Our Team
Nova in her Powell Little League days playing catcher for Oregon Leather.
Executive Director
Nova Newcomer has been a baseball fan for as long as she can remember. Her love of baseball started with Beaver baseball games at Civic Stadium with her dad, then it was catching for her Powell and Parkrose Little League teams and even four years of scrappy high school competition. Her first job was at the souvenir stand working for the Beavers in 1993 and to this day she still says that job earned her every subsequent job she’s ever had, including her 1996 stint with the Portland Rockies as an intern for their daily radio show. Nova graduated from Portland State University (PSU) in 1999 with a degree in Political Science, where she worked in the Athletic Department as a media relations assistant, including work as a statistician and Public Address Announcer for home baseball games. Nova worked for adidas Group in the US and internationally and has held posts with the Center for Women’s Leadership at PSU and Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. Most recently, she owned her own business as a consultant partnering with Harrelson Group on transformational projects with businesses, regional agencies, and non-profits. Serving as Executive Director fulfills her personal passion to bring the dream of playing baseball and the important connections it creates to more of our region’s youth. Nova has a son and daughter who both play Little League.
Nova Newcomer has been a baseball fan for as long as she can remember. Her love of baseball started with Beaver baseball games at Civic Stadium with her dad, then it was catching for her Powell and Parkrose Little League teams and even four years of scrappy high school competition. Her first job was at the souvenir stand working for the Beavers in 1993 and to this day she still says that job earned her every subsequent job she’s ever had, including her 1996 stint with the Portland Rockies as an intern for their daily radio show. Nova graduated from Portland State University (PSU) in 1999 with a degree in Political Science, where she worked in the Athletic Department as a media relations assistant, including work as a statistician and Public Address Announcer for home baseball games. Nova worked for adidas Group in the US and internationally and has held posts with the Center for Women’s Leadership at PSU and Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. Most recently, she owned her own business as a consultant partnering with Harrelson Group on transformational projects with businesses, regional agencies, and non-profits. Serving as Executive Director fulfills her personal passion to bring the dream of playing baseball and the important connections it creates to more of our region’s youth. Nova has a son and daughter who both play Little League.
Adam aka "Conan" as the go to 3rd baseman for the Hollywood Little League Braves.
Full Count Program Coordinator
Adam Cohen's love affair with baseball began at the Age of 7 playing for the Hungry Tigers Tee Ball team. Playing for Hollywood Little league, Adam hit his first in game Home Run during their All Star tournament and the love only grew from there. In Babe Ruth, his team traveled to Hermiston, Oregon finishing 4th in the state tournament. He attended Oregon State University, where he focused on Business Management and Financing. In 2008, Adam began coaching at Benson High School. He began as an Assistant on the Junior Varsity team and worked his way up to being the Head Varsity Coach in 2011. As the head of the program, Adam holds the second highest winning percentage in the past 30+ years. In his first year as Head Coach, he won PIL Co-Coach of the year. In 2014, Adam stepped away from Benson in order to pursue coaching his twin boys in Little League. Serving as the Full Count Program Coordinator, Adam will be able to fulfill his passion of teaching baseball to youth and spreading the values baseball can teach throughout the community.
Adam Cohen's love affair with baseball began at the Age of 7 playing for the Hungry Tigers Tee Ball team. Playing for Hollywood Little league, Adam hit his first in game Home Run during their All Star tournament and the love only grew from there. In Babe Ruth, his team traveled to Hermiston, Oregon finishing 4th in the state tournament. He attended Oregon State University, where he focused on Business Management and Financing. In 2008, Adam began coaching at Benson High School. He began as an Assistant on the Junior Varsity team and worked his way up to being the Head Varsity Coach in 2011. As the head of the program, Adam holds the second highest winning percentage in the past 30+ years. In his first year as Head Coach, he won PIL Co-Coach of the year. In 2014, Adam stepped away from Benson in order to pursue coaching his twin boys in Little League. Serving as the Full Count Program Coordinator, Adam will be able to fulfill his passion of teaching baseball to youth and spreading the values baseball can teach throughout the community.
