Head Coach - Matt Acker
(Head Coach - Green River Community College)

Email: macker@kitsapbluejackets.com

Head Coach Matt Acker returns to a Kitsap BlueJacket’s squad that qualified for its first ever playoff appearance in 2008.

Building a team that only won 12 games it’s first year into a team that that won 34 games and earned its first post season berth last year, Coach Acker has been able to recruit players from all over the country.  He has also recruited exceptional local talent, including players from Central Kitsap High School, North Kitsap High School, South Kitsap High School, Olympic College, Green River Community College, Central Washington University, UW, WSU and Saint Martin’s University.

The key to this year’s season will be the mix of returning players and new talent joining the team this year.  Many key players from year’s team will be returning this year, including Outfielder Doug Buser, Catcher Lawson Hipps, First Baseman Ryan Voekel, Second Baseman Brandon Decker and local Central Kitsap High School alumni, Tyler Owens and Aaron Johnson. 

Not only has Coach Acker worked hard to help train and motivate BlueJacket players, but he has also worked hard to promote the BlueJackets and the WCCBL around the Puget Sound.  This year, The BlueJacket’s play four exhibition games in Poulsbo, Port Orchard, Lacey, and Tumwater.  Not only does it help to increase exposure about the league and the Kitsap BlueJackets, but the local little league teams for each city were able to keep the gate proceeds, making it an excellent fundraiser for their organizations.

This will also be Coach Acker’s eighth season as the Head Coach of the baseball team at Green River Community College.  In his first seven seasons, Coach Acker has had multiple players drafted by Major League teams.  Prior to coming to GRCC, Coach Acker spent the previous two years as an assistant coach at St. Martin’s University, where he had the responsibilities of pitching/outfield coach, and head of recruiting.

Acker has also been very active in summer baseball in the Puget Sound area. He started coaching Legion baseball in Lacey, Wa.  He has been the Head Coach for MVP Athletics (Olympia), Riptide (Puyallup) and Triple Play (Tacoma). Triple Play won the NABAF World Series in San Diego in 2003 while Acker was the Head Coach. He has also had a number of summer players get drafted and sign professional contracts.

As a player, Acker played three years at Central Washington University and summer ball for the West Seattle Cruisers of the Pacific International League. At Central he pitched and played outfield. Matt was awarded the “Most Inspirational Player Award” during his senior season.

 Coach Acker and his wife Kira reside in Olympia, WA, with their three year old son Kole.

[top]

Head Assistant / Pitching Coach - Scott Colby
(Head Coach - Liberty High School)

Email: scolby@kitsapbluejackets.com

Scott Colby returns to the Kitsap BlueJackets for his fourth season. 

As Head Assistant Coach the past three seasons Colby has assisted Coach Acker with many of the baseball operations for the BlueJackets. 

Colby has also had the primary focus of building and nurturing one of the best bullpens in the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League (WCCBL) over the past two years since inheriting the responsibility of Pitching Coach.  In 2006 the BlueJackets pitching staff had the third lowest ERA in the league and had garnered WCCBL Pitcher of the Year (Ross Humes) and Closer of the Year (Mike Tachell).  In 2007 the BlueJackets pitching staff included an All-WCCBL First Team Selection (Kyle Howe), Second Team Selection (Matt Rossman), & Honorable Mention Selection (Joe Hagen). 

Colby is currently the Head Baseball Coach at Liberty High School in the Issaquah School District where he also teaches Physical Education.  Colby coaches in what is arguably the best 3A high school baseball conference in the State of Washington.  Since 2000, the KingCo 3A has accounted for 6 Baseball State Championships!  In 3 seasons at Liberty Colby has an overall record of 37W-30L, and has helped 9 of his players move on to play college baseball including 3 on the NCAA Division I Level (at Washington State University, University of Oregon, and University of Washington).  Additionally, each of his squads has boasted a Team GPA of 3.0 or higher. 

A 1990 graduate of Evergreen High School (White Center, WA), where he played both baseball (for WSBCA Hall of Fame Coach Bob Mullikan) and football (for the legendary Head Coach Jim Fortner).  Colby played college baseball and soccer at Green River Community College (Auburn, WA) before transferring to Central Washington University (Ellensburg, WA) where he focused his athletic efforts on baseball.  A Hall of Fame Inductee at Green River CC, Colby was voted Most Inspirational by his baseball teammates in both his junior and senior seasons at CWU. 

After leaving college, Colby has been fortunate enough to have had a number of great career opportunities that have seen him assume a wide array of responsibilities including: Head Baseball Coach, Pierce College (Lakewood, WA); Athletic Director, ASB Advisor, and Leadership Instructor, Tyee High School (SeaTac, WA); Sales Development Representative, Seattle SuperSonics; Interim Coordinator of Athletics, Green River Community College (Auburn, WA); Head Baseball Coach, Interlake High School (Bellevue, WA); and Head Baseball Coach, Chief Sealth High School (Seattle, WA). 

Colby earned his Masters of Arts Degree in Leadership in Sports and Exercise from Seattle Pacific University (Seattle, WA) in 2006.  His education teamed with extensive experience in coaching and athletic administration provide Colby with a skill set that is a match for developing players within the collegiate summer baseball experience. 

Coach Colby and his wife Teanah reside in Seattle, WA with their 9 month old son Rocco. 

[top]  

Bullpen Coach - Ryan Parker
(Head Coach - Olympic college)

Email:

A native Bremertonian, joins the BlueJackets.  Ryan Parker completed his third season as Head Baseball Coach for Olympic college.  Along with his Head Coaching duties he worked with infielders last year.

Playing three years of varsity baseball at Bremerton High School under coach Mike McKnight, Parker, a right-handed pitcher, earned 2^nd Team All-Olympic League and All-State honors his senior year. Additionally, he played in the Kitsap Peninsula Senior All-Star game.

[top]

Bullpen Coach - JT Heaton
(Ast. Coach - Green River Community college)

This is JT Heaton's third year with the Bluejackets but his first as a coach. Coach Heaton played for the Bluejackets in 2005 and 2006. In 2008 JT assisted Coach Acker at Green River Community College.

In his playing days JT went to Clover Park high school where he earned All Seamount League honors two years. He later moved onto Pierce College. That summer played for Coach Acker and won a NABF World Series with the Triple Play Hornet's. JT then moved onto Midland College in Texas where he finished out his junior college career. The last years of JT's baseball career were spent in Marshall Missouri at Missouri Valley. In his senior season he earned 1st Team All Conference and 1st Team All Region as a closer. That year he also was awarded 2nd team NAIA All American honors.

JT resides in Puyallup WA

[top]

[top]