2010 Coaching Staff
Head Coach Josh Keister
Josh Keister enters his fifth season as head coach of the Leafs in 2010, coming off a one-year stint as the team’s head assistant coach and a stellar four-year playing career at Goshen College.
Keister, a 28-year old Goshen native, is the ninth head coach in the program’s 50-year history. He has experienced first-hand some of the best moments in Goshen College baseball, both as a player and a coach. Goshen’s 24-20 overall record during Keister’s senior 2004 season was the program’s first 20-win effort since 1995, while Keister made a firm stamp on the program’s record books: Keister holds the Leafs’ single-season records for batting average, hits, doubles, runs and RBI, and is the school’s all-time leader in runs scored (133) and doubles (44). His name appears as second-best in career batting average, hits, home runs and RBI.
“I’m excited to lead a program that has been heading in such a positive direction over the last few years,” Keister said. “I really enjoyed my four years as a student at Goshen College, and it is my goal that future Goshen College baseball players will have as good of an experience.”
As an assistant coach Keister was a major part of the Leafs’ success in 2005, heading the team’s hitting instruction as well as recruiting and scheduling duties. The team narrowly missed out on its first post-season berth since the ’95 season in the process, and captured just the sixth 20-win season in program history.
A 2000 Goshen High School graduate, Keister graduated from Goshen College in 2004 with a degree in social studies education. He was a two-time All-Mid-Central Conference performer during his four-year career as a Goshen College player (2001-2004), and was an honorable mention NAIA All-American selection following his junior year. He and his wife of five years, Nina, reside in Goshen and had their first child, Karleigh, last spring.
Assistant Coach Josh Gleason
Also the Sports Information Director at Goshen, Josh Gleason begins his second season on the Maple Leaf coaching staff in 2009.
A native Californian, Gleason most recently was the Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Director of Athletics at Simpson University in Redding, Calif. In eight seasons as a player and coach, Gleason helped build the program from the ground up while leading the Red Hawks to two appearances in the NCCAA DII National Championships.
As a player, Gleason’s best season was as a sophomore when he batted .385 – third highest in program history – and committed just one error, while playing every position on the infield. Prior to his time at Simpson, Gleason was a four-sport letterman at Vacaville Christian High School (Vacaville, Calif.). A three-time all league selection in baseball (.420 career average), Gleason was also picked to the all league team in soccer twice.
“I have a passion for the experience and growth of college student-athletes and am excited about this opportunity to develop young men on and off the field,” Gleason said.
Josh and his wife, Candace, who also works at Goshen College have been married for four years and reside in Goshen.
Pitching Coach Gary Keister
Gary Keister, father of head coach Josh Keister, is in his second season on the Maple Leaf staff as a full-time assistant after coaching on a part time basis the previous season. He retired two years ago after 34 years as a junior high English teacher, freeing him to assume full-time pitching coach responsibilities.
The elder Keister is a Goshen College alumnus who later received his Masters in Education degree from Ball State University. His previous experience as a high school coach was highlighted with a trip to the Regional Finals and he was a member of a Little League Senior Division Indiana State Champion coaching staff.
“I’m excited about being able to give my full time and energy to the GC pitching staff,” Keister said. “I look forward to instructing the pitchers in the physical, mental, and emotional aspects so that they can enjoy performing at their full levels of potential.”
Gary and his wife of 34 years, Norma, reside in Goshen.