Javondre' in his Peninsula little league days playing catcher for Roedel Tile
Full Count Summer Camp Assistant
Javondre’ Cole has been a baseball fan since the young age of 7. His field days began as the coach's son. With the help of his dad and uncle, team Roedel Tile from the Peninsula little league finished an astounding 10-2 in year one, and undefeated the next. Although those early days of baseball were fun, they were short lived. It wasn’t until 7 years later as a freshman in high school that he found the desire to be back out on the diamond. In his first year back for junior varsity baseball, the team saw its most victorious season since 2011 with an astounding record of... 4-14. His leadership skills on and off the field resulted in being recommended by Jefferson’s head baseball coach for his first job as a Fellow with Friends of Baseball’s inaugural Full Count program. After hosting a week long kids camp held at Jefferson High School, Javondre’ wanted the chance to get more involved with the Friends of Baseball organization and he worked at Sunday morning camps monthly the next year. Watching children grasp and understand the fundamentals of the game brought joy and passion. His most memorable moment thus far with Friends of Baseball was being given the opportunity to emcee the Friends of Baseball 10 year anniversary in October of 2015. Most recently, he accepted a coveted summer internship role with Friends of Baseball through the Summer Works program, where he is serving as the Full Count Camp Assistant. Javondre’ is approaching his senior year of high school at Jefferson. To kickoff the summer of his senior year, he visited the city of Chicago through the Nike Product Creation Experience. Javondre’s team competed against two other teams to design the best marketing strategy with the winning team receiving an all-expenses paid trip to the city of their inspiration. Following high school, he would like to pursue a Business degree with a focus in Sports Marketing.
Javondre’ Cole has been a baseball fan since the young age of 7. His field days began as the coach's son. With the help of his dad and uncle, team Roedel Tile from the Peninsula little league finished an astounding 10-2 in year one, and undefeated the next. Although those early days of baseball were fun, they were short lived. It wasn’t until 7 years later as a freshman in high school that he found the desire to be back out on the diamond. In his first year back for junior varsity baseball, the team saw its most victorious season since 2011 with an astounding record of... 4-14. His leadership skills on and off the field resulted in being recommended by Jefferson’s head baseball coach for his first job as a Fellow with Friends of Baseball’s inaugural Full Count program. After hosting a week long kids camp held at Jefferson High School, Javondre’ wanted the chance to get more involved with the Friends of Baseball organization and he worked at Sunday morning camps monthly the next year. Watching children grasp and understand the fundamentals of the game brought joy and passion. His most memorable moment thus far with Friends of Baseball was being given the opportunity to emcee the Friends of Baseball 10 year anniversary in October of 2015. Most recently, he accepted a coveted summer internship role with Friends of Baseball through the Summer Works program, where he is serving as the Full Count Camp Assistant. Javondre’ is approaching his senior year of high school at Jefferson. To kickoff the summer of his senior year, he visited the city of Chicago through the Nike Product Creation Experience. Javondre’s team competed against two other teams to design the best marketing strategy with the winning team receiving an all-expenses paid trip to the city of their inspiration. Following high school, he would like to pursue a Business degree with a focus in Sports Marketing.
Ben in his Lakeside Little League days.
Board of Directors
Ben Longcor (Co-Founder and President) has loved the game since a very early age, from the beginning, dreamed of being a catcher. As he progressed through little league, Babe Ruth and High School, he finished his career as a first basemen. He still enjoys playing rec league softball, to keep the skills sharp. After leaving the game as a youth, along with his father, he longed for a continued connection with the sport he loved. From that, Friends of Baseball was born, which grew from a family based foundation set up to keep youth leagues and teams on their feet, to a 501c3 non-profit organization that enhances young ball players through the baseball’s unparalleled power to teach.
Ben graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 2001 with a BA in Communications/Public Relations. After nearly 11 years as a communications specialist with WE Communications, he decided to focus more on his family and running Friends of Baseball. He is now building his business as a Real Estate agent and enjoying the flexibility and the chance to help people find their dream homes in the NW. He also dedicates his free time to his wife and two children and the baseball community through his son Sterling's Little League as a coach and former Board member.
