Michael Bricker

Director of Operations
Baseball and Softball
Pitching and Hitting Instructor

Mike Bricker brings more than three decades of baseball experience to his leadership role at Champions Baseball Academy. A respected instructor and former Major League Baseball scout, Mike has dedicated his career to developing players and advancing the game at every level—from youth to college to professional baseball.

A standout athlete at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, Mike earned multiple state-level honors, including selection to the Mid-Suburban League All-Conference team. His success on the field earned him a spot at the University of South Carolina, where he played collegiate baseball and later began his coaching career. His deep understanding of both pitching and hitting fundamentals has been a cornerstone of his coaching philosophy. After college, Mike transitioned into professional scouting, working with both the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox organizations. His keen eye for talent and player development made him a valuable contributor to these MLB clubs. Mike also served as a batting practice pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, an opportunity that gave him firsthand experience with major league athletes and operations.

Today, as Director of Baseball and Vice President of Operations at Champions Baseball Academy, Mike oversees player development programs, manages operations, and leads the Academy’s Collegiate Team. He is a major force in the Greater Cincinnati baseball community, particularly in college showcases, fall leagues, and scouting. His extensive network of college coaches and professional scouts across the country gives Champions’ athletes exceptional opportunities for exposure and advancement. Known for his energy, integrity, and ability to connect with players, Mike continues to impact hundreds of young athletes each year through his pitching and hitting instruction, helping them reach their full potential both on and off the field

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Rick “Buster” Keeton

Director of Pitching

Was the 60th player selected in the 1978 draft and started his professional baseball career in AA with the Milwaukee Brewers. Buster moved through the minor leagues quickly and made his major league debut on May 27th 1980. Buster played with Hall of Famers Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Rollie fingers. After his 10 year playing career Buster coached professionally for another 10 years; those teams included the Brewers, Astros, Royals, Twins, and Pirates. Along the way Buster coached many successful players including Carlos Beltran and Mike Sweeney.

Buster’s twenty years of professional baseball experience and his strong interest in youth baseball has allowed him to develop the reputation as one of the top pitching instructors in the tri-state area. Buster’s approach focuses on working on a good pace, throwing strikes by hitting location, and changing speeds. Buster will develop your young pitcher into recognizing the “pitcher must command the game.”

Buster grew up in Western Hills playing his youth ball with the Cincinnati Storm Club and currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Chris Welsh

Pitching Instructor

A.K.A. “The Crafty Lefthander”.    He is a Cincinnati native, and attended St. Xavier High School, where he proved to be a solid pitcher before making the team at the University of South Florida, where, by his junior year, was a regional all-American Pitcher.

School: University of South Florida

Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 21st round of the 1977 amateur draft.

Debut: April 12, 1981

Teams (by GP): Padres/Rangers/Reds/Expos 1981-1986

He is currently the Fox Sports announcer for the Cincinnati Reds and brings over 30 years of playing, coaching, and teaching experience.

George Foster 

Instructor

George was an integral member of the Big Red Machine, winning back to back World Series Championships in 1975 and 1976. He was also a five-time All-Star and one of the most feared right-handed sluggers of hie era. He won the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1977 and a Silver Slugger Award in 1981. George is a gifted member of our coaching/instructor team.   

Ken Osterkamp

Pitching Instructor

Ken is a native of Cincinnati where he played at St. Xavier High School and the University of Cincinnati.  He signed with the Boston Red Sox organization and played professionally for five years, as high as AA and AAA.  He posted top 5 finishes in E.R.A. and saves with 2 championships during his career.  Ken has coached in the Cincinnati Elite Fall League for 11 years while coaching in the AABC for 7 years.  He has assisted players in gaining college exposure while having several of his players reaching the professional level.

Asif Shah

Baseball

Hitting and Pitching Instructor

Asif Shah is a former professional ballplayer that works with hitting and pitching. He went to Cincinnati Country Day where he won an Ohio State Championship in 2001 and was named Ohio State Player of the Year in 2003. After high school, Shah played collegiately at the University of Akron, Wabash Valley JC, and Southeast Missouri State University. At Southeast, he earned 1st Team All Conference Honors as well as being named on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for National Player of the Year in 2007. He was also the first player in conference history to win Pitcher of the Week and Hitter of the Week in the same season. Following his collegiate career, Asif went on to play professionally for 5 different teams. Over the course of his career, he won a league championship, was nominated to two all star teams, won a batting title, and participated in a home run derby. He finished his playing career with a .313 batting average, a .395 on base percentage, and a .435 slugging percentage. Asif has coached in the Elite Fall Baseball League the past 3 seasons and is currently an assistant coach with the Cincinnati Spikes organization. Having played in Canada and the US, Shah has developed connections with colleges in many different areas and takes pride in helping kids find the right school to continue their careers.

John Stankiewicz

Baseball

Pitching Instructor

We’re excited to welcome John  to our staff as our new Pitching Instructor. A standout at Fordham University, he etched his name into the record books as the program’s all-time leader in career ERA (2.00). During his impressive 2019 season, he was named the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year, earning spots on both All-American and All-Region teams.

Following his college career, John signed with the Minnesota Twins in 2020. Over the next five seasons, he proved his versatility as both a starter and reliever, pitching as high as Triple-A. From 2021 to 2024, he led the entire Twins organization in minor league appearances (124) — a testament to his consistency, durability, and competitive mindset.

