Meet Our Instructors

TJ grew up playing sports in North Carolina and Arizona and played two years of Junior College in Arizona before transferring to Concordia University to play baseball and study Exercise Science. He has owned his own business and has excelled as a High School and Collegiate coach and private instructor. He currently coaches Bloodline Baseball in the Arizona Collegiate Wood Bat League every summer and is assistant coach at Desert Ridge High School in Mesa. He and his two partners founded Bloodline Sports, LLC. A company that promotes student athletes and prepares them for the Collegiate Level.

Scott comes from the largest family lineage of Major Leaguers in history. His grandfather, Sam, played for the Chicago White Sox in 1951. His Uncle, John, played for the Chicago Cubs in 1969. His father, Jerry Sr, played 13 seasons for the Chicago White Sox & Pirates. His brother, Jerry Jr, played 16 seasons for 9 different teams.  Making his debut in May of 2004, Scott made history by being the 5th member of his family to play Major League Baseball. He went on to play 11 seasons for 6 different teams, hitting 106 home runs and 113 RBIs.  Since his retirement from professional baseball in 2016, he has turned his passion for playing into teaching. His focus is teaching the fundamentals and techniques he was taught by his father and many coaches he had throughout his career.  Scotts knowledge of the game has played a key role in developing our local youth to becoming elite players and maximizing their abilities.

Rocky's career is adorned with accolades and significant contributions to the world of softball. His decades of dedication to the sport as a player and coach at various levels have shaped varsity high school programs, travel teams, and youth coaching initiatives across Arizona. Serving as the Grand Canyon State Games Commissioner in 2001 and 2002, Rocky also claimed the esteemed title of AIA Softball Coach of the Year in 2016. In 2024, he brings his expertise to Casteel High School in Queen Creek as an assistant to Varsity Softball Coach Jessica Parra Bonilla. Prior to this, he led San Tan Jr. High, Chandler, to seven East Valley Conference Championships since 2016 and Hamilton Varsity Softball for 12 years winning 2 State Championships and 2 state runners up. His previous coaching roles have had a significant influence at schools like Basha High, Highland High, Mountain Pointe High, and Chaparral High.

Kally Vander Valk is a highly respected and sought-after Private Pitching Coach in the Phoenix area as well as the former Pitching Coach for South Mountain Community College. Kally has 2 in a Half DECADES of experience as a Pitching Coach, and played softball competitively at the collegiate level, earning a Full Athletic Scholarship to Seward County Community College in the Jayhawk Region. Kally combines her Coaching knowledge with an in-depth background in ultrasound medical technology, to give her students precise information about how to prevent injuries and develop remarkable resilience. Kally has a proven track-record for dramatically improving the pitching power, velocity, spin and accuracy of all the students she coaches. Students often say that Kally is the most invested and caring mentor they’ve ever met -- and that the confidence they receive from working with her is life-changing.

Tyler excelled at Crossroads FLEX High School in Cary, North Carolina, where his passion for baseball turned into a launching pad for his professional aspirations. Upon graduation, his dedication and hard work materialized as he was drafted in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Seattle Mariners, a testament to his potential and the high expectations scouts had for him. During his two years in the minor leagues with the Mariners, Tyler continued to hone his craft and develop into a reliable closer. His fastball consistently reaches 97 miles per hour and is complemented by a devastating slider that has batters swinging and missing.

Matt Ceriani spent a 13-year career as a pro catcher, highlighted by numerous accolades including the SEC Defensive Catcher of the Year and a spot on the Team USA 50 man roster, laid the foundation for his expertise in coaching and player development. ​ After his successful playing career, which featured international competitions such as the World Baseball Classic Italy and stints with 21 pro teams, Matt transitioned into coaching. His passion for nurturing talent is evident through his role as a private catching and hitting instructor and his work as an undergraduate assistant coach at Ole Miss. ​ Not content with just imparting his knowledge of the game, Matt has also made strides in the technological side of sports. He is the inventor of a patented throwing technology now utilized in MLB and the founder of Caught Stealing LLC, a company dedicated to the most accurate wearable throwing data collection available.

Anthony Salma is a former professional baseball player who carved his niche with the Minnesota Twins, taking to the field with them for the majority of his eight-year career. He made a memorable splash into the major leagues ("the show") in 2010 and 2011, showcasing the talent that got him drafted. Despite battling injuries which led to his retirement in 2015, Anthony demonstrated resilience and skill, including a final year in independent ball. Before his professional turn of play, Anthony shined at the University of San Diego, contributing significantly to his team's appearance in the WCC tournament and securing a spot as a #8 National seed in the collegiate tournament. He exemplified the student-athlete ideal, graduating with a degree from USD before answering the call of the major leagues. Post-retirement, Anthony remains a figure in the world of baseball, embodying the spirit and dedication of the game.