“I have always longed to share with others the feeling of team and pureness I had when I played ball throughout youth and high school baseball. Thanks to Friends of Baseball, I am able to help kids and teams experience the sheer joy and purity — the feeling — of baseball. Not only that, I look forward to passing that along to both my young son and daughter in the very near future.”
Jordan Bice has been a baseball fan since before his mom coached his kindergarten tee-ball team. He grew up in the Portland suburbs before moving to Seattle to study political science and play trumpet in the marching band at the University of Washington. After school, he spent three years in Washington, D.C. working as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill before finally returning home to Portland where he belongs. He now works in Government Affairs for Pacific Power, and while he wasn’t able to fulfill his childhood dream of playing shortstop for the Seattle Mariners, he still plays in an adult baseball league on Sundays. He lives in southeast Portland with his wife, Samantha, and their Chihuahua, Griffey.
Nathan Christensen (Vice-President) is a life-long baseball fan. As a child, Nathan was known throughout his neighborhood for the countless hours he spent throwing a tennis ball against his parents’ garage door. He gave up his dream of being a major league pitcher long ago, but remains a die-hard fan of the game and its rich history and traditions. Nathan graduated from Stanford University, where he held the coveted job of playing the gametime music at Sunken Diamond — Stanford’s baseball stadium. Nathan also holds a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, taught fourth grade in Atlanta through Teach for America, and practiced law with Perkins Coie LLP. Nathan is now CEO of Mammoth HR, a Collaborative HR company headquartered in Portland. He and his wife have three children, and many, many baseballs scattered around the house.
Jason Dailey (Treasurer) Jason Dailey has had a love of baseball since he could hold a glove and bat. He loved playing catch with his dad in the back yard, playing pick up games with friends at the playground, and played organized ball through high school. Jason really loved the strategy of the game and took a liking to coaching at a very young age. He coached his first team as a senior in high school and just loved that aspect of the game. Recently Jason has been a youth coach in West Linn and served 15 years on the West Linn Baseball Association. During those 15 years he held positions of President, Player Agent, and Treasurer. Professionally, Jason is the Chief Financial Officer of DeJarnett Sales, Inc (a food broker for Western Family Foods). Jason enjoys spending time with his spouse Sonya and two boys and enjoys golf and triathlons in his free time.
One of Scott Davis’ strongest baseball memories happened at Spring Training in Arizona in 1988. Times were different back then, as he hung over the roof of the dugout seeking the autograph of his idol, Will Clark. The boy next to him hollered “Hey Will, Can I have your autograph?” while Scott used “Mr. Clark” instead. Will signed his ball (and not the other boy), and cemented a value of respect for others that has stuck since. After playing local baseball through high school, Scott has more recently served as a Coach and League Board member for his children and put the spikes back on as a player in Portland’s “old man baseball league”. He leads Strategy and Planning for Manifesto, the creative agency who recently helped Friends of Baseball refresh its brand, and holds a Master’s in Business from the University of Oregon. He lives in SW Portland with his wife, Mary, and their two boys.
Dan Floyd (Secretary) was born and raised in Southeast Portland. He attended Portland Public Schools through 8th grade, and then attended Central Catholic High School. Dan played for Southeast Portland #1 Little League and Marshall Babe Ruth before playing three years of varsity baseball at Central Catholic. He later played at College of the Siskiyous, Clackamas Community College, and for Jerry Gatto at Lewis & Clark College. Dan has coached junior baseball in West Linn and Sellwood, and was named Head Baseball Coach at Central Catholic in 2011.
Dan is the former Chair of the Providence Portland Medical Foundation and is the current Vice-Chair of All Hands Raised (formerly Portland Schools Foundation). Professionally, Dan is the Chief Operating Officer of Hood To Coast / Portland To Coast Relays and the Better Series. Dan was recently married to Megan Danilson in October of 2013.
Drew Hagedorn (Board Member) is a life-long baseball fan. A native Oregonian, Drew comes from a baseball family. His grandfather played at Grant High School and then Willamette University and his father played at Albany Union High School and then briefly at Oregon State. Drew played second and short-stop through high school and his brother pitched for La Salle prep. Drew graduated from the University of Southern California and is now a partner at the Portland law firm Tonkon Torp where he chair’s the firm’s Government Affairs and Public Policy practice group. Drew’s hero is Vin Scully, the longtime radio play-by-play announce for his favorite team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He and his wife live in Lake Oswego where they root for the Dodgers from afar.
