Our Staff

Hockey

Bryce Gervais

Director of Hockey
 

Originally from Battleford, SK, Canada, Bryce has had an extensive career in Hockey, some of his experience includes:

  • 3 Seasons in the BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League)
  • 4 Seasons with Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks (NCAA Division I)
    • FUN FACT: Junior Year finished 2nd in the nation in goals scored with 27
  • 3 Seasons with the Chicago Wolves (AHL)
    • FUN FACT: 2017 Bryce was awarded the Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award with the Chicago Wolves
  • 1 Season with EHC Olten (Swiss League)
  • 2 Seasons with Heilbronner Falken (DEL2)
  • 1 Season with Iowa Wild (AHL)
  • 1 Season with Stavanger Oilers (Norway League) LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!

Alex Timm

Assistant Director of Hockey
 
  • Skills Coach at Valley Sports Academy 2022-Present
  • Assistant Coach for the Hudson Havoc 2023-2024
  • Head Coach of Jr. Guardians 2012, 2024-Present
  • Played College Hockey at Finlandia University NCAA D3
  • Played Juniors for North Iowa Bulls & Minnesota Blue Ox
  • Grew up Playing in Barron, WI
  • From Sand Creek, WI

Baseball

PRESTON BENEDICT

Director of Player Development
 
Originally from Madison, WI. Graduate of UW-Eau Claire in 2021.
 
 
When not coaching baseball, I enjoy being on the lake musky fishing, primarily up in Eagle River, WI.

Thomas Richter

Instructor

Areas of Instruction:

  • Catching

  • Hitting

  • Fielding

 

Thomas Richter is a knowledgeable baseball instructor with a strong coaching background and a focus on athlete development at multiple levels. He is currently a student coach at UW–Stout and has experience coaching both local and travel baseball programs. Thomas brings a well-rounded, intentional approach to training, combining on-field skill development with mental performance principles.

Coaching Experience & Background:

  • Current Student Coach at UW–Stout

  • Experience coaching multiple levels of local and travel baseball

  • MPM Certified Athlete through Brian Cain’s certification course

  • National Green 13 Leadership Award Recipient

James Dunlap

Instructor

Areas of Instruction:

  • Hitting

  • Infield Skills

 

James is an accomplished baseball instructor with experience at the collegiate, professional, and coaching levels. He currently serves as an Assistant Coach at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (UWEC) and brings a proven track record of success as both a player and mentor. His background in professional baseball and high-level collegiate competition allows him to provide athletes with advanced, game-ready instruction.

Playing & Coaching Background:

  • Assistant Coach, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (UWEC)

  • Professional Baseball Player, Frontier League

    • Led the Windy City Thunderbolts with a .316 batting average as a rookie

  • All-Conference Selection (Junior & Senior), North Dakota State University

Education:

  • North Dakota State University

Brady Johnson

Instructor

Areas of Instruction:

  • Infield Skills

 

Brady Johnson is a dedicated baseball coach with collegiate pitching experience and a strong foundation in player development. A student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Brady brings firsthand knowledge of the demands of college baseball and applies it to helping athletes refine their skills and confidence on the field.

Playing & Education Background:

  • Pitched at the Collegiate Level

  • University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire

ADAM LAROCK

Coach/Instructor

Areas of Instruction:

  • Hitting

  • Fielding

  • Pitching

  • Catching

 

Adam LaRock is a versatile baseball instructor with experience competing at the Division I collegiate level. His background across multiple college programs gives him a broad perspective on player development and the demands of high-level baseball. Adam enjoys working with athletes of all positions and focuses on building strong fundamentals that translate to game situations.

  • Played at Eau Claire North and made the State Tournament in 2016 while being a 2-time All-Conference Player
  • In college played at the University of Iowa, Madison College and UW-Milwaukee
  • Participated in the 2017 NCAA Tournament after winning the Big Ten Tournament at Iowa
  • Was named the North Central Community College Conference MVP in 2019
  • Both pitched and played the field at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • Played for the Eau Claire Express for 3 seasons

CARTER GUNDERSON

Instructor

Areas of Instruction:

  • Pitching

  • Hitting (Youth)

  • Infield Skills (Youth)

 

Carter Gunderson is a high-level baseball instructor with competitive playing experience and a passion for developing young athletes. He is a current pitcher at Rock Valley Community College, bringing firsthand knowledge of advanced pitching mechanics and performance at the collegiate level. Carter’s background as a championship athlete and multi-time all-conference honoree allows him to relate to players while teaching the skills needed to compete at the next level.

