Summer coaching staff spotlights – Part Three

Summer baseball and softball programming began last Tuesday at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy for athletes 7-18 years old. With several more weeks of training ahead, the Youth Academy will follow up parts one and two of summer staff spotlights with the final seven coaches below.

Registration for the no-cost session will remain open throughout the summer at rangers.com/academy.

Tre Quintanilla is one of several former Youth Academy athletes returning this summer to train the next generation of DFW ballplayers. As a current baseball player at Concordia University Texas, Quintanilla uses his knowledge to help kids learn the fundamentals while stressing the importance of teamwork and having fun on the field. Homegrown in West Dallas, he takes pride in being able to give back to the kids in his community and help them find a love for the game.

Giselle “Gigi” Garcia is in her third year as a part-time Youth Academy coach while she earns her bachelor’s degree at Dallas College. The positive impact from her coaches as a former Academy athlete motivated her to pay it forward and take on the coaching role herself. With each practice, she wants the young girls she leads to feel satisfied with their progress and stay motivated to pursue greatness on and off the field.

Willie Ruiz has a deep love for baseball, so much so that it inspired him to get into coaching when he’s not studying at UT Dallas. The community and opportunity that the Youth Academy offers kids looking to play ball lays a great foundation to develop his athletes into outstanding players and humans.

Erin Ledesma first fell in love with the game when she was just seven years old. She was once a standout at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy and played collegiately at UT Dallas, so when the time came to transition from a player to coach, Ledesma jumped at the opportunity to return to the Youth Academy and play a role in growing the game. She finds the Academy offers athletes a fun and safe environment to develop their understanding and love for softball and tries to instill life lessons that transcend play on the field.

Bryan Shira is entering his second year on the coaching staff at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy. While on summer break from Methodist University, he takes pride in representing the Texas Rangers organization by sharing his knowledge and baseball experiences with the younger generation. Each day his players take the field, he wants to ensure they learn something new that will help improve their baseball skills and propel them to success.

Drayton Harris is one of three new hires this summer. As a former player at Navarro Junior College and Texas Wesleyan University, he is determined to pass along the game that provided him with endless opportunities and friendships. As a lifelong Texas Rangers fan hoping to grow his coaching resume, joining the Youth Academy this summer was an easy choice. He wants his players to give maximum effort each day to achieve their playing goals and grow an appreciation for the life lessons baseball offers.

Daniel Cox a former Texas Rangers Youth Academy Youth of the Year award-winner, is back for his third summer on the coaching staff. As a member of the Wiley University baseball team, he is still heavily involved in the game and emphasizes exploring college ball as a viable next step for his student-athletes. Cox is passionate about coaching, especially since it will allow him to stay involved when he eventually finishes his playing career. During each practice, his athletes will strengthen their talents and teamwork.