Head Coach Jack Hodges 39th Season as Head Caoch 19th at Saddleback

Coach Hodges enters his 19th season as the Gauchos' head coach and his 39th season overall as a coach in Southern California. He enters this 39th season with an overall record of 809-426-6, and in his 18 seasons with the Gauchos, he has an overall record of 469-266-4.

Born and raised in the Hawaiian islands, Coach Hodges prepped at Kamehameha High School on the island of Oahu. He lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He received a full academic-athletic scholarship to Stanford University where he majored in Journalism and minored in English. He played football and baseball for the then Indians (now the Cardinal). After graduation from Stanford, Coach Hodges played two seasons for the Kansas City Royals. It was during this brief stint that he decided he would like to join the coaching ranks.

Professor Hodges teaches golf, tennis, spinning, weightlifting, conditioning, and The Mental Side of Sports at Saddleback.

Coach Hodges lives in Monarch Beach with his wife Stephanie. They have two daughters, Jackie and Cindi, two sons-in-law, Mike and Todd, and four grandchildren, Lily, Makena, Eric, and Hunter.

Assistant Coach Sommer McCartney Season at Saddleback

Coach Sommer McCartney returns for his 6th season at Saddleback
College and his second as a full time instructor and assistant coach. He teaches Health and Kinesiology at Saddleback. From 2001 through 2005, he was the head coach at Aliso Niguel High School where he won back to back Seaview League Championships.

Sommer is originally from San Jose and played football, soccer and baseball at Willow Glen High School. After high school he went to San Jose City College and played for coach Barry Woodhead. He transferred to UC Riverside and played for coach Jack Smitheran. In 1994, they went to the DII College World Series in Montgomery, Alabama. Sommer signed with the Florida Marlins as a catcher in 1994 and played until 1997.

Sommer and his wife Kris have two daughters Annika and Briana and live in Ladera Ranch.

5Assistant Coach John Marino th season at Saddleback

Coach John is in his 6th season working with the Saddleback outfielders. He also handles most all of the team's batting practice, working tirelessly each day throwing B.P. to the hitters.

John is continuing a lifelong love of the game with his work at Saddleback. He played both football and baseball at Rosemead High School in Rosemead, CA. He then continued his career at Rio Hondo college as part of the college's first class of students. He played baseball for his base team while serving in the Navy in Hawaii. He also did a tour of duty in Vietnam. After the war, he played semi-professionally for the Pasadena Yankees. He tried out with the San Diego Padres but was one of the last cut that day. He has coached at every level of baseball from Little League through American Legion. He also assisted at Upland High School. John retired from UPS after 35 years.

John and his wife Penney (an instructor at Chaffey College) live in Laguna Beach. They have two adult sons, Johnny and Adam.

Assistant Coach Clayton Carson 2nd Season at Saddleback

Coach Carson begins his second season at Saddleback as an assistant working with the infielders and hitters.

Clayton was the starting shortstop at Saddleback on the 2004 State Championship team. He was one of the leading hitters, batting a lofty .370. He was named All Orange Empire Conference that year. Clayton continued his career at San Diego State the following year and was the starting shortstop until a back injury and surgery ended his playing days.

In High School., Clayton was an all league baseball player at Yucaipa High School in Yucaipa, CA. He received a scholarship to BYU after graduating from Yucaipa, but the first of two back surgeries limited his playing time and he returned after one season to play for the Gauchos.

Clayton has one brother, Matt, playing in the Yankee organization. His brother Kyle is a shortstop at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Assistant Paul Wilson 1st Season at Saddleback

Paul is in his first year with the Saddleback staff, although he is no stranger to Gaucho Baseball.  He helped lead the Gauchos to the State Championship, as a player, in 2004.  Hit .365 that year with eight home runs and 50 RBIs.  Hit the game winning home run vs. Cypress College in that title game.

Paul graduated from Paloma High School in 2001.  Played at Saddleback in '03 and '04.  Played at Cal State Northridge in '05 and '06.  Graduated with a degree in Kinesiology.

Currently playing Professional Independent Baseball with the Reno Silver Sox.  Played last summer with the New York Oneida Barge Bucs and the Chico Outlaws (Golden State League champions).

Assistant Coach Geoff Fox 2nd Season at Saddleback

Raised in Seattle and Phoenix areas. Graduate of Mesquite High School where he led the conference in batting average, homeruns, and RBI's as a senior. Named to the Arizona State All-Conference first team the same year. Played community college baseball at South Mountain CC where he was named Freshman Player of the year in the ACCAC (Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) and set a school record 33-game hitting streak. Transfered to Mesa State College after his sophomore year and finished his playing career there.

In his second season at Saddleback working with the infielders and hitters. Coached one year at Palm Desert High School in the greater Palm Springs area, where he was an assistant and helped guide the Aztecs to their 4th straight DVL conference championship.

Currently working on his master's in Health and Human Performance at Fort Hays State University. Lives in Laguna Niguel with his wife, Val.