Where are they now? Garret Teel of Ridgefield Park

When Garett Teel looks back on his professional baseball career, the former Ridgefield Park and WilliamPaterson star can sum up the wonder of it all with one incident that occurred 20 years ago.

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AMY NEWMAN

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Teel, a first-year coach in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, was at spring training with the major leaguers. Rick Dempsey, another Dodgers coach and former major league catcher, asked Teel if he’d like to join him and a couple of his buddies for a round of golf.

Imagine Teel’s surprise when those buddies turned out to be former major league stars Luis Tiant and Sandy Koufax.

"We were on like the 15th hole, and there was a backup," Teel, 44, said. "It’s around dusk, and we’re all standing around waiting. Tiant is puffing on his cigar. Dempsey was standing next to me and Sandy Koufax was in front of me.

"I’m 24 years old and all I could think was, ‘Nobody would believe where I am right now.’ How did a guy from Ridgefield Park get into this foursome?"

Teel got there by being one of the most talented catchers to come out of North Jersey. He was The Record’s All-Decade catcher of the 1980s while atRidgefield Park, and was a Division III All-American at William Paterson before being selected by the Dodgers in the 12th round of the 1989 amateur draft.

Teel was a big part of what could be considered the golden age of catching in North Jersey. During his high school and college career, there were four other North Jersey catchers — John Flaherty of St. Joseph, Hank Manning of Rutherford, Rob Fitzpatrick ofMidland Park and Mark Strittmatter ofRidgewood/Rutgers — who went on to play professional ball.

"I don’t think Bergen County has ever had anything like that at one position," Teel said.

Teel who lives in Upper Saddle River with his sons Kyle, 10, and Aidan, 7, still is involved in North Jersey baseball. He’s a highly respected hitting and catching instructor, owning and operating baseball training centers in Wyckoff and Closter.

Teel, who previously had coached at Paramus Catholic, would seem to have all the makings of an outstanding high school coach. He coaches a successful club team, but believes his baseball school would create a conflict of interest when it comes to coaching again at the high school level.

Twelve of 16 players on Teel’s club team went on to play college ball, and his catching lessons draw pupils from all over the state.

"I love this," Teel said. "That’s why I do it. It’s been a great way for me to stay involved in the game.

"You work with someone, watch him work his butt off for a few years, and then you see it all come together. It’s very rewarding."

Teel spent six years as a player and coach in the Dodgers’ system, even managing a team in the Australian Baseball League. Teel enjoyed his professional experience, but also was mature enough to look at the big picture when he retired in 1995 and returned to William Paterson to finish his degree.

"I was ready to move on and come back home," Teel said. "I just didn’t want the big-league life anymore."

Teel’s reputation with the Dodgers was that of a strong defensive catcher who could throw and knew how to call a game. He learned a great deal, especially working with people such as John Roseboro, Kevin Kennedy and Reggie Smith.

His students are the big beneficiaries, as Teel passes on much of what he learned as a Dodger.

"I take all those experiences and bring them to what I’m doing today," he said.