Your Absolute Baseball Calgary Coaches

Chris Milne believes there’s more to athleticism than just physical strength. Alongside strength and conditioning, Chris brings a holistic approach to training with a focus on mindset, physical and mental performance and stress resiliency. Through his disciplined practice, Chris is dedicated to having a lasting impact on everyone he coaches.

Phil Curtis knows first-hand the importance of developing a strong mental game. After finding his feet in the Sherwood Park minor baseball, Phil played at Jamestown University as a pitcher and helped his team win NCAA Super Regionals in 2008. Phil spent 8 years playing in the Western Canadian Baseball League and then went on to become Head Coach of the Weyburn Beavers for 7 years where he won Coach of the Year twice and holds the North American Summer Baseball wins streak record. Phil is our Calgary Bucks General Manager and coaches U18 Black. They compete in the Baseball Alberta Elite League and have won two silver medals in provincials in the last three years. As a teacher and coach, Phil helps cultivate loyalty, hard work and respect.

Colin Moro loves creating a safe and fun environment to help players grow. Colin has played everywhere from the North West Little League to the Prairie Baseball Academy, college ball and four years of professional play in the independent leagues. Now retired, Colin spends his time coaching AAA hopefuls at Absolute Sports and boxing to stay in shape.

Jordy Alexander’s baseball career has seen him play in 10 different countries. While playing at Olympic College in Washington, the Vancouver native was drafted as a pitcher with the Kansas City Royals. Jordy has also seen the Canadian National Team through three World Cups as the pitcher. Today, Jordy coaches the University of Calgary Dinos and for Absolute Sports.

After a life spent in baseball, Cory Curtis was thrilled to take home gold at the 2023 Alberta Summer Games. Born in Sherwood Park, Cory grew up with the A’s before studying at Vancouver Island University and playing for the Mariners. After a season of graduate coaching, Cory went on to coach in Weyburn, SK. Today, Cory is the Bucks 15U Black Head Coach.

Ian Finlay grew up in the Centennial Little League. A skilled catcher and centre infield player, Ian is a natural-born leader who loves connecting with and holding players accountable. A lifelong ball fan, Ian loves watching the sport live and will always remember watching Philip Humber pitch a perfect game against the Seattle Mariners.

Cam Williams wants nothing more than to help the next generation of baseball stars thrive. With roots in Coquitlam Little League, Cam represented Team Canada at the Junior League World Series in Michigan before eventually playing for the University of Calgary Dinos. Today, Cam is the head coach of the Dinos and the Weyburn Beavers.

Luke Senft has had a passion for baseball ever since he first played catch with his dad on the front lawn of his Abbotsford home. Now a coach for the University of Calgary Dinos and the Calgary Bucks, Luke has two Canadian College Baseball Conference victories under his belt; one as a player and one as a coach. An avid sports fan, Luke believes in always being prepared and leading by example.

Cooper Finch’s baseball career has taken him across the world. A catcher and corner infielder who helped Austria’s Stockerau Cubs take home gold in Europe’s largest tournament, Cooper got his start with Absolute Sports and the Junior Dinos program before playing college ball. As a coach, Cooper believes in holistic player growth beyond skill development.

Zoe Hicks believes the key to coaching is connecting with players. Zoe started her storied softball career with the Red Deer Rage before playing with Calgary Adrenaline and Kaizen. After claiming two consecutive provincial wins in Alberta and Manitoba, Zoe played college softball at Juco in Iowa and then Louisiana Tech where she won a conference USA title. She later played professional softball in the Netherlands. Currently, she plays on both baseball and softball Senior Women’s National Teams and has worked with the LA Dodgers organization for the last two years.

Averi Bollenbach will always remember challenging the Kenyan and Ugandan national teams. A fun, supportive, personable and flexible coach, Averi travelled with Beyond the White Lines in 2020 to help expand the sport. Now a coach with the Mount Royal University team, Averi picked up fastpitch in her native Winnipeg before playing for the University of Calgary.

Victoria Kehler loves seeing players leave her lessons feeling confident and smiling. A pitcher and first-base player who helped the University of Calgary Dinos win silver at nationals, Victoria started playing ball as a five-year-old in Maple Ridge, BC. Now a teacher at the National Sport School, Victoria excels at helping players reach new heights.

