Introducing the Management Team, and Coaching Staff of the 2013 Niagara Metros.

The "man behind the Metros" is General Manager, Mark Walters.   After the 1984 season, when the Metros were still members of the Niagara District Baseball Association, previous coaches Len Marino and Pat Leahy both retired.  When a replacement coach could not be found, Mark, who was still a regular player at 30 years of age, stepped up and took over in the dugout.  That 1985 season (the Metros first in C.O.B.A.) was full of highs and lows, but the team rallied around its young player/coach (after losing 7 of their first 9 games in the league) and won the Playoff title, solidifying their place in the league.  Mark has been at the helm, as Field Manager, Coach, or General Manager ever since.

While he did gather a bunch of at bats over the early years of the Metros (accumulating a .375 career batting average), it was his managerial skills that put him on the map.  Under Walters' leadership, the former St. Catharines club won the C.O.B.A. Playoff title their first 3 seasons in the league, and also managed a couple of O.B.A. Senior "B" titles in 1990 and 1996.  His 16-year career record as manager of the Metros (over an impressive total of 627 games) was 378 and 249 for a .603 winning pct.

In August of 2000, Mark was leaning towards scaling back his on-field involvement and turned the coaching duties over to long-time Metros player, Kerry Hedden.  Kerry has been "the man in the dugout" ever since, while Mark has remained an active part of the team's management staff, acting as the General Manager and Business Manager.  By the way, the St. Catharines / Niagara Metros' all-time record in the 1154 games they've played since Mark became involved in the club's management is a remarkable 699 and 455 (.606).

Sitting in the General Manager's chair keeps Mark busy, especially in the off-season.  His duties include representing the club in all league and O.B.A. matters, securing park time and working with the City of St. Catharines regarding Senior baseball matters.  In addition, Mark is active with the Metros' scouting and player recruitment and works closely with Mgr. Kerry Hedden, regarding roster decisions.  Finally, he holds an important position on the C.O.B.A. Board of Directors, and is the League schedule-maker.

Kerry Hedden took over as the Niagara Metros' Field Manager in August of 2000, and hasn't looked back.  The St. Catharines native played with the club from 1986 through the 2000 season, with the exception of 4 years, when his work took him out of the area, from 1990 to 1993.  Early on, Kerry had a superb playing career in the St. Catharines Minor Baseball system, and eventually graduated from the Merritton Junior Independents in 1978.  After a couple of seasons with the Welland MacDonalds of the Niagara District Senior League, Kerry returned home and joined the newly formed St. Catharines "Ellis" in 1982.  Two excellent years with the Ellis, and another year out of the area for work, brought Kerry to the Metros in 1986.  And the young veteran became a mainstay in the outfield.

While Kerry was never a gifted athlete, he more than made up for it with his intelligence on the diamond and his incredible work ethic.  In fact, he excelled during his playing years (both at the plate and in the field) retiring with a .325 career batting average and a couple of impressive All-time Metros records.  Among all players with more than 90 AB's in a season, Kerry holds the record for fewest strikeouts with 3...on his way to a great career walk to strikeout ratio of 142 to 99.  He also set a Metros career record (which still stands) by playing in an incredible 109 straight games in the outfield, without making an error.

When "Hedder" (as his friends call him) took over the coaching duties in 2000, he brought the same work ethic and intelligence with him...as evidenced by the 321 and 206 (.609) record he's compiled in his 12+ years at the helm.  He can also say that he was the coach of one of the winningest teams in C.O.B.A. history.  Kerry managed the 2001 Metros, to a 26-2 record in league play before winning the Playoff title and completing the season 40-9 overall.  Add to that, six more Johnson Division titles, another C.O.B.A. regular season pennant (2008), 2 C.O.B.A. Playoff Championships (2005 & '12), two London Lakeside Tourney titles (2007 & '08), a "Hap" Walters Tourney Championship (2004) and semi-final appearances at the 2003 and '12 Elimination Tourneys.  Last year, Kerry and the Metros completed their best season ever, going 33-17 with a Johnson Divison and overall league playoff title, and appeared in the semi-finals at the Strathroy, Hap Walters and Eliminations Tourneys.  And Kerry was named Manager of the Year by the Ontario Senior Baseball Website / Blog.  All in all, he's got quite a resume.

Kerry, who continues to have the support of his wife Sandi, says he has enjoyed every minute of his tenure in the Metros dugout.  He says, "There's no doubt, the wins are important.  But, to watch our fine young men mature and become responsible adults with beautiful young families (and to be part of that process) is much more of a reward than any number of wins on the field".

The Niagara Metros are very pleased to add the name "Claude Boudreau" to their management team for 2013.  Claude, who has been involved in Niagara baseball either as a player or coach for more than 35 years, will serve as the team's first base coach for this year and hopefully beyond.  Both Walters and Hedden agree that Mr. Boudreau has the knowledge and experience to provide help in the day-to-day decision-making process (including the "strategic" part of the game), as well as bringing the skills and expertise to help guide the young Metros players to improvement.  In addition, his laid-back demeanor and "willing to do anything to help" approach will also benefit the players and the management team alike, in the clubhouse and the dugout.

Claude Boudreau comes by this expertise honestly.  After having played in the Merritton Minor Baseball system beginning in the late-1970's and throughout the '80's, he got involved in coaching in 1992 at the "Rookie-ball" level.  He moved to Thorold and became involved with the T.A.A. program, when in '97 he led the Thorold Major PeeWees to an O.B.A. Championship.  In 1998, Claude moved on to the St. Catharines M.B.A. program, coaching the Cobras Minor Bantams in 1998, and the Major Bantams in 1999.  In fact, it was in 1998 when his "Minor Bantam" club became the first such club to defeat their "Major Bantam" counterparts to win the Niagara District Championship.  That was one of 4 N.D. Championships to appear on Claude's coaching resume (to go with his 2 O.B.A. titles).

After being selected to coach the Niagara Distict All-Stars three times in the late-'90's, Claude was recruited to coach at the Elite level, when he became the Head Coach of the Welland Renegades under-16 team.  He remained with the Renegades for the duration of the now-defunct program, leading the team to four tournament championships in the United States and Canada...including high-profile titles in Erie, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio.

Although Claude has been on the sidelines for the past few years, his passion for the game remains as strong as ever.  When he was approached about the Metros' vacant 1st base coaching job, he was quick to jump on board...noting that the organization has a "rich tradition of professionalism and success at the highest level".  He was also quick to point out that the "fantastic bunch of young men that are currently wearing the Niagara uniform make this newest coaching venture an exciting proposition".  Claude's coaching philosophy is pretty basic: To help create an environment that encourages athletes to learn and develop on and off the playing field.  In addition, he'll strive to "help create a positive learning environment in good times and bad".  The Niagara Metros are sure he'll have no problem achieving these goals.

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