Playing & Coaching Background:

  • Current Pitcher, Rock Valley Community College

  • Transfer from Northern Iowa Area Community College (1 season)

  • 4-Time All-Conference Honoree, Eleva-Strum High School

  • 2024 WIAA State Champion, Eleva-Strum Baseball

  • Recorded pitching velocity up to 92 MPH

Coaching Experience:

  • Pitching Coach: Youth through High School

  • Hitting Coach: Youth Athletes (Primary Focus)

  • Infield Coach: Youth Athletes (Primary Focus)

Mike Schwabe

Instructor

Areas of Instruction:

  • Pitching (All Levels)

 

Mike Schwabe is an elite pitching instructor with decades of experience at every level of the game, from high school baseball to Major League Baseball. A former MLB pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Mike brings unmatched insight into what it takes to succeed on the mound. His background as a coach, scout, and business owner allows him to develop pitchers with a complete, professional approach.

Playing, Coaching & Professional Background:

  • Former MLB Pitcher, Detroit Tigers

  • Associate Scout, Cincinnati Reds

  • Former Assistant Coach, Santa Ana College

  • Former Owner, Elite Pitching Performance (Tustin, CA)

  • Playing experience at every level: High School → College → Professional → MLB

Education:

  • Arizona State University

  • Santa Ana College

Collin Balsiger

Instructor

Junior at Chippewa Falls High School and a pitcher for the Chi-Hi Cardinals.

Areas of Instruction:
Pitching

Softball

Hannah RItter

Director of Softball/Baseball Operations

Specializes in:Hitting, Catching, Mental Approach

2x World Series Appearances. All-Time Hits Leader (WIAC & UWO). 3x UWO Team Captain. IHSA State Champ (2017).

Taylor Schmidt

Softball Instructor

With over 7 years of softball experience,Taylor brings strong knowledge, leadership, and passion to every session. A former VSA Guardian and previous coach for Hallie Elite 14U, she understands the game from both the athlete and coaching perspectives, helping players develop confidence and skill at every level.

Specialties:

  • Hitting

  • Infield & Outfield Defense

  • Catching

Eliana Plotzky

Softball Instructor

A graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University, Eliana earned varsity letters in baseball all four years of high school and received a baseball scholarship to Indiana Wesleyan University, later served as a starting pitcher at University of Wisconsin–Stout.

In addition to on-field experience, Eliana is a former baseball writer and editor for Max Sporting Studio and East Village Times, with articles featured on Bleacher Report. Eliana bring a strong understanding of advanced baseball and softball training methods, including familiarity with Rapsodo technology, performance analytics, and statistics. Coaching and weightlifting instruction experience includes time spent at Pitch 2 Pitch Baseball Facilities.

Areas of Instruction:
Pitching
Fielding
Catching
Hitting

Sammi Bergeron

Pitching Coach
 
Sammi is a Junior pitcher at the University of Wisconsin – Stout. She has years of experience giving 1 on 1 and small group pitching lessons. Whether you’re a beginner pitcher or have more experience on the mound, Sammi wants to work with you!

Madeline Brooks

Instructor
Hailing from Omro, WI, and attending the University of Wisconsin–Stout, Madi brings both playing and coaching experience to the field.

A former All-Conference softball player, she has a strong competitive background and a passion for developing athletes at every level. She has coached T-Ball and Little League, as well as 13U and 16U Travel Softball

Areas of Instruction:
• Pitching
• Infield

Morgan Wirtz

Instructor
A true student of the game, Morgan has had the opportunity to learn through experience and former coaches at a high level. Playing multiple positions has given her a unique perspective of both sides of the ball, to help players reach their full potential. Utilizing her experience, Morgan can help players develop skills and tools for success.
 
Achievements:
4x First-Team Western Cloverbelt Conference
1st Team All-District
2nd Team All-State
2024 Western Cloverbelt Conference Player of the Year

Soccer

Jack LeZalla

Director of Soccer Coaching

jack.lezalla@valleysports.academy

Originally from St. Michael Minnesota Jack began soccer playin club for STMA United for many years before playing for Twin Cities Fire.  He then went on to play one season at Northern Michigan University before transferring to play one season at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Midway through his college career he knew coaching was my true passion.

