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Darin Spassoff Biography
Darin Spassoff
DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT, PITCHING SPECIALTY INSTRUCTOR & COACH
- Darin Spassoff -
Director of Player Development
-Pitching Specialty Instructor & Coach-
Darin has over 15 years of elite baseball experience both as a player and a coach. He started his career in South Florida as a player where he excelled both as a position player/hitter and as a pitcher. Working with some of the best coaches South Florida had to offer he crafted his skill in all areas of the game until focusing solely on Pitching when he arrived at the University of Miami. Former coaches that Darin played for are as follows: Hall of Fame 3rd basemen - Mike Schmidt, Current Head Coach of Florida Gators - Kevin O'Sullivan, Long Time Major League Journeyman - the late Bob Shaw and Long time Major League hitter, Dante Bishette's personal coach - Hondo Wilks.
Darin was a 4 year starter for the University of Miami as pitcher during his 5 year career (red shirted) and is one of the only players in history to play on a team that went to the College World Series 5 years in a row (placing in the top 5 in the country each year and winning a National Championship in 1999). He accumulated many wins and became known as a "big game pitcher" throughout his career prior to a career ending experimental shoulder surgery. As a player his highlights include multiple shutouts to rivals Florida and Florida State along with the 1997 Alabama Crimson Tide in the College World Series who had not been held under 5 runs all season long. In that same year he threw a 5 inning 1 hit game against the World Series Champion Florida Marlins where he struck out Jeff Conine and Moises Alou all while having his top velocity clocked at 88mph. At Miami, he played along side Major League players like: Alex Cora, Danny Graves, Jay Tessmer, Jason Michaels, Michael Neu, Bobby Hill, and World Series San Francisco Giants Aubry Huff and Pat "The Bat" Burrell.
After Darin's playing career was cut short by injury he went on to start his coaching career in the prestigious Cape Cod League Summer Collegiate League with the Bourne Braves. He spent a few summers in Cape Cod where he coached with and against Major League Players: David Bush, Cory Sullivan, Matt Carlson, Tim Hummel, Joe Inglett, Ben Sheets, Chase Utley, Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkillis. Other College Coaching experience includes: Barry University, Wake Forest University, UNC Greensboro and UNLV.
With a strong passion to coach, mentor and assist young athletes obtain their goals, Darin became involved in Select baseball in the DFW area in 2009. He quickly had success with an upstart Select organization where he took over a 3-10 13U team and turned them around with discipline, instruction, motivation and strong practices to a team that won 4 of it's last 5 tournaments and made the championship game in 6 of last 8. Darin was also able to take an 18U select team to a top 20 National Ranking within its 1st year together comprised of many players that didn’t even start for their High School Team.
Due to his own personal career being cut short with injury, he is a strong believer in taking what he has learned and assist players in applying this knowledge to not only compete successfully in the sport but also to understand the character of a champion in life while always keeping the players best interests in mind. Darin gives private pitching lessons for a select group of devoted young athletes in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metro-plex and is a Senior Consultant/Executive Recruiter for a professional CXO services organization as well as Co-Founder of a Start-up SAAS Software Recruiting Solutions company.
Playing and Coaching Career Highlights:
· 4 Year Starting Pitcher at the University of Miami
· Bob Warner Award Recipient, Miami - Player that exemplifies the characters of a winner (voted on by teammates)
· 3 Year Captain of Pitching Staff at UM
· 1 Hitter against World Series Champion Florida Marlins
· 2 Time Cape Code League All Star assistant coach and interim head coach of Bourne Braves
· Turnaround Coach for 13U Select 4 time tournament championship team
· Coach for 18U Select Top 20 National Ranked Team
· Lead Top 10 Pitching Staff in Country while at UNCG with staff of 8 and none throwing faster than 87 mph
