“Showcase Ball” has programmed our youth to compete for personal success not for their team winning thus eliminating their abilities to compete in real pressure situations.  On the flip side “Tournament Ball” has put an emphasis on playing an absurd amount of games in a single weekend span; causing injury, burnout, and most of all, limiting the athlete’s skill development and practice time. Their competitive edge is now based on competing for recruiting purposes (letters, phone calls, number of emails from coaches, etc.) and not on the competitive aspects of baseball that will later determine their success or failure in college athletics.  We believe our program is the buffer zone from the craziness and one of a kind in this region.

The Pittsburgh Spikes have been around since 2007 as an 18U player development program that competes in the Western PA Elite Baseball League.  The program is managed by Chase Rowe, head coach at La Roche College and Associate Scout for the Colorado Rockies.  Rowe, the 2015 Chuck Tanner National Collegiate Coach of the Year,  has lead the nationally ranked  La Roche College baseball program to the 2016 College World Series and has been named AMCC Coach of the Year 6 times, as well as Rawlings D3 Mideast Region Coach of the Year both in 2015 and in 2016.  Rowe's teams are known for offense with his teams being ranked nationally in the top 10 of nearly all of the major offensive statistical categories.  

The rest of the coaching staff is comprised of ONLY current or former college assistant coaches, or former MLB players.  Our pitching development is structured and executed by former Pittsburgh Pirate, Josh Sharpless , former Duquesne ace and La Roche College Pitching Coach Ryan Juran is the director of our Youth Programs .  The Travel Teams coaching staff is full of experienced coaches from former Duquesne Head Coach Mike Wilson to  former Seton Hill assistant coach Steve Long and Temple asssistant Taylor Juran.  In addition to  current assistant coaches , Sean Lubin, Dustin Lalle, and James Connelly, maintain all time records at La Roche College.  Overall this staff has over 50 combined years of college coaching experience.

When it comes to player development, real coaching experience - not playing experience - matters most!   Teaching the game and playing the game are two entirely different experiences.  

For over 10 years now the Spikes have helped 100's individuals into college programs that fit their needs academically, socially and athletically.  We boast an ability to save families money with showcase and camp advisement to keep the growing industry of youth baseball out of your pocket books.  We provide realistic and honest feedback, as well as academic and college advisement to all of our players and families to assist them through the recruiting process.