the Major League Baseball first year player draft by Arizona. During his two year stint with the D-Backs, his travels took him to Missoula of the Pioneer League, and then to Yakima of the Northwest League.

Geoff Burke

Geoff was a right handed pitcher from Toronto, Ontario. A product of the strong Toronto Mets system, Geoff was a highly recruited prospect coming out of high school. Used mainly as a reliever, Geoff ended his UBC baseball career in 2010. During the summer months, Geoff pitched in the Western Major Baseball League with the Medicine Hat Mavericks.

Ryan Pilgrim – 2009 Graduate Assistant

Ryan Pilgrim was a graduate assistant for the UBC coaching staff in 2009 after concluding two stellar seasons with the UBC Thunderbirds. Before playing for the Thunderbirds, Pilgrim spent two years at Central Arizona Junior College where in 2007 he received all conference and all region honors. Pilgrim also has a wealth of international playing experience as he was a member of Canada’s Junior National Team in 2005 and in 2008 participated for Canada in the World University Games in Brno, Czech Republic.

Ryan has recently gained his pilots license and looking to become a commercial airline pilot.