Former pitching coach at Holy Names University and current pitching coach of the Austrian National Team
Name: Adam Koontz
Height: 6'3"cm
Weight: 190 lbskg
DOB: November 12, 1988
Date Available: May 1st, 2019
Bats: R
Throws: R
Positions: Coach, SP, RP
Positions (alt): 1B, 3B, RF
College: Menlo College
Personal
By BBJO staff; Jimmy Jensen
Adam Koontz is currently the pitching coach for Holy Names University in Oakland, California. HNU is a new baseball program that competes in the NCAA DII PacWest Conference, one of the top DII conferences on the West Coast. Adam has been coaching there for the past four years and has accomplished quite a bit. This past season Adam led the HNU pitching staff to #3 in the PacWest. He had four pitchers among the league leaders in ERA and two win All-PacWest honors. He created his own pitching program centered around arm care and velocity improvement. This year he had five pitchers gain an average of 3 mph in just a three month span. He would be a great coach to young European players (especially pitchers) looking to take their game to the next level.
I know Adam personally and have no problem recommending him in the highest regard. I can attest to his character, his work ethic, and his professionalism. He is a very dedicated individual who works hard at whatever he does and is committed to all of his players. He does everything he can to help his team become not only better players, but better people off of the field. Adam is a great motivator and is well respected by his peers. According to HNU’s former infield coach, Johnny Gouveia, “Adam Koontz is the kind of coach who arrives early and stays late. He never gets tired of coaching and seems to have unlimited energy. He believes in his players and strives to get each to reach their full potential. He is extremely knowledgeable, while still having the desire to learn more.”
Adam would be a great addition to any club overseas in need of a coach. He has an uncanny ability to connect with his players and push them to the next level. When asked about his coaching philosophy, Adam responded with this:
I believe in Mastery and Toughness. Mastery is the relentless pursuit of getting better everyday. It’s not believing that you are “good enough” and always knowing that you are capable of getting better, no matter how small or insignificant the improvement may seem on the surface. When the goal is to get better daily, all of the players will have something they can buy into, from top to bottom. And when you concentrate on getting better, great results are bi-products of what you do. Success becomes inevitable.
Toughness is being comfortable in uncomfortable situations. It is bending, but never breaking. Baseball is cruel, unforgiving and stressful. Players need to be prepared for the stress and rigors that the game demands. A coaches responsibility is to push their players to their potential, whether they like it or not, and to make sure that when they are faced with challenges and adversity they will stare it in the face and continue to charge forward.
Coaching Achievements
- Led a brand new baseball program’s pitching staff to #3 in the PacWest Conference in year 3 of our programs existence
- Had 4 players in the top 10 in the conference in ERA
- Had 2 players obtain All-PacWest honors
- Had 5 players gain an average of 3 MPH during a 3 month span
Playing Achievements/Articles
Playing Experience
Coaching Experience
| YEAR | ROLE | ORGANIZATION | LEAGUE/DIVISION | DETAILS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-Current | Pitching Coach | Austrian National Team | International | |
| 2017-Current | Head Coach | Wr. Neustadt Diving Ducks | Baseball League Austria | |
| 2012-2016 | Pitching Coach | Holy Names University | NCAA DII: PacWest Conference |
Stats
Pro/Overseas Batting
| Years | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Wiener Neustadt Diving Ducks | 15 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | o | o | .455 | .625 | .636 |
| 2019 (Current Season) | Wiener Neustadt Diving Ducks | 14 | 31 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .323 | .560 | .425 |
Pro/Overseas Pitching
| Year | Team | ERA | GS | CG | IP | H | SO | BB | HBP | R | ER | Wins | Losses | SV | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 (Current Season) | Wiener Neustadt Diving Ducks | 4.34 | 0 | 0 | 18.2 | 20 | 24 | 14 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.82 |
| 2018 | Wiener Neustadt Diving Ducks | 2.08 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 21 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.07 |
Testimonials
I met Adam 2 years ago when I began a coaching at Holy Names University. From the first day I met Adam he began to help me as a coach. Adam puts hours upon hours into his coaching craft and is always researching and reading on new material to better himself as a coach and to better his players. Adam has a great ability to lead a group and to present material in a professional manner. He is organized in his work and strives for greatness when on and off the field. Adam loves to compete and through many conversations I can confidently say that Adam's full interest is the
betterment of his players as athletes and as people.
On the field Adam was our pitching coach, and was always well organized with a structured plan. His skill as a coach was a determining factor in our teams success. Adam's players had a great level of respect for him and their performance showed that they had been coached well and were prepared. Adam's knowledge of the game is one that I highly respect and know is beneficial for any athlete to gain from. Any organization will be doing themselves a favor by selecting Adam to come aboard as a coach.
I have coached with him for the past three years at Holy Names University and because he is such a good guy off the field we have become good friends (sharing knowledge and staying in touch). He is a great character guy, with an outgoing personality, and a strong desire to do his best at everything he does.
Adam Koontz is the kind of coach who arrives early and stays late. He never gets tired of coaching and seems to have unlimited energy. He believes in his players and strives to get each to reach their full potential. He is extremely knowledgeable, while still having the desire to learn more.
The players treated Adam with respect and gave him their full effort. He is able to reach them on a personal level and tailor his coaching to whatever is best for that individual player. I remember him staying late after practices with whomever wanted to put in the extra time. Whether it was our #1 pitcher, or a redshirt freshman.
Adam Koontz would be a great addition to any baseball program. I know that Adam will be successful wherever he decides to coach because of his character, work ethic, