Senior Coaches
Wade McConnon
Club & 1sts Coach
Born into a baseball family, Wade has been on and around the field from the time he could walk. He played majority of his junior baseball at Waverley Baseball Club, while also representing Victorian and Australian representative teams. Wade completed 2 years of junior college before coming back to Australia to finish studies. After a short stint away from the game Wade returned to summer league to play for the Upwey Ferntree Gully Baseball Club, where he recently won a Division 1 championship. Wade has also had small appearances in the ABL featuring for the Adelaide Giants and most recently the Melbourne Aces.Throughout Wade's playing career he has entrenched himself into various coaching opportunities, including assistant coach of the Victorian U18 state team and the Melbourne Aces Junior Academy. In recent years Wade has assisted at the Academy of Baseball Excellence as an infield and hitting coach. Wade is currently coaching Upwey Ferntree Gully’s reserves in the summer.
Ben Aslett
Assistant Coach
Ben started his baseball career playing T-Ball at Waverley Baseball Club, where he played all his junior and senior baseball, before beginning his coaching career at Blackburn as playing assistant coach in 2022. Ben represented Victoria across all junior levels, Represented Australia at U18 level and won a Gold Glove at the MLB Academy. Ben completed 4 years in the US College system, his final 2 Seasons at University of Tennessee Martin a NCAA Division 1 program. Ben is now in his second year at Monty to continue expanding his knowledge in the area of coaching, under the tutelage of head coach Wade McConnon. Ben is excited to be working under Wade and bringing the experiences learnt in his 4 years in the US college system to help and assist players across all levels of the club.
Earl Byrne
Pitching Coach
Earl brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge from his extensive baseball career. At just 21 years old, he signed a professional contract with the Chicago Cubs in 1994, marking the beginning of an illustrious journey in the world of baseball. Over the years, Earl has demonstrated his talent and dedication on the field, spending five years in the minor leagues and reaching the AAA level in 1998. He has also proudly represented Australia, showcasing his skills at The Intercontinental Cup in 1999 and leaving a lasting impact on the international stage. But Earl's passion doesn't stop at playing the game - he has a genuine love for developing pitchers and helping them reach their full potential. His commitment to player development and his track record of success make him an invaluable addition to our coaching team.
Travis Cutt
2nds Coach
Trav started his baseball career playing juniors for both Preston and Greensborough, as well as several state and representative teams. After some time off to travel and work interstate, Trav recommenced playing for Doncaster summer & winter playing several seasons in Doncaster 1's and coaching the winter team to an A3 premiership win. Trav moved to Monty soon after and has played in the 2's with the odd game in the 1's ever since. Trav coached Monty U17s for several years whilst successfully winning at least one flag and playing a few finals in that time. He has since been coaching Doncasters 2's for the last few years and coaching Monty 2's to a grand final appearance last year.
Dale Gibson
3rds Coach
Dale brings an impressive blend of playing experience, coaching expertise, and a passion for nurturing young talent to our team. Playing Career Highlights: • Dale has an outstanding record of 400 games played for GMBC, demonstrating his dedication and commitment to the sport. • With seven senior premierships, one jnr premiership and four senior MVP awards at GMBC, Dale's success on the field is undeniable. Coaching Journey: • Dale brings six seasons of Senior coaching experience and five years of coaching Juniors at GMBC across various age groups, including T-Ball, Rookie Ball, U12, U13, and U14. His dedication to player development at all levels is truly commendable. Other Contributions: • His coaching prowess extends beyond baseball, as he's employed by the education department, where he imparts his knowledge and passion for sports to students from year 4 to year 12. Best Memory from Junior Baseball: Dale fondly recalls his time playing with lifelong friends at GMBC as a Junior in the seniors. Being exposed to high-level players and coaches at a young age was truly inspiring and shaped his journey in baseball. Dale Gibson's wealth of experience, coupled with his dedication to player development and passion for the sport, makes him the perfect fit for our U13’s Head Coach role. Join us in welcoming Dale and let's make this season one to remember!
