To support its continued growth, Inside Edge Baseball Academy has added four new coaches to the staff. Each coach brings a wealth of experience to their position and will be a major asset in our continued development. Please welcome Matt Carpenter, Mark Spreckels, Darren Muckey, and David Latlip to the IE family.
“I am super excited to introduce these new staff members,” said Todd Clausen, director of player development at Inside Edge. “As the academy continues to grow, it’s critical that we add individuals who are dedicated to player development. Each one of these coaches brings impressive baseball experience, knowledge of the game, and most importantly, passion for helping our players.”
Matt Carpenter – General Manager
Matt Carpenter brings extensive coaching experience at the high school and collegiate level to Inside Edge. He is currently the head varsity baseball coach of Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, KS. Before joining Bishop Ward, Matt was the head coach for Plaza Heights Christian Academy in Blue Springs. There, as the first-ever varsity head coach, Matt directed the program from its inception to a National Runner-up title, followed two years later with a National Champion for private schools.
Matt has coached on the collegiate level for 6 seasons, including one year as an assistant coach at Maranatha Baptist University, an NCAA Division III school in Watertown Wisconsin, and five years as an Assistant at Avila University. During his time at Avila, the program qualified for the postseason three times and set a school record for wins in 2012.
Matt has coached 14 players who have gone on to play professional baseball. He has a true passion for helping a young player to reach their full potential, not only in the game of baseball but in their personal lives as well.
At IE, Matt is charged with helping to run the day-to-day operations for Inside Edge, as well as coaching a 9u and a 14u team. He will attend team practices, assisting the coaching staff as needed. He will also provide guidance on individual and team development.
Mark Spreckels – Pitching Coordinator
Mark Spreckels, a pitching instructor at The EDGE, has trained multiple collegiate and professional athletes, applying his knowledge and dedication to player development. Following his collegiate career, Mark began working at Premier Pitching and Performance in Saint Louis. Mark then returned to the Kansas City metro to open and operate Premier Baseball. At The EDGE, Mark provides private pitching lessons and runs the Elite Athlete Pitching Program.
As the pitching coordinator for Inside Edge, Mark will provide instruction to individual players and will also help team coaches to evaluate pitchers and develop a plan for improvement.
Darren Muckey – Catching Coordinator
Darren has 30 years experience coaching youth baseball. He joined Inside Edge as an assistant coach in its inaugural season and has remained dedicated to player development both as a team coach and through weekly clinics for IE catchers. Darren developed his catching skills while playing at Northwest Missouri State University and brings passion and enthusiasm for playing catcher to IE. He has coached the weekly IE Catcher Clinic for past 2 seasons, where he employees high-energy drills to emphasize the skill and repeatable techniques required to succeed at playing catcher.
Darren will work with individuals and groups to continue developing catchers at Inside Edge. He will also help team coaches to identify fundamental skills that will continue developing the catchers.
David Latlip – Assistant Coach
David Latlip grew up in the Kansas City area and played 4 seasons with Inside Edge, joining the academy during its inaugural season. He was a varsity letter player at Blue Springs South High School, where he helped the team to win districts during his senior year. He has learned from many professional and high-level baseball instructors and looks forward to passing on his baseball knowledge to the younger generation.
As an assistant coach, David will help coaches run team practices, and he will be available to assist individual players during certain membership hours. He also serves as an assistant coach for the 13u team.