Hometown- Hamilton,OH                                                                                                  
Position- Head Coach
Birthdate- 3/17/56
Experience- 11th Season
Alma Mater- Talawanda High School
Graduated- June 1974

Darrel Grissom is the current Head Coach and Coordinator of Baseball Operations for the Miami University Hamilton Harriers.  Coach Grissom is entering his 11th season leading the Harriers. Under Grissom's guidance, MUH has won nine out of ten conference championships and has averaged more than 29 wins a year bringing success and stability on a year in and year out basis. During Coach Grissom's coaching career, he has compiled a record of 265 wins to only 114 losses over nine full seasons as Head Coach. Through Grissom’s nine years at the helm, the Harriers have become one of the most dominant collegiate baseball teams in the state of Ohio.

Coach Grissom has also been very active in the summer, coaching Cincinnati Morgenroth, which won both regional and state championships between the years of 1996-1998. In 1998, Grissom led Cincinnati Morgenroth to the Dizzy Dean World Series Championship. Also to Grissom’s credit, Morgenroth placed 2nd in 2003, 2004, and 2005 at the Hap Dumont World Series. Other accomplishments include: 3rd place at the CABA Gold World Series in 2006, 1st place finishes at the USA All-Star World Series in the 17 and 18 year old divisions in 2007, and a 5th place finish at the Premier World Series one of the top World Series events in the nation. Grissom has also had the pleasure of coaching Diamond Baseball Academy in 2001 and coaching Team Ohio in 2006 and 2007.

In 2009, Grissom is turning a new page in his summer coaching career. Darrel is taking the head coaching and co-founder responsibilities of the Hamilton Joes a collegiate team in the Great Lakes Summer League. Grissom will have the opportunity of working with fine athletes from various different levels of college baseball. The majority of his players played their high school and summer baseball in the greater Cincinnati area giving the Joes a hometown following and feel.

Off the field, Darrel is married to his loving wife Jill of 34 years and has three children Amy Baker, Niki Hudson, and Adam who is also on the coaching staff at Miami University Hamilton. Darrel also has six lovely grandchildren that love to call him “paw paw”.

For information about the Miami University Hamilton Harriers, contact Darrel Grissom at (513) 863-0786 or darrelgrissom@fuse.net.                                                                 

Hometown- Austin, TX
Position- Assistant Coach / Pitching Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
Birthdate- 11/29/1975
Experience- 7th Season
Alma Mater- Mt. Saint Joseph / Xavier University
Graduated- May 2000 / August 2007

Coach Pete Chavarria is entering his seventh season with the Harriers.  During Chavarria’s tenure at Miami University Hamilton, the Harrier’s program has continued to grow through his efforts off the field, as well as on it. Coach Pete Chavarria’s main responsibilities are as pitching coach, recruiting coordinator, and study table advisor.

Coach Pete Chavarria brings with him a multitude of previous coaching successes and experience. In the high school ranks Coach Chavarria has made several stops

including: Aiken High School 1997-1998, Woodward High School 1999-2000, Head Freshman Coach at Colerain High School in 2001, and the Cincinnati High School Fall League.  In the college ranks Coach Pete Chavarria has coached for the Cincinnati Nighthawks College Summer Program, Cheviot Baseball, and the Cincinnati Stars. Through Coach Chavarria’s coaching experiences, he has amassed a record of 353 wins to 229 losses.  As a head coach, Chavarria has a record of 206 wins to 121 losses.

Starting in the summer of 2009, Coach Pete Chavarria will be assisting Coach Darrel Grissom with the Hamilton Joes, a new addition into the Great Lakes Summer League, one of the top collegiate leagues in the nation.  Coach Chavarria is in charge of the pitchers this summer as well as the recruiting coordinator for the summer program as well.

Pete is a graduate of the College of Mount Saint Joseph, with a B.A. in Physical Education and Health Education. Pete Chavarria also has a minor in Sociology. In August of 2007, Chavarria received his Master’s Degree from Xavier University in Sports Administration in Education. Pete is married to his beautiful wife Jennifer and has two children Diego (3) and Sophia (1). Pete’s family resides in Finneytown.