Jonathan Jwayad (Board Member) spent his formative years hustling around the base paths for Interstate Little League in North Portland. After receiving All City baseball honors at Benson High School, Jonathan continued his education at the University of Oregon where he played for the Club Baseball Team. During college, he, and three teammates, formed a youth baseball camp called Baseballism. The camp was a success and, in 2013, it was transformed into a lifestyle apparel brand inspired by America’s Pastime. Jonathan is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Baseballism Inc. and has been instrumental in the company’s rapid growth. Jonathan has been responsible for the launch of 8 retail locations around the country at such marquee locations as Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. Jonathan’s greatest pride comes from the fact that Baseballism’s success has allowed the business to donate more $500K in product and cash to baseball organizations, teams, and charities around the world. Jonathan lives in Portland with his wife, son and daughter. He spends his weekends coaching his son’s youth baseball team.
Cindy Nichol (Board Member) caught baseball fever from her mom, a die-hard Pirates fan who organized family events around when games were on. Cindy loved to go to games at Three Rivers Stadium, and thrilled to see classic players like Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Manny Sanguillen. Living in Boston, she couldn't help sharing in the Red Sox Nation's yearning to win a World Series That done, she lived in the Bay Area, where there was always a Giants or As game being played locally during baseball season — heaven! Cindy graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota, where she played intramural softball whenever the temperature was above 32 degrees. She also holds a Masters in African Studies from the University of London, and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University. Cindy is Chief Financial Officer at the Port of Portland, where she frequently uses baseball metaphors to encourage teamwork and continuous improvement.
Dave Stinson (Board Member) began his love of baseball by watching his older brothers play. Finally, at the ripe old age of 6 he was allowed to begin his playing “career” that continued into his late teens. During that time he played for Lynch Jr. Baseball of the Tri-county league, several summer league team through high school as his school did not have a baseball program, and finally on the University of Oregon club team during the dark days when they did not field an NCAA team. Dave reengaged his active obsession as a volunteer coach for his son's tee ball team, and every team thereafter. The coaching led to league Board involvement that culminated as President of Gresham Little League followed by President of Gresham Junior Baseball.
Dave studied Finance at the University of Oregon. Professionally, Dave is in the lumber industry working as the U.S. Mill Sales manager for Hampton Lumber. Hampton is a family-owned Oregon company that owns timberland in Oregon and Washington and manufacturing plants in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Dave enjoys spending time away from work with his wife Ginger and two kids, Jack and Miranda.
Ben Longcor (Co-Founder and President) has loved the game since a very early age, from the beginning, dreamed of being a catcher. As he progressed through little league, Babe Ruth and High School, he finished his career as a first basemen. He still enjoys playing rec league softball, to keep the skills sharp. After leaving the game as a youth, along with his father, he longed for a continued connection with the sport he loved. From that, Friends of Baseball was born, which grew from a family based foundation set up to keep youth leagues and teams on their feet, to a 501c3 non-profit organization that enhances young ball players through the baseball’s unparalleled power to teach.
Ben graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 2001 with a BA in Communications/Public Relations. After nearly 11 years as a communications specialist with WE Communications, he decided to focus more on his family and running Friends of Baseball. He is now building his business as a Real Estate agent and enjoying the flexibility and the chance to help people find their dream homes in the NW. He also dedicates his free time to his wife and two children and the baseball community through his son Sterling's Little League as a coach and former Board member.
“I have always longed to share with others the feeling of team and pureness I had when I played ball throughout youth and high school baseball. Thanks to Friends of Baseball, I am able to help kids and teams experience the sheer joy and purity — the feeling — of baseball. Not only that, I look forward to passing that along to both my young son and daughter in the very near future.”
Jordan Bice has been a baseball fan since before his mom coached his kindergarten tee-ball team. He grew up in the Portland suburbs before moving to Seattle to study political science and play trumpet in the marching band at the University of Washington. After school, he spent three years in Washington, D.C. working as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill before finally returning home to Portland where he belongs. He now works in Government Affairs for Pacific Power, and while he wasn’t able to fulfill his childhood dream of playing shortstop for the Seattle Mariners, he still plays in an adult baseball league on Sundays. He lives in southeast Portland with his wife, Samantha, and their Chihuahua, Griffey.