Jason Webster
4ths Coach
Jason started playing junior baseball with Watsonia in the winter U15s and also Preston in the summer. He played in 2 junior premierships as well as a fourths premiership as part of a development squad at Watsonia, which was almost entirely junior players playing seniors for the first time. After several seasons playing primarily seconds, post-juniors, basketball and football took priority and aside from a season in the thirds in 1991 has not played winter baseball since. He played a few seasons of senior summer baseball in the early nineties at Sunshine before injuring his shoulder. Jason returned to the game playing Masters Baseball with Melbourne since 2015. He is an assistant junior coach at both Melbourne and Monty, where son Eric and daughter Zara play and has been on the committee at both clubs. Jason is the junior co-ordinator at Melbourne and also was the head coach for the Eastern Athletic charter under 13 team in 2022.
Steve Buys
5ths Coach
Coming soon ...
Samantha Hamilton
Womens Coach
We are thrilled to have Samantha Hamilton as Monty Baseball’s Women's Head Coach! Samantha's journey in baseball began at Monty right here on our fields, and we couldn't be prouder to have her leading our women's team. Having played her first season of Women's baseball at Monty, as well as contributing to our Seniors team, Samantha has been an integral part of the Monty family for almost 30 years. She firmly believes that the club has played a crucial role in shaping her into the outstanding player and coach she is today. Samantha stands as one of the best-credentialed women’s players and coaches we could ever hope to have. With an impressive record of 10 national champion titles with Victoria and representing Australia for over a decade, Samantha's expertise and experience are unparalleled. One of Samantha's proudest moments was winning the Silver Medal in 2010 with the Australian Team in the IBAF Women's World Cup! Samantha remains dedicated to developing and mentoring the next generation of players across the club, state, and international levels. As a decorated Team Australia Emeralds and Team Victoria playing alumni, Samantha now holds numerous coaching roles including the Emeralds' Assistant Coach, Baseball Victoria High Performance Manager, Victoria Aces and Doncaster Baseball Club. This demonstrates her ability to inspire and lead teams to success, including most recently leading Victoria to gold at the 2024 Australian Women’s Championships in Melbourne. We are incredibly fortunate to have Samantha on board, and we're confident that her leadership will inspire our players to reach new heights of success. Join us in welcoming Samantha Hamilton as our Women's Head Coach, and let's make this season one to remember! Welcome aboard, Samantha!
Amy McCann
Womens Coach
Monty Baseball is thrilled to welcome Amy McCann to our coaching team! Amy McCann's impressive career speaks for itself. As a centre-fielder for the Australia women's national baseball team for over a decade, Amy's talent and dedication to the game have earned her numerous accolades. Twice named to the All World Team as an outfielder, Amy's outstanding performance at the 2006 Women's Baseball World Cup and the 2004 Women's World Series solidified her reputation as a top-tier player. In 2006, Amy was honored as Baseball Australia's Female Player of the Year, a testament to her exceptional skills on the field. Over her 12-year tenure on the Victorian women's baseball team, Amy secured an impressive seven national titles, showcasing her dominance in the sport. Amy brings two decades of coaching experience to the table, including creating Victoria's first-ever Under 15 team in 2005 and coaching both the Doncaster women's summer and winter programs. Not only has Amy excelled as a player, but she has also made significant contributions off the field. Her involvement in broadcasting the Australian Women’s Baseball Showcase demonstrates her commitment to promoting and advancing the sport. At the recent 2024 Australian Women’s and Youth Baseball Championships in Melbourne, Amy led the first all-women’s commentary crew at a major Baseball Australia event. Amy continues to pave the way for female athletes in baseball. With her wealth of experience and passion for the game, Amy McCann is a valuable addition to our coaching staff. We're honored to have her on board, and we're confident that her leadership will inspire our players to reach new heights of success. Welcome to Monty Baseball, Amy!