TRAINING INSTRUCTORS
JEREMY JONES
HITTING
Jeremy established Building Champions in 2003 after years of experience at the college and professional level. Jones played 2 years at Mesa Community College before moving on to Arizona State as a catcher where he was named defensive player of the year. During college Jeremy was drafted twice but after school landed with the Texas Rangers. He played for 5 years in the Rangers Organization before transitioning into coaching full-time.
JOSH SMITH
PITCHING
Josh has been an instructor and coach for 10 plus years with Building Champions. Josh brings a career’s worth of knowledge, having played Major League Baseball for Miami and Cleveland. Josh was also a standout pitcher being drafted out of Wichita State University.
GERRY COPE
INFIELD / HITTING
Gerry Cope has been with Building Champions for 15 plus years as an infield and hitting instructor. Gerry was instrumental in the creation of Kansas City’s premier fielding class Airtight, which has seen multiple BC players go on to college and professional careers.
JOSE PENA
PITCHING
Jose has been an instructor and coach for 10 plus years with Building Champions. Jose played in the St. Louis Cardinals organization for 5 years as both a pitcher and an outfielder. He has a long history of working with many of the best amateur pitchers to be drafted and play in Kansas City.
AUSTIN Brownell
PITCHING
Austin has been an instructor and coach with Building Champions since 2020, having coached collegiate baseball at Coffeyville CC the year prior. He was a collegiate pitcher for Seminole State and Pittsburg State.
BUBBA STARLING
OUTFIELD / HITTING
Bubba Starling first played for Building Champions and since retiring has been an instructor and coach for the organization. Former 1st round pick, Bubba brings his 10yr professional career with the Kansas City Royals, and an Olympic Medal with the 2021 USA Olympic team.
PAULO ORLANDO
OUTFIELD / HITTING
Paulo joined Building Champions as an instructor after a 13-year professional baseball career. Paulo played 4yrs of Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals, most notably as a part of their World Series Championship in 2015. He also won a silver medal for team Brazil in the 2023 Pan America games.
Hunter Hisky
CATCHING / HITTING
Kansas City native and Rockhurst High School graduate. Four-year catcher at Southwest Baptist University, where he earned NCAA D2 All-American honors plus multiple All-Region and All-MIAA selections. Played two seasons of professional independent baseball with the Idaho Falls Chukars.
Brings several years of club coaching and private catching/hitting instruction to Building Champions, where he develops catchers and hitters while coaching travel teams.
TEAMS DIRECTORS
WILL GORDEN
YOUTH DIRECTOR
Will Gorden is Director of Youth Baseball at Building Champions and has been apart of the organization since 2007. He currently serves as Head Baseball Coach at Rockhurst High School. Previously, Gorden was Head Baseball Coach at Shawnee Mission East and at Bishop Miege. He also served as Director of the Major League Baseball Development Center in Wuxi, China.
DALLAS REED
14U DIRECTOR / HITTING
Dallas played at Mt. San Antonio College, earning Second Team All-Conference honors, then at Pittsburg State University, where he was a two-time All-Conference selection and one-time All-Region honoree. After his playing career, Reed coached as an assistant at Pittsburg State, and served as Recruiting Coordinator at Tarleton State University Since 2025, he has also coached for Great Britain.
RICK SABATH
HIGH SCHOOL DIRECTOR
Rick is a championship high school baseball coach with more than 25 years of experience building programs and winning cultures across Kansas. 4 time State Champion and 3 in a row as the Head Coach at St. Thomas Aquinas. Also has coached at Olathe West and Blue Valley Southwest. Rick holds a Master’s in Sports Administration & Sports Psychology from the University of Kansas.