Nathan Christensen (Vice-President) is a life-long baseball fan. As a child, Nathan was known throughout his neighborhood for the countless hours he spent throwing a tennis ball against his parents’ garage door. He gave up his dream of being a major league pitcher long ago, but remains a die-hard fan of the game and its rich history and traditions. Nathan graduated from Stanford University, where he held the coveted job of playing the gametime music at Sunken Diamond — Stanford’s baseball stadium. Nathan also holds a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, taught fourth grade in Atlanta through Teach for America, and practiced law with Perkins Coie LLP. Nathan is now CEO of Mammoth HR, a Collaborative HR company headquartered in Portland. He and his wife have three children, and many, many baseballs scattered around the house.
Jason Dailey (Treasurer) Jason Dailey has had a love of baseball since he could hold a glove and bat. He loved playing catch with his dad in the back yard, playing pick up games with friends at the playground, and played organized ball through high school. Jason really loved the strategy of the game and took a liking to coaching at a very young age. He coached his first team as a senior in high school and just loved that aspect of the game. Recently Jason has been a youth coach in West Linn and served 15 years on the West Linn Baseball Association. During those 15 years he held positions of President, Player Agent, and Treasurer. Professionally, Jason is the Chief Financial Officer of DeJarnett Sales, Inc (a food broker for Western Family Foods). Jason enjoys spending time with his spouse Sonya and two boys and enjoys golf and triathlons in his free time.
One of Scott Davis’ strongest baseball memories happened at Spring Training in Arizona in 1988. Times were different back then, as he hung over the roof of the dugout seeking the autograph of his idol, Will Clark. The boy next to him hollered “Hey Will, Can I have your autograph?” while Scott used “Mr. Clark” instead. Will signed his ball (and not the other boy), and cemented a value of respect for others that has stuck since. After playing local baseball through high school, Scott has more recently served as a Coach and League Board member for his children and put the spikes back on as a player in Portland’s “old man baseball league”. He leads Strategy and Planning for Manifesto, the creative agency who recently helped Friends of Baseball refresh its brand, and holds a Master’s in Business from the University of Oregon. He lives in SW Portland with his wife, Mary, and their two boys.
Dan Floyd (Secretary) was born and raised in Southeast Portland. He attended Portland Public Schools through 8th grade, and then attended Central Catholic High School. Dan played for Southeast Portland #1 Little League and Marshall Babe Ruth before playing three years of varsity baseball at Central Catholic. He later played at College of the Siskiyous, Clackamas Community College, and for Jerry Gatto at Lewis & Clark College. Dan has coached junior baseball in West Linn and Sellwood, and was named Head Baseball Coach at Central Catholic in 2011.
Dan is the former Chair of the Providence Portland Medical Foundation and is the current Vice-Chair of All Hands Raised (formerly Portland Schools Foundation). Professionally, Dan is the Chief Operating Officer of Hood To Coast / Portland To Coast Relays and the Better Series. Dan was recently married to Megan Danilson in October of 2013.
Drew Hagedorn (Board Member) is a life-long baseball fan. A native Oregonian, Drew comes from a baseball family. His grandfather played at Grant High School and then Willamette University and his father played at Albany Union High School and then briefly at Oregon State. Drew played second and short-stop through high school and his brother pitched for La Salle prep. Drew graduated from the University of Southern California and is now a partner at the Portland law firm Tonkon Torp where he chair’s the firm’s Government Affairs and Public Policy practice group. Drew’s hero is Vin Scully, the longtime radio play-by-play announce for his favorite team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He and his wife live in Lake Oswego where they root for the Dodgers from afar.
