| Head Coach Jon Groth |
Jon Groth was hired in 1992 to restart the baseball program at Tyler
Junior College. Since that time, the program has become one in which four
year programs and professional scouts in the nation's hotbed for baseball
talent have come to respect and look to for quality players. In the time
since the program was restarted, there have been over 120 players from
the Apache program move into four year baseball. Former Apaches have
transitioned well into the Big 12, Southeastern Conference, Southland,
WAC, Conference USA, Lone Star Conference and other top programs in
this region of the country. More than 20 former players have signed
professional contracts as well.
TJC baseball teams have earmed an NJCAA playoff spot in 8 of the last
12 seasons. Coach Groth helped lead the Apache program to back to back
conference Championships in 2007 and 2008 and its first National
Championship in 2007 and earned 2007 NJCAA National Coach of the
Year honors. The Apaches earned the 2007 regular season Metro Athletic
Conference Championship, the NJCAA District C Championship and
posted a 46-12 season record. Tyler had three players selected as
All-Americans, including NJCAA Division III Player of the Year, Brock
Lemire.
Coach Groth has served as an officer in the Texas-New Mexico Junior
College Baseball Coaches Association for several years, most recently as
President from 2002-2004. He also has served as NJCAA Region 14 East
Conference Chairman when the Apaches were a part of that conference
from 1993-2003.
The Apache Baseball Program transitioned from NJCAA Division I status
to NJCAA Division III status in 2003. TJC has hosted an NJCAA Regional
tournament three times and despite the transition to Div III, the Apaches
have been a consistent participant in the NJCAA playoffs. TJC has hosted
the NJCAA Division III World Series since 2007.
One of the fruits of the Apache program under Coach Groth has been the
success of his former assistant coaches. More than 30 former Apache
coaches and players are coaching at the college and high school levels, all
over the US. His first assistant, Eddie Uschold, is now the skipper of the
Missouri Baptist University program in St. Louis. Robert Riggs, was
recently head coach at East Texas Baptist University, is also a former
assistant for the Apaches. Steven Purl, another former Apache assistant,
after serving the baseball program at the University of Texas is now an
assistant coach in the Frisco High School area in Frisco, Texas. Vince
Veazey, a former Apache player and assistant coach is currently the head
coach at Bullard's elite Brook Hill Academy. Cody Ellis, former Apache
All-American player and assistant coach on the 2007 National
Championship team was hired to be the head coach at Winnsboro HS in
East Texas. Daniel Washburn, head coach at Maryville College in East
Tennessee, is another former Tyler assistant that is doing great things in
baseball after time in the Apache program. Many other former Apache
coaches and players are among the Apache Nation in the coaching ranks,
making a difference in the lives of young men through the game of
baseball.
Before coming to Tyler, coach Groth was an assistant coach at Texas
A&M University under ABCA Hall of Fame coach Mark Johnson. While in
College Station, he earned his PhD in Kinesiology. Before his time at A&M,
he was a Graduate Assistant at Georgia Southern under ABCA Hall of
Fame coach Jack Stallings and earned his M.Ed in Health and Physical
Education. His coaching career began at the University of New Orleans
where he played for ABCA Hall of Fame coach Ron Maestri and coached
under longtime UNO coach Tom Schwaner.
His playing career included two years of professional baseball and being
selected an All-Star his rookie season in the Cincinnati Reds organization.
In college, he was an NCAA All-Regional player at the University of New
Orleans, played in the 1984 College World Series in Omaha, and was
among the final 44 on the 1984 USA Olympic Baseball team. In 2009,
Groth was inducted into the University of New Orleans Hall of Fame as
part of the 1984 team that played in Omaha at the College World Series.
While in Junior College, he was selected as an NJCAA All-Regional player
at Cuyahoga Community College. Groth also played two seasons with the
USA Athletes in Action team in Europe and the Orient. A three sport
athlete in high school, he was elected into the Chagrin Falls High School
Athletic Hall of Fame in October of 2003.
Coach Groth is also the Faculty Sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian
Athletes at Tyler Junior College and is a Deacon at Tyler's Green Acres
Baptist Church.Coach Groth is married to wife Kitty and they have six
children. The Groth Family resides in Tyler.
Junior College. Since that time, the program has become one in which four
year programs and professional scouts in the nation's hotbed for baseball
talent have come to respect and look to for quality players. In the time
since the program was restarted, there have been over 120 players from
the Apache program move into four year baseball. Former Apaches have
transitioned well into the Big 12, Southeastern Conference, Southland,
WAC, Conference USA, Lone Star Conference and other top programs in
this region of the country. More than 20 former players have signed
professional contracts as well.