Now bringing his professional experience and deep understanding of the game to our program, John  is dedicated to helping our pitchers develop the skills, discipline, and confidence needed to succeed at every level.

Stella Wulker

Softball

Pitching and Hitting Instructor

We’re excited to welcome Stella Wulker to our coaching staff as a Softball Pitching and Hitting Specialist.

Stella began her collegiate career at Transylvania University, where she excelled as both a pitcher and outfielder, earning All-American honors for her outstanding performance and leadership on the field. Her success at Transylvania propelled her to the Division I level, where she continued her career at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) and earned All-Conference recognition for her achievements.

Bringing experience from both levels of collegiate softball, Stella is passionate about developing well-rounded athletes who excel in all aspects of the game. Her coaching approach focuses on power, precision, and confidence — helping players maximize their potential in the circle and at the plate.

Charley Koehler

Softball
Hitting and Infield Instructor

We’re proud to welcome Charley to our staff as a Softball Hitting and Fielding Instructor.

A four-year infielder at Division I Northern Kentucky University (NKU), Charley brings high-level playing experience and a deep understanding of the game to her coaching. During her collegiate career, she developed a reputation for consistency, strong defensive play, and a disciplined approach at the plate.

Now, she’s passionate about helping young athletes build confidence and refine their skills both in the field and in the batter’s box. Through focused, fundamentals-driven instruction, Charley aims to help each player develop the tools and mindset needed to compete at the next level.

Zak Wasserman

Baseball

Hitting and Fielding Instructor

With an extensive background as both a player and coach at high levels of the game, Zak brings a wealth of experience and technical knowledge to help your athletes excel on the diamond. Zak’s playing career began at the Louisville Cardinals of University of Louisville, where he played four years as a first baseman and two-way contributor, finishing his Cardinal career tied for ninth in games played with 212. University of Louisville. He was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 21st round (627th overall) of the 2009 MLB Draft. Zak then played professionally in the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations, bringing firsthand insight into what it takes to reach and stay at the next level. Transitioning into coaching, Zak has held multiple key roles guiding hitters and defenders alike, formerly at Xavier University and currently with the NY Yankees. His background uniquely positions him to provide instruction rooted in advanced fundamentals and performance habits. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Administration and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership. We’re confident that Zak‘s combination of playing pedigree and coaching acumen will elevate our program’s hitting and fielding instruction to the next level.

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Olivia Bricker

Softball (hitting and outfield specialist)
Baseball (pitching, hitting, outfield specialist)

We are thrilled to have Olivia Bricker as a member of our  staff as a dual-discipline instructor: a specialist in softball hitting and outfield play, and also in baseball hitting, pitching, and outfield. Olivia brings a rare and powerful combination of high-level playing experience in both baseball and softball, and a deep dedication to developing young athletes.
Olivia began her journey at Clermont Northeastern High school where she played varsity baseball for three years, boasting the team’s best ERA. While in high school she was selected to the USA Baseball Women’s National Team Development Program and has been on the roster for 7 years.
Olivia played softball for four years at Bellarmine University as the starting center fielder for the Knights. Her fielding work shines — in the 2024 season she logged 75 put-outs and 1 assist with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Beyond college, Olivia has participated in women’s professional baseball and remains draft-eligible to the First Professional Women’s Baseball Team in over 70 years, continuing to push the boundaries of the sport.
Now focused on instruction across both baseball and softball, Olivia specializes in: Hitting: guiding players in swing mechanics, timing, plate discipline, and transitioning between baseball and softball hitting approaches.Outfield & Defensive Fundamentals: with her collegiate outfield experience she teaches reads, routes, footwork, glove-work and strong throwing technique from the grass.Pitching (Baseball): drawing on her Team USA Baseball pitching background to help developing pitchers refine their mechanics, develop arm strength, command, and pitching IQ. Youth Development: Olivia currently coaches 13U baseball all over the country, helping young athletes build confidence, fundamentals, and a competitive mindset.
With her unique dual-sport background — playing varsity baseball as a young woman, excelling in collegiate softball, and competing on national baseball rosters — Olivia brings both elite experience and a fresh, inclusive perspective.  Whether you’re working on hitting for power, sharpening your outfield mechanics, or stepping up to the mound, Olivia will provide the instruction, insight, and inspiration you need to level up.

Ethan Kavanaugh

Baseball
Hitting and Infield Instruction

We are proud to welcome Ethan Kavanagh to our coaching staff as an Infield & Hitting Specialist. Ethan’s journey is built on high-level achievement and a deep understanding of both offensive and defensive play. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Ethan starred at Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, where he earned All-State honors and routinely posted batting averages over .400. He began his collegiate career at University of Kentucky before transferring to Troy University, where his performance soared. In his senior season at Troy, Ethan started all 57 games, led the team with a .361 batting average. Now, as a specialist in both infield play and hitting mechanics, Ethan brings a coach’s mindset grounded in proven performance:

• Infield fundamentals: footwork, glove work, positioning, and turning double plays.

• Hitting approach: plate discipline, launch angle awareness, situational at-bats, and strike-zone management.

• Competitive edge: having succeeded at both high school and Division I levels, he knows what it takes to elevate one’s game.

We’re excited for Ethan to bring his experience and passion to our athletes — helping them refine their skills, build confidence, and perform at their best on the field