Jonathan Jwayad (Board Member) spent his formative years hustling around the base paths for Interstate Little League in North Portland. After receiving All City baseball honors at Benson High School, Jonathan continued his education at the University of Oregon where he played for the Club Baseball Team. During college, he, and three teammates, formed a youth baseball camp called Baseballism. The camp was a success and, in 2013, it was transformed into a lifestyle apparel brand inspired by America’s Pastime. Jonathan is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Baseballism Inc. and has been instrumental in the company’s rapid growth. Jonathan has been responsible for the launch of 8 retail locations around the country at such marquee locations as Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. Jonathan’s greatest pride comes from the fact that Baseballism’s success has allowed the business to donate more $500K in product and cash to baseball organizations, teams, and charities around the world. Jonathan lives in Portland with his wife, son and daughter. He spends his weekends coaching his son’s youth baseball team.
Cindy Nichol (Board Member) caught baseball fever from her mom, a die-hard Pirates fan who organized family events around when games were on. Cindy loved to go to games at Three Rivers Stadium, and thrilled to see classic players like Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Manny Sanguillen. Living in Boston, she couldn't help sharing in the Red Sox Nation's yearning to win a World Series That done, she lived in the Bay Area, where there was always a Giants or As game being played locally during baseball season — heaven! Cindy graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota, where she played intramural softball whenever the temperature was above 32 degrees. She also holds a Masters in African Studies from the University of London, and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University. Cindy is Chief Financial Officer at the Port of Portland, where she frequently uses baseball metaphors to encourage teamwork and continuous improvement.
Dave Stinson (Board Member) began his love of baseball by watching his older brothers play. Finally, at the ripe old age of 6 he was allowed to begin his playing “career” that continued into his late teens. During that time he played for Lynch Jr. Baseball of the Tri-county league, several summer league team through high school as his school did not have a baseball program, and finally on the University of Oregon club team during the dark days when they did not field an NCAA team. Dave reengaged his active obsession as a volunteer coach for his son's tee ball team, and every team thereafter. The coaching led to league Board involvement that culminated as President of Gresham Little League followed by President of Gresham Junior Baseball.
Dave studied Finance at the University of Oregon. Professionally, Dave is in the lumber industry working as the U.S. Mill Sales manager for Hampton Lumber. Hampton is a family-owned Oregon company that owns timberland in Oregon and Washington and manufacturing plants in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Dave enjoys spending time away from work with his wife Ginger and two kids, Jack and Miranda.
Emeritus Board
Keenan Longcor (Founder) wrapped up a very brief college experience, choosing instead to establish his own sales and marketing company. The company grew to encompass a five-state area in the Pacific Northwest, making it one of his industry’s largest sales agencies in the region. His successful business strategies became a springboard for his publication of INTERPERSONAL, A Sales And Management Letter, as well as his career as a management consultant.
“Of all my years in business, with all its many rewards, my fondest memories are not business related, but of being with my son on one of our baseball road trips. We were following his team, following our favorite professional team, all the while chasing the moment… and the conversations found through our shared love of the game.”
Rakeem Washington (Past Board Member) is a Portland native and former Peninsula Little Leaguer. Baseball was cherished in his family—his father was a long-time coach and is in the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame. His mother kept score for hundreds of little league and high school games while also fueling dozens of his teammates every weekend with an innumerable amount of pancakes. As a child, he and his siblings and cousins spent summers playing Wiffle ball in numerous Concordia neighborhood backyards. After lettering for four years at Benson High School, Rakeem played for two years at the College of the Redwoods followed by two more years at Pacific University. His connection continued as a coach for several summers, most recently in 2013 with Roosevelt High School.
Rakeem is a 2008 graduate of Lewis and Clark Law School and practiced as a juvenile delinquency and child welfare attorney for several years before taking a position with Portland Public Schools working on equity issues in school discipline. He is currently working in the child welfare arena with the Oregon Judicial Department and is also teaching in the University Studies Department at Portland State University. He continues his support of the community as the Executive Director of the Portland Observer Newspaper, the longest running minority publication on the west coast.
Keenan Longcor (Founder) wrapped up a very brief college experience, choosing instead to establish his own sales and marketing company. The company grew to encompass a five-state area in the Pacific Northwest, making it one of his industry’s largest sales agencies in the region. His successful business strategies became a springboard for his publication of INTERPERSONAL, A Sales And Management Letter, as well as his career as a management consultant.
