VARSITY TEAM COACHES

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Varsity Head Coach

Coach Embrey started the Del Norte baseball program when the school opened in 2009 and now begins his 10th year leading the team. A local product, he graduated from Poway High School in 2000, where he was a 2-sport athlete, earning 3 varsity letters in both basketball and baseball. He earned All-League, All-North County Conference, and ALL-CIF accolades in both sports.

For college, Coach Embrey attended San Diego State University, where he earned a degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Education in 2004. At SDSU he played 4 years of baseball, getting the chance to play for two Hall of Fame coaches in Jim Dietz and Tony Gwynn. During his time as an Aztec, Coach Embrey earned awards for both Most Improved Player (junior year) and Team MVP (senior year). He was also recognized 7 times as a Malik Award winner, honoring the male student-athlete with the highest GPA on campus. During his senior year, Coach Embrey earned First-Team All-Mountain West Conference honors and was recognized as a First-Team Academic All-American.

Following college, Coach Embrey got drafted by the San Diego Padres and had a short minor league career that ultimately ended following a couple of wrist surgeries.

Prior to starting the Nighthawk program, Coach Embrey spent time as an assistant coach at Scripps Ranch HS, Westview HS, and Rancho Bernardo HS. In 2013, he earned his master’s degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine. Currently, he’s a teacher in the Exercise and Nutritional Science department at Del Norte, teaching Health and P.E. classes. He lives in 4S Ranch with his wife and 3 young kids. In his free time, Coach Embrey is an avid reader and fly-fisherman. 

Varsity Assistant Coach

Coach Gusich is in his 8th season working with the Del Norte baseball program, currently serving as the assistant varsity baseball coach. His areas of focus are 1st base coach, assistant to the head coach, co-hitting instructor, lead outfield instructor, lead base running instructor, and youth camp and program coordinator.

He was raised in Glendale, Arizona, where he succeeded as a dual-sport varsity athlete in baseball/basketball at Deer Valley High School, earning a 1st Team All-Desert Valley Region selection as an outfielder in 1996. After high school, he took his love for the game of baseball to the next level, beginning his collegiate career at Missouri Valley College (NAIA 96-98). Coach Gusich later transferred to Colorado Mesa University (CMU) in the fall of 1998. As an outfielder at CMU, he was part of 2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships (1999, 2001).

Following graduation in 2001, Coach Gusich joined the CMU coaching staff from 2001-02 through 2003-04. During his assistant coaching tenure at CMU, he served the Mavericks as lead outfield coach, assistant hitting instructor, and assistant to the head coach.

Following the 03-04 campaign, Coach Gusich turned to a different aspect of the game and became an umpiring official. Mentored by some of the top NCAA umpires and rules coordinators, he quickly became a top-quality high school umpire. After 2 seasons in the HS ranks, Coach Gusich began to umpire within the Community/Junior College Scenic West Athletic Conference and was affiliated with the Mountain West Athletic Conference. He also began to umpire NCAA Division II non-conference affiliated games.

Coach Gusich moved to San Diego in 2011 with his wife and 2 sons, where he quickly made an impact within the 4S Ranch community as a teacher and coach at Del Norte along with his volunteerism within the 4S Ranch Little League.

Varsity Assistant Coach—Infield and Hitting Coach

 Coach Decker is a former professional baseball player. He played his collegiate days at San Diego State (SDSU) under Hall of Fame player/coach Tony Gwynn.

After his playing career, he found his true calling: coaching. He has been coaching baseball for over 12 years, from 5-year-olds to college athletes. As an assistant coach, Brandon won a WCC championship at the University of San Diego and an MWC championship at San Diego State University. Currently, he is in his 9th season as a Varsity assistant coach at Del Norte High School.

He owns and operates the Trosky Force Travel Baseball program (ages 7U-18U) located in the area. Also owns an indoor training facility with batting cages, called The Upper Deck Training Facility, located in Scripps Ranch (we will utilize this to get hitting practice in for the boys). His passion for kids and youth in the area is unmatched, and we are excited to share his expertise with all these amazing boys.

Varsity Assistant Coach—Pitching Coach

Coach Benson was the #1 overall pick in the 1996 Major League Baseball amateur draft out of Clemson University. Prior to that, he was the Gatorade State High School Player of the Year in Georgia and USA Today First-Team All-American. At Clemson University, Kris played summer ball in the Cape Cod League, went to the College World Series twice, was named consensus College Player-of-the-Year, and was the Dick Howser Trophy award winner, baseball's equivalent to football's Heisman award, prior to winning the Olympic bronze medal in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. He was a Top 50 Male Athlete selection for the Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary and inducted into the Clemson University Hall of Fame and South Carolina Amateur Hall of Fame.

