Meet Our Instructors

Mario was the first four year letterman (baseball) at Rio Rancho High School, playing for Coach Ron Murphy from 1998-2001. Upon graduating from Rio Rancho High School, Coach Tafoya attended Trinidad State College in Trinidad, CO (2001-2003) where he played third base and center field.

 

He has been coaching baseball for six years, starting with the Hooligans 14U and 10U teams, fours years at Rio Rancho High School on JV and C-Team and currently an assistant Varsity Coach at Cleveland High School. 

 

Coach Tafoya has been a member of the American Baseball Coach’s Association (ABCA) for four years and also certified in Driveline Hitting. 

 

He is currently assisting with our recruitment program as well as a roving coach, supporting all our MAC Elite baseball teams. 

​

Email mtafoya04@gmail.com to schedule a lesson today!

Coach Tyler started his coaching career in 1996 as the Assistant Varsity Softball Coach at Sandia High School. He was responsible for coaching the catching staff and working with team defense. He dedicated a major part of his duties perfecting the catchers for the program. Coach Tyler then moved onto working as a Volunteer Coach with UNM Softball where his job was working with the catching staff. Coach Tyler was later hired at Cleveland High School as the Assistant Varsity Softball Coach as the coach for catchers and all team defenses. He soon moved from softball to Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach where he again was tasked with coaching the catchers and working with the outfielders. Coach Tyler spent 12 more years with Cleveland Baseball where he continued to perfect the skills around the craft of catching. He has worked with several catchers getting them ready for the next step of playing in college. His last year at Cleveland Coach Tyler was working with both Cleveland Baseball and UNM Softball as a Volunteer Coach working with catchers. During his coaching career he spent time with other coaches and attended several coaching clinics studying the techniques of catching.

 

Coach Tyler believes that a great catcher is the key to the success for pitchers and the team.

​

Email robertyler5@gmail.com to schedule a lesson today!

Coach Baez is originally from the Dominican Republic and came to New Mexico when he was 16. After arriving in Rio Rancho, Coach Baez played two years at Rio Rancho High School and received a scholarship to Otero Community College.

​

After receiving his Associated Degree at Otero CC, Wille went on to play three more years at Central Baptist College in Conway, AR. While attending CBC, Coach Baez started in the outfield and was a vital piece to the offense. Coach Baez received his degree in Kinesiology in May of 2022.

​

Currently, Coach Baez is the head coach for the MAC Elite 2024 team and the director of the MAC's Hell-for-Leather throwing program.

​

To book a lesson with Coach Baez email him at willebaezm@gmail.com

Coach Ortega has been coaching softball since 2006. He has worked with players of all ages and ability levels from true beginners to veteran college players. 

 

Sam has been running travel softball teams for the last 15 years and has seen more than 90% of his players receive college scholarships. 

Specialties:
- Pitching
- Hitting
- Fielding

                                     Coaching Priorities

- The mental and physical safety of each player.
- Ensuring that each player learns something new.

​

To schedule a lesson with Coach Ortega email him at sam_ortega@hotmail.com

Coach McDermott helped found is the Hooligans and MAC Elite programs and currently acts as the Executive Director of both programs. 

​

Mike has been giving lessons to NM players for the last 10 years with his experience ranging anywhere from the youth to professional level.

​

Currently, over 30 of Coach McDermott's players are competing at the college level.

​

For lessons with Coach McDermott email baseball@themacsports.com