“Of all my years in business, with all its many rewards, my fondest memories are not business related, but of being with my son on one of our baseball road trips. We were following his team, following our favorite professional team, all the while chasing the moment… and the conversations found through our shared love of the game.”
Rakeem Washington (Past Board Member) is a Portland native and former Peninsula Little Leaguer. Baseball was cherished in his family—his father was a long-time coach and is in the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame. His mother kept score for hundreds of little league and high school games while also fueling dozens of his teammates every weekend with an innumerable amount of pancakes. As a child, he and his siblings and cousins spent summers playing Wiffle ball in numerous Concordia neighborhood backyards. After lettering for four years at Benson High School, Rakeem played for two years at the College of the Redwoods followed by two more years at Pacific University. His connection continued as a coach for several summers, most recently in 2013 with Roosevelt High School.
Rakeem is a 2008 graduate of Lewis and Clark Law School and practiced as a juvenile delinquency and child welfare attorney for several years before taking a position with Portland Public Schools working on equity issues in school discipline. He is currently working in the child welfare arena with the Oregon Judicial Department and is also teaching in the University Studies Department at Portland State University. He continues his support of the community as the Executive Director of the Portland Observer Newspaper, the longest running minority publication on the west coast.
Advisory Board
Sally Longcor wore many hats as she enjoyed careers in the fields of public education, international trading and, most recently, as an executive administrator for a northwest Sales and Marketing Company. But there is only one hat, and one field, that has captured her heart for life.
“My great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and stepfather were all wildly enthusiastic about baseball, so my ardent passion for the game is generations old. To those who say I’m a Baseball Maniac, I say, “Thank you for the compliment.”
Drew Mahalic is the immediate past CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority, a nonprofit organization that brings world-class sports events and sports franchises to Oregon. He is a five-year veteran of the National Football League with the Eagles, and was a three-year starting linebacker for Notre Dame. He is the first NFL veteran to graduate from Harvard Law School, and has produced a handbook on sportsmanship for youth.
“Though I played professional football, it was youth baseball that was my first love, and remains so today. I constantly review baseball statistics, and am the proud owner of a modest baseball card collection. I often agree with Babe Ruth’s words in his farewell speech at Yankee Stadium when he said, “The only real game, I think in the world, is baseball.”
Dave Gasser (High School Coach)
Dave Gasser’s coaching career spans nearly 4 decades. His varsity coaching record in Oregon is the winningest in Oregon baseball history, including five state champions at three different schools, 18 league champions and twelve state “final four” appearances. Dave has been a long-time educator which guides his baseball philosophy. He has provided expert and inspirational instruction at several of our Annual Coaches Clinics and the inaugural Full Count program in 2015, for which he helped develop curriculum.
Sally Longcor wore many hats as she enjoyed careers in the fields of public education, international trading and, most recently, as an executive administrator for a northwest Sales and Marketing Company. But there is only one hat, and one field, that has captured her heart for life.
“My great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and stepfather were all wildly enthusiastic about baseball, so my ardent passion for the game is generations old. To those who say I’m a Baseball Maniac, I say, “Thank you for the compliment.”
Drew Mahalic is the immediate past CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority, a nonprofit organization that brings world-class sports events and sports franchises to Oregon. He is a five-year veteran of the National Football League with the Eagles, and was a three-year starting linebacker for Notre Dame. He is the first NFL veteran to graduate from Harvard Law School, and has produced a handbook on sportsmanship for youth.
“Though I played professional football, it was youth baseball that was my first love, and remains so today. I constantly review baseball statistics, and am the proud owner of a modest baseball card collection. I often agree with Babe Ruth’s words in his farewell speech at Yankee Stadium when he said, “The only real game, I think in the world, is baseball.”
Dave Gasser (High School Coach)
Dave Gasser’s coaching career spans nearly 4 decades. His varsity coaching record in Oregon is the winningest in Oregon baseball history, including five state champions at three different schools, 18 league champions and twelve state “final four” appearances. Dave has been a long-time educator which guides his baseball philosophy. He has provided expert and inspirational instruction at several of our Annual Coaches Clinics and the inaugural Full Count program in 2015, for which he helped develop curriculum.