After his amateur career, he made his major league debut on April 9, 1999, and went on to spend 13 professional seasons

with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies,

Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks—10+ years of service in the Major Leagues.

While with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kris received the Roberto Clemente Award, as well as the Thurman Munson Award and Joan Payson Humanitarian Award for continual community and overall philanthropic work while as a member of the New York Mets.

Coach Benson spends his free time with his wife, two children, and three stepchildren. This is Coach Benson's second season as the full-time Varsity Assistant Coach—Pitching Coach at Del Norte High School. 

Junior Varsity Head Coach

John Kennedy, Jr. was born and raised in San Diego.  Baseball has been a huge part of his family life since he was just five years old.  His father coached John and his younger brother throughout their youth and the two were practically raised on the little league fields.  John and his brother both played varsity high school baseball as starters and went on to play for local community colleges in the late 90s.

John was permanently injured during a tryout for the Cincinnati Reds, but his passion and love of the game never wavered.  His younger brother went on to pitch for several teams in the major leagues.  John has played first base since he was thirteen years old and loves to share his passion for the position.  He believes he has a lot to teach kids about the physical and mental aspects of America's pastime. John teaches not only the basics but also advanced techniques to excel at this awesome game.​

Coach Kennedy has been coaching now for over the last 10 years. He has coached at all three levels in high school baseball; one year as a Freshman Head Coach, one year as a Varsity Assistant, and three years as a Junior Varsity Head Coach. 

Junior Varsity Assistant Coach

and Program Coaching Coordinator

Coach Morrison is in his 6th season working with the Del Norte baseball program, currently serving as the assistant junior varsity baseball coach and program coaching coordinator. This is his 20th year coaching Poway Unified high school baseball programs.

He was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts and excelled as a Brockton High School Varsity Player in 1992 and 1993, where he decided to continue his playing career at the collegiate level.  In 1994-1995, he attended Massasoit College for 2 years where he helped his team to a 1994 New England Division 1 NJCAA runner-up and then to a 1995 New England Division 1 NJCAA Championship and NJCAA Division 1 World Series Final Four. He then transferred to Bridgewater State University in 1996-1997 were his team was the Mid-Atlantic Region Champions and NCAA Division 3 World Series appearance. He earned a duel-degree in Education and Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Education and Coaching.

Following college, Coach Morrison joined the BSU coaching staff as a coaching intern and then as an Assistant JV coach. During that time, he played semi-professional baseball in the Southern New England League (Rockland Cardinals Organization) in 1998 and 1999.

He is currently in his 22nd year teaching in Poway Unified at the Middle School level.  He resides in 4SRanch with his wife Cindy and their three children. In his spare time he volunteers as a 4SRLL Player Agent on the Little League Board of Directors and enjoys camping.

Frosh Head Coach

Mark's baseball life started in San Diego, where he played Little League and then high school baseball. After high school, he attended UC Santa Barbara and focused on academics, and graduated with a degree in Nuclear Engineering. Yes, he likes physics, which is very useful in terms of teaching and understanding baseball.

After college, he returned to San Diego and started playing again in 18+ baseball leagues and got involved in baseball operations helping run the SDABL for over a decade. On the field, he discovered his love of pitching which has become his primary position after playing catcher for most of his youth years. He has managed and played for countless teams, and has led teams to championships in five different divisions.  He currently plays for the Black Sox, who participate in the National Adult Baseball Association World Series in Phoenix each October.  Mark believes that continuing to play the game he loves helps him teach it to the kids he coaches, and staying in baseball shape allows him to demonstrate what he teaches.

He has had the privilege of coaching Little League (8 yrs), All Stars (5) and High School (2) baseball. In 2016, he managed the 4SRLL 10U team which won the District 31 and Section 6 championships. He has also coached and managed in multiple travel ball organizations in the San Diego area, and learned a lot during those experiences.
Coach Mark was drawn to the idea that the world of travel baseball needed to do more on behalf of players and families, and do it in an innovative, positive way. In 2016, he took the leap and resigned from his job as a tech entrepreneur --- starting the San Diego Hawks --- which is now the largest travel ball organization in San Diego. Mark has also started / launched other baseball services to support the larger San Diego Baseball community : San Diego Baseball Alliance (2019), The Nest Baseball Academy (2022) and is a Tournament Director for NCS.

Mark has been involved in high school baseball for the last 8 years, and is currently the head baseball coach for the Del Norte Nighthawks Freshman team.