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The Golden Axe Club
This is the area where we recognize those, who have helped us become who are are today. The Lumberjack Baseball Academy feels it is very important to honor and thank our mentors. Without these people there is no doubt that we would not be the same men we are today. By thanking and remembering coaches before us we not only shoe respect to them, but also respect for the game.
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#1 Al Flitcraft
Coach Flitcraft was the Head Baseball Coach at NAU for 15 year from 1966-1981. Coach Flitcraft dedicated endless hours to the growth and development of baseball in Northern Arizona, for his service he was inducted into the NAU Hall of Fame in 1985. When deciding on the name for my academy i felt it would be very fitting to call us the Lumberjacks in honor of Coach Flitcraft. Al Flitcraft IS Lumberjack Baseball.
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#7 Jerry Stitt
An All-American centerfielder at the University of Arizona, Stitt coached seven years at Tuscon Salpointe High School before returning to the U of A.
In his twenty three years, eighteen as an assistant, five as Head Coach, Arizona won three Conference
Championships, was selected to nine Regional Tournaments, reached Omaha four times, and won two National Championships.
The Wildcats were consistently among the top hitting teams in the country: the 1993 Wildcats were considered among the finest hitting teams in NCAA history; twelve times the 'Cats led the Six-Pac/Pac 10 in hitting; eight times in runs scored; and twice led the nation in runs scored.
A much sought after clinician, Stitt has conducted camps and clinics throughout the United States and internationally. Among Stitt's numerous clinic appearances are five ABCA National Conventions
and one National High School Baseball Coaches Convention. He is a member of the Phoenix Central High School, Salpointe High School, Pima County Sports, and Arizona Baseball Coaches Hall's of Fame. Coach Stitt was recently inducted into the University of Arizona Hall of fame. Stitt holds a B.A. on history, a masters in education, and a docotorate in educational administration from the University of Arizona.
Coach Stitt has been responsible for shaping the lives of many ballplayers throughout the years, and Coach Rice was lucky enough to be one of those men to have learned from such a great coach.
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#8 Jim Wing
Jim Wing is a true guru in the game of baseball.
This man is a Tucson native who coached Wildcat pitchers and catchers for over 20 years, earning 3 national championship rings. His knowledge of catching is seemingly endless. What may be more impressive though is his ability to maintain close personal relationships with players he coached decades ago.
When New Mexico Baseball Coach Rich Alday decided to retire in June of 2007 the first to call was Jim Wing, his junior varsity coach at Tucson High School and the man he played for in American Legion ball in the summertime. Wing wanted Rich to know "I'm proud of you and I'm proud to have you as a friend."
Said Alday: "Winger was a mentor to me, an unselfish man who gave so much to the game and to the kids who played it."
This kind of personal dedication to individual players had been a genuine inspiration to me, from Coach Wing I will always know what making a difference really looks like.
My two favorite pieces of advice Coach Wing ever shared with me was, “If I can look in the mirror and be happy with what I see, then I’m a successful man.” The other, “Chris I don’t want you to think that I have all the answers.”
These quotes from this man show his true character, Humble and Wise.
Jim Wing is living proof that nice guys finish first.
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Frank Coronado
Coach Frank Coronado was my first mentor coach in Tucson. Frank is an assistant coach at Tucson High, he has been around the game for a very long time, and to this day he considers himself a student of the game.
Coach Coronado played at Tucson High, and now is a semi-retired coach there enjoying watching his grandson Miguel, play there now. If there is a baseball game being played in Tucson regardless of age, Frank probably knows about it.
Coach Coronado has kept a book with the names of every player he has ever coached in it, and considering he has coached since he was 16 this is truly and incredible thing. He has coached kids of people he grew up with, and is now coaching the grandkids of the people he grew up with.
Watching a game with Coach Coronado is something that i will always cherish and never forget. To hear him talk about ball players current and old, is a real unique experience. And the way he handles players is so amazing the way he can get through to almost every player he has contact with.
The best advice Frank ever shared with me, is that he hopes to always be a student of the game, and to him that is the greatest compliment, for any ballplayer or coach.
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Lumberjack Baseball Academy, LLC.
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