HICKORY, N.C. — Catawba Valley Community College head baseball coach Paul Rozzelle was named to the 10-person coaching staff for the USA Baseball 14U National Team Development Program (NTDP) on Tuesday.
This is the second-straight year that Rozzelle has been involved with USA Baseball. Last summer, Rozzelle served as an assistant coach at the 2018 USA Baseball National Team Identification Series.
"It's an unbelievable honor to be named to the 14U National Staff this year," Rozzelle said. "USA baseball is the most special amateur organization in our country. It involves the best players in the nation, and to be able to put USA across your chest is as special as anything I will ever get the chance to do in baseball."
The 2019 14U NTDP takes place on July 21-24 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
Forty athletes from across the United States are invited to participate in the NTDP, which involves skill development, off-field education and on-field intrasquad competition between two teams — Stars and Stripes.
Rozzelle, who just completed his fifth season as head baseball coach at Catawba Valley and also serves as an associate scout for the New York Mets, will coach members of the Stripes team.
Rozzelle is joined on the NTDP coaching staff by several notable names, including Vanderbilt University Associate Head Coach Scott Brown, who was instrumental in helping lead the Commodores to the NCAA Division I National Championship at the College World Series this past spring.
Also on the NTDP coaching staff are Tracy Archuleta (Southern Indiana), Scott Brown (Vanderbilt), Josh Ellison (Chaparral HS), Troy Gerlach (Chaparral HS), Casey Scott (Bishop Verot Catholic HS), Rob Shabanksy (GateWay CC), David Sharp (Prep Baseball Report/Alabama Scouting Director), Shawn Stiffler (Virginia Commonwealth) and Jason Thompson (Alamo Heights HS).
"The coaches I've met through USA baseball are certified studs in our game," Rozzelle said. "To be able to work alongside these guys is an invaluable experience for me personally as I strive to be better as a coach. Coaches are just like players in the sense that we have to get better, too. Being around these guys will only help in making me better for my guys.
"It's special to think I get to be in the same dugout with those guys," he added. "I got to watch coach (Scott) Brown win a national championship last month and now I'll get to sit right next to him to see how he and the other coaches go about their business in teaching the game and molding young men. I'm just forever grateful for the opportunity."
All 10 coaches will use the NTDP to evaluate the 40 athletes involved and ultimately choose 15 of them — each of which will earn a spot on the 15U Trails roster with hopes of making the 2019 15U National Team, which competes for a fourth-straight gold medal this September in Mexico.
Paul Rozzelle resumé
- Five seasons as CVCC head baseball coach
- 175-106 record
- Led program to 30 wins in each of his five seasons
- Won program record 42 games in 2018
- Third-place national finish in 2015
- NJCAA Southeast District Coach of the Year (2015)
- Diamond/ABCA Southeast District Coach of the Year (2015)