Rob, who grew up in the southern Indiana town of North Vernon, graduated from Jennings County High School in 1985. While Rob attended baseball camps growing up, he was an average player. His father, a former high school player, studied books like Ted Williams’ The Science of Hitting, and set up make-shift training tools to provide Rob direction.
Upon entering high school, Rob began to experience the benefits of his hard work. During his senior season he was named the First Team All-State Catcher while leading Jennings County High School to the state finals. Rob was also selected to the Indiana All-Star team where he was the series’ Most Valuable Player.
Rob accepted a baseball scholarship to Indiana University. During his tenure at IU, Rob became the team’s starting catcher as a junior and was elected as a team captain by his coaches and teammates during his senior year. During his collegiate summers Rob had the opportunity to play in Europe and Alaska with Athletes in Action and was named to the CICL All-Star team where he had the opportunity to catch at Wrigley Field.
After his playing career ended, Rob had shoulder surgery to repair a damaged rotator cuff. He later graduated from Indiana in 1990 with a BS in Sports Marketing and Management.
Rob continued to stay in the game by running baseball camps and clinics beginning in 1989. In 1993, Rob joined former coach Jeff Mercer to open a new indoor facility in Greenfield, currently the site of Bandit Yard.
After serving on a number of baseball boards and coaching the Indiana Bulls, Rob founded USAthletic Baseball with the idea of giving more kids the opportunity to play and develop their game. As a result, USAthletic has grown to become the largest travel program in the state, fielding more than twenty teams in 2008 while sending dozens of players on to play in college. The program’s developmental focus has distinguished it as place where players can grow in their skill and character.
Rob’s passion for teaching is evident in his unique ability to connect with kids of all ages, as well as their parents. His personable style, skilled insights and creative explanations have contributed to the development of over 1,000 kids who have gone on to play in college and more than forty that have been drafted. Three students, AJ Zapp, JD Closser and Wes Whisler were named as Indiana’s Mr. Baseball.
He has also coached such notable catching standouts as Jake Fox (Cubs), Sean Gaston (Notre Dame), Josh Ludy (Baylor) and Josh Lyon (Indiana).
Rob is currently the General Manager for USAthletic and teaches about 1,600 private hitting and catching sessions a year at the Strike Zone in Fishers as well as Trinity Ballpark in Noblesville.
Rob resides in Fishers with his wife, Nichole, who is employed by Starbucks. Their daughter, Mary, is a sophomore at Heritage Christian, where she plays lacrosse. Their son Alec is a eigth grader at Hamilton Southeastern Junior High and plays baseball on his dad’s fourteen-year-old USAthletic team.