Jack is a passionate young coach looking to make an important impact in the area. He is very involved within the soccer community in the Chippewa Valley.  Jack will be joining the VSA Coaching Staff this spring as a Part Time Soccer Coordinator and as a Coach to our U12 and U13 Classic boys teams!

Josh Ranft

Director of Soccer Operations

josh.ranft@valleysports.academy

Josh was born in Milwaukee, WI and moved to Eau Claire in 2019. After playing soccer throughout childhood and high school, he started coaching the same year he moved to the Chippewa Valley. He is working on obtaining his USSF D License.
 
  • Eau Claire Memorial High School
    • Boys’ Varsity Assistant (Fall 2024-present)
    • Girls’ JV Head Coach (Spring 2024-present)
  • Eau Claire United SC
    • U12 – U16 boys (2019-20)
    • U14-15 boys (2022-23)
 
In addition to coaching youth soccer, Josh is an administrator and the General Manager of Union des Bateaux FC, a men’s amateur soccer club based in Eau Claire. Starting as a player in 2019, he moved into coaching the team in 2020 and the GM role in 2023. As a coach of the team, UDBFC won the Wisconsin Primary Amateur Soccer League 2020-2022. As GM, the club added a second team and joined the United Premier Soccer League in 2023 and is adding a third team in 2025. The club’s main focus is to give the players growing up in Eau Claire a clear pathway to the adult game.

Grace Peed

Skills Coach

Grace is originally from DeKalb, Illinois. She recently graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Coaching.

She played at the club and college level, and she brings 2+ years of youth coaching experience. She recently completed a move back to the Chippewa Valley to be with her fiancé and is excited to be a part of the Valley Sports Academy/Guardians SC team!

Strength & Conditioning

NATE CUSTER

Sports Performance Coach

Hometown: Chippewa Falls

Nate played Football, Baseball, and Basketball at Chippewa Falls High School. He went to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and played 4.5 years of Football while earning a BS in Kinesiology with an emphasis on Strength and Conditioning. He graduated from College in December of 2023 and went on to intern with the Wisconsin Badgers for football Strength and Conditioning. He has been around fitness since he was young, but never understood much until he got into college sports where he grew a passion to help people get the most out of themselves, something he felt he missed until he got into college and even more so after. He would love to give adults an opportunity to have some directed and intentional exercise. He can adjust the structure of the classes to fit what they would all like to work on most and he looks forward to meeting and working with any and all of them!

Administrative

CHASE HOOPLE

General Manager
Chase is a Chippewa Falls native who is looking to give back to the Chippewa Valley. Growing up Chase was a multi-sport athlete playing hockey, baseball, and golf. After attending Chippewa Falls Senior High School Chase played 4 years of collegiate golf and got into coaching hockey where he has experience working with players ages 10U to High School.

PHILLIP J SWILER

Director – Community Engagement
Phil is responsible for developing our scalable growth by partnering with businesses that align with the VSA Mission.  He is also the producer and co-host of our Podcast – The Unfiltered Game plan with VSA.  
Phil is also the lead for our 3 Signature Events.  The VSA Celebrity Classic Golf Outing, VSA Charity Dodgeball Tournament, and Hockey Day Wisconsin.  
You will see Phil out in the community sharing the VSA story!
Phil is a Deforest WI area native who is dedicated to impacting the Chippewa Valley.  Growing up Phil was a multi-sport athlete playing football, hockey, baseball, and golf. 
 
Phil has extensive sponsorship, fundraising, and advertising experience. For the past 33 years Phil has been coaching hockey in all facets of the game, with all ages coached.  
 
He is also one of our VSA Guardian hockey program evaluators and helps various Guardian teams as needed.  
 
In his spare time, he loves to play golf, create music, eat great food, and spend time with family.  

ROSIE PETERSON

Reception Manager
Rosie hails from small town Osseo, WI where she ran cross country and track in high school. She was involved in student counsel, was student body president and has been involved in numerous student-led clubs in high school and college. The youngest in a large, blended family; she’s competitive and loves sports of all kinds. When Rosie isn’t at the front desk, you might find her behind the bar in the Guardians Tower, driving the Zamboni or making her rounds ensuring parents and athletes are having the best experience possible. She comes to VSA with 2+ decades of administrative/customer service experience and is the smiling face that manages the front desk!
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