BOB HETU

General Manager

Bob is the founder of the Connecticut Baseball Academy and has been an amateur coach for over 20 years. He is also the Founder and General Manager for Team Connecticut Baseball. He has been a coach on six Top Ten teams, including National Championships in 1994, 1997, and 1999. In twelve national tournament appearances, his teams have a combined record of 65-25. Bob is the primary instructor at many of the Academy’s hitting and pitching clinics as well as the vacation camps.

JEFF FRANQUET

Director

Coach Franquet enters his first season as Head Softball Coach at Central Connecticut State University in 2010. He was most recently the head coach at Division II Georgian Court in New Jersey, leading them to Conference Tournament Championships in 2007 and 2009, and finishing as the #13 ranked team in the country in 2009. His coaching staff was named Coaching Staff of the Year in 2009 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Jeff has been a head coach at Jacksonville University (2001-2005), Central Florida Community College (1999-2001), and Freedom High School (1997-1999). Jeff was the head coach of the National Pro Fastpitch League's (NFP) Philadelphia Force in 2009 as well as an assistant in 2008. That league included the likes of Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman, Crystl Bustos, and Samantha Findlay.

BROOKE FRANQUET

Director

Brooke has been pitching in competitive softball for 23 years. She was a 3-Time All State Selection out of Holy Cross HS in Delran, New Jersey. Coach Franquet attended Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the 1999 Division II All East Regional Team. She is a former 2-Time Women's Class A ASA All-American and a 2001 National Champion. Brooke has coached collegiately at Central Florida Community College and Jacksonville University, where she coached a Freshman Pitcher of the Year and defeated 10 teams ranked in the top 25.

SHELLY KOEHLER

Director

In the past 5 years Coach Koehler has held over 150 clinics and showcases -  recruiting over 12 All Star teams to represent the US in overseas competition. Coach Koehler has given private lessons,  led clinics and camps with Pro Players Amy Kyler, Jaime Wohlbach, Shari D’Amico and many others. Shelly’s forte is hitting, catching and mental toughness. Shelly has the experience of coaching at ALL levels of the game – High School, Travelball and College over the past 15 years. Currently, she is the Varsity Assistant Softball Coach for Wesleyan Universityand prior to that was at Marietta College. Shelly was a DIII collegiate catcher at Elmhurst College in Illinois. After college Shelly went on to play with an “A”-Travel ball team for 5 yearsand has brought home conference  and tournament championships.

BRYAN BARNOWSKI

Director

Rich has worked on and off at the Connecticut Baseball & Softball Academy and Team Connecticut Baseball since 1994. Rich was the manager of TCB's 1994 13u National Championship team that had 4 future Major League Draft picks on the roster. Rich coached numerous Little League State and District Champions as well as AAU State Champions. Rich does private lessons and is also an instructor at the Academy's many camps and clinics.

ELLEN BAILEY

LISA KIRK

Lisa is a 1984 graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University. She earned All-American honors as a pitcher in 2 of her 4 years as a player on the ECSU Warriors Softball Team and was inducted into the ECSU Hall of Fame in 1986.

MATT MANDERS

Matt joined the Connecticut Baseball & Softball Academy in November of 2008. He is originally from Avon, Massachusetts, where he attended Blue Hills Technical High School in Canton, Massachusetts. Manders played his collegiate ball at Massasoit Community College. Matt has 9 years of indoor facility experience with camps and clinics at the South Shore Baseball Club in Hingham, Massachusetts. Matt will serve as an instructor in many of the Academy’s camps and clinics. He will also serve as the Berlin Facilities Manager.

CYNTHIA PALKIMAS

Cynthia is a 1985 graduate of Ohio University. Cindy played at Stamford High School and was recruited by many top Division I schools. Cindy chose to stay closer to home and accepted a full scholarship to Ohio University where she was voted as a 1st Team All-MAC (Mid America Conference) as a 3rd baseman.