Dave Ruhr will always remember his home run in Nicaragua that launched Team Canada into the World Cup. Born in Regina, started play in BC and spent his formative years playing in Calgary, Dave played college ball for Allan Hancock and Georgia Southern before his World Cup debut. Dave always has a positive attitude and excels at explaining the benefits behind drills when coaching.

Calgary’s Cory Wirth loves nothing more than working with athletes to understand their goals and create a path to help them make their baseball dreams a reality. A skilled infielder and pitcher, Cory’s crowning achievement has been watching his players reach new heights in AAA baseball before playing at the college level in the US and Canada.

Zach Tanton is passionate about sharing the skills he’s learned throughout his storied Triple-A career. A Strathmore native who later starred in Baseball Alberta and American Legion Baseball, Zach has played against teams from across the globe. Now a coach who believes in leadership on and off the field, Zach recently led his team to victory in 15U Baseball Alberta provincials.

Brady Wilson will never forget his Western Canadian Baseball Championship victory with the Okotoks Dawgs. A lifelong ball player, Brady grew up playing for the Redbirds. After a stint of college ball in California, Brady returned to Canada for school and launched his WCBL career. Today, Brady loves using his wealth of experience to help players fine-tune their game.

Braydon Kennedy believes you can learn just as much from a loss as a victory. In his last game with the Calgary Bandits, Braydon’s team took an L in the provincial semi-finals. However, he used it as an opportunity to reflect and went on to play two years at the Prairie Baseball Academy. Today, Braydon enjoys coaching the next generation of outfielders.

For Bauer Sewell, the skills that helped him win a Canadian College Baseball Conference in his first year with the University of Calgary Dinos are the same that make him shine as a coach: positivity, the desire to win and a love for the game. Born in Las Vegas, the skilled shortstop got his start with the Junior Dinos and Team Alberta before playing college ball in North Dakota.

Zach Bryksa grew up playing with the Calgary Bucks. Now, he’s excited to share everything he’s learned with the next generation of AAA all-stars. A pitcher with the University of Calgary Dinos, Zach helped lead his team to a Canadian College World Series victory in 2022. Today, the natural leader is dedicated to sharing his expertise and love for the game with others.

Shane McPherson started his baseball journey in the Calgary West Little League. After committing to the sport full-time, Shane enrolled in the Absolute Sports off-season program and settled in with the Calgary Junior Dinos. After graduating, Shane joined the Calgary Bucks as a coach and specializes in supporting pitchers and middle infielders.

For Cole Kennedy, the relationships built on the diamond are as important as the game itself. An Airdrie native, Cole found his start in the Airdrie Little League. Now back on the ball diamond as a coach, Cole’s ability to adapt and willingness to learn empowers him to connect with players and help them push forwards.

Caelan Dalman is a friendly and easy-going coach who loves helping infielders and hitters level up their game. After finding his feet in little league, Caelan went on to play for the Calgary Bucks before signing on for Junior College Baseball in California. During a stint in the Western Canadian Baseball League, Caelan was named an All-Star with the Weyburn Beavers.

Ben Franz has started at every position on the diamond and knows just what it takes for all types of players to succeed. A University of Calgary Dinos pitcher and infielder, Ben helped the Dinos win the Canadian College Baseball Conference with a 4-0 playoff record. A lifelong ball player, the Red Deer native enjoys sharing his expertise with players of all ages.

Alex Tello will always cherish those late-night practices before tournament weekends. With roots in Calgary Redbirds Baseball, Alex uses his communication skills and baseball know-how to help new athletes make their mark. An Absolute Sports and Junior Dinos alumni, Alex moved to the United States after high school to play college ball in Boston.

Cydnie Moore is a talented first-base, third-base and pitcher with Team Alberta, Cydnie helped the women’s open team win bronze and coached the 16U team to the podium. With roots in Calgary’s North West Little League and Babe Ruth Calgary, Cydnie shines at adapting drills to individual players.

Kelowna’s Marcus Strother still has the ball from his first home run in 2011. After growing up in Rutland Minor Baseball, Marcus played for Southeastern Illinois College before transferring to the University of Toledo. Today, Marcus strives to create a fun environment for future AAA stars to learn and succeed on and off the field.