Hometown- Hamilton,Oh

Position- Assistant Coach/Hitting/Position

Birthdate- 9/27/81

Experience- 6th Season

Alma Mater- Miami University

Graduated- August 2006

Coach Adam Grissom is in his 6th season with the Miami University Hamilton Harriers. Grissom brings with him much experience gained while playing at the collegiate level as well at the high school level. Coach Grissom works primarily with the hitters, catchers, and position players.

Grissom was a great hitter at the collegiate level as well as the high school level during his playing career. Coach Grissom played high school baseball at Hamilton High School having a stellar career garnering 1st Team All Conference Honors three straight years while playing on a team that was ranked nationally by USA Today. After his high school days, Grissom went and played at Elon University, NC where he learned valuable coaching and playing experiences. Grissom played two more years at MUH following his time at Elon, where he collected All Conference honors twice, Co – MVP honors for the Harriers two years in a row and led his team to their best record in school history at 38 wins and 12 losses. Other honors comprise of winning two national championships in summer baseball and competing in the Little League World Series in 1993 as an eleven year old.

Grissom started coaching at MUH in 2004 after finishing up his playing career with the Harriers. Through his six years of coaching with the Harriers, he has helped to enhance the overall strength of the program on the field as well as off it. Under Grissom’s guidance, MUH defensive percentage has improved every year and last years team hit a robust .367 setting a school record. Other players setting school records under the tutelage Grissom include: Josh Baird, Doubles (23) (2006), HR’s (10) (2005) – Curtis Blank, Average .426, Triples (13), RBI (54), .801 Slugging PCT., all in (2008).

Grissom is also apart of the Ohio Heat summer baseball program where he is the Head Coach of the 17U team. Adam is in his 3rd year with the program where he helps mold young players into what it takes to play at the next level.

Adam earned his degree in Bachelor of Science in Education while majoring in Integrated Social Studies in 2006 from Miami University. Adam is engaged to his fiancée Carrie Hilton and plans to be married in the fall of 2009. Grissom also has a lovely daughter Kara, who is now three.  

To contact Adam, please email, adamgrissom@fuse.net    

Hometown: Colerain, OH

Position: Assistant Pitching Coach/ Recruitment Coordinator

Birthdate: 3/15/82

Experience: 3rd Season

Alma Mater: The College of Mount Saint Joseph

Graduated: May 2005

Ryan “Dez” Desjardins joins the Harriers’ coaching staff for his second season. Dez graduated from The College of Mount Saint Joseph in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. His responsibilities will include assisting with the Harriers’ pitching staff as well as recruitment coordinator. He was a four-year starting pitcher for the Mount and will bring game experience and first-hand knowledge to help the pitching staff.

During Dez’s four years as a pitcher his primary role was that of a conference starter. His overall record was 23-8 and holds the Mount’s all-time career winning record as well as earning top rankings in complete games pitched (17), shutouts (2), strikeouts (139), innings pitched (213.1), and appearances (41). During his career he was named First Team All-Conference, Third Team All-Conference, and Third Team All-Region, as well as the team captain for the pitching staff. Other career highlights include being apart of the Heartland Colligate Atheltic Conference Championship team in 2003 as well as wins against nationally ranked teams.

Coach Dez’s coaching career consists of three years of junior varsity level experience at his Alma Mater Colerain High School, where he helped lead his team to back-to-back GMC Conference Championships. During the summer he has been apart of the Cheviot Patriots Semi-Pro baseball team as both a player and a coach, coaching colligate athletes from all over the United States. In the summer of 2009 he will be in charge of the pitchers for the Ohio Heat 18+ Organization

A 2000 Colerain High School graduate, Dez now resides in Colerain Township. He is a Full-Time substitute teacher in the Northwest Local School District and is currently obtaining his Masters in Education.

Contact Information: RDesjardins36@live.com  (513) 484-0830