TJC baseball teams have earmed an NJCAA playoff spot in 8 of the last
12 seasons. Coach Groth helped lead the Apache program to back to back
conference Championships in 2007 and 2008 and its first National
Championship in 2007 and earned 2007 NJCAA National Coach of the
Year honors. The Apaches earned the 2007 regular season Metro Athletic
Conference Championship, the NJCAA District C Championship and
posted a 46-12 season record. Tyler had three players selected as
All-Americans, including NJCAA Division III Player of the Year, Brock
Lemire.
Coach Groth has served as an officer in the Texas-New Mexico Junior
College Baseball Coaches Association for several years, most recently as
President from 2002-2004. He also has served as NJCAA Region 14 East
Conference Chairman when the Apaches were a part of that conference
from 1993-2003.
The Apache Baseball Program transitioned from NJCAA Division I status
to NJCAA Division III status in 2003. TJC has hosted an NJCAA Regional
tournament three times and despite the transition to Div III, the Apaches
have been a consistent participant in the NJCAA playoffs. TJC has hosted
the NJCAA Division III World Series since 2007.
One of the fruits of the Apache program under Coach Groth has been the
success of his former assistant coaches. More than 30 former Apache
coaches and players are coaching at the college and high school levels, all
over the US. His first assistant, Eddie Uschold, is now the skipper of the
Missouri Baptist University program in St. Louis. Robert Riggs, was
recently head coach at East Texas Baptist University, is also a former
assistant for the Apaches. Steven Purl, another former Apache assistant,
after serving the baseball program at the University of Texas is now an
assistant coach in the Frisco High School area in Frisco, Texas. Vince
Veazey, a former Apache player and assistant coach is currently the head
coach at Bullard's elite Brook Hill Academy. Cody Ellis, former Apache
All-American player and assistant coach on the 2007 National
Championship team was hired to be the head coach at Winnsboro HS in
East Texas. Daniel Washburn, head coach at Maryville College in East
Tennessee, is another former Tyler assistant that is doing great things in
baseball after time in the Apache program. Many other former Apache
coaches and players are among the Apache Nation in the coaching ranks,
making a difference in the lives of young men through the game of
baseball.
Before coming to Tyler, coach Groth was an assistant coach at Texas
A&M University under ABCA Hall of Fame coach Mark Johnson. While in
College Station, he earned his PhD in Kinesiology. Before his time at A&M,
he was a Graduate Assistant at Georgia Southern under ABCA Hall of
Fame coach Jack Stallings and earned his M.Ed in Health and Physical
Education. His coaching career began at the University of New Orleans
where he played for ABCA Hall of Fame coach Ron Maestri and coached
under longtime UNO coach Tom Schwaner.
His playing career included two years of professional baseball and being
selected an All-Star his rookie season in the Cincinnati Reds organization.
In college, he was an NCAA All-Regional player at the University of New
Orleans, played in the 1984 College World Series in Omaha, and was
among the final 44 on the 1984 USA Olympic Baseball team. In 2009,
Groth was inducted into the University of New Orleans Hall of Fame as
part of the 1984 team that played in Omaha at the College World Series.
While in Junior College, he was selected as an NJCAA All-Regional player
at Cuyahoga Community College. Groth also played two seasons with the
USA Athletes in Action team in Europe and the Orient. A three sport
athlete in high school, he was elected into the Chagrin Falls High School
Athletic Hall of Fame in October of 2003.
Coach Groth is also the Faculty Sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian
Athletes at Tyler Junior College and is a Deacon at Tyler's Green Acres
Baptist Church.Coach Groth is married to wife Kitty and they have six
children. The Groth Family resides in Tyler.
| Apaches under Groth: 459 Wins NJCAA National Champions: 2007 NJCAA District Champions: 2007 Metro Conference Champions: 2008, 2007 NJCAA Playoffs: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004, 2002, 2001, 1999, 1997 Host NJCAA Div III World Series 2007-2008-2009 2010-2011-2012 NJCAA Regional Playoffs 1998-2000-2002 TX-NM All-Star Games 1998 30+ Former Apache Coaches and Players in College and HS Coaching 10 All-Americans 12 AcademicAll-American 2 Conference MVPs 54 All-Conference 24 Academic All-Conf 24 former Apaches in Professional Baseball 120 + to four year programs that include: Texas A&M, Rice, Texas, Baylor, Houston, Texas Tech, Nebraska, Arkansas, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, NW State-LA, LA-Lafayette, Sam Houston State, Texas State, McNeese St. UT- Arlington, Lamar, UTSA, UT-Pan American, Abilene Christian, Dallas Baptist, Houston Baptist, Tarleton St, A&M Kingsville, Henderson St, Arkansas-Monticello, Incarnate Word, SE OK St, Arkansas Tech, Louisiana College, East Texas Baptist Univ, UT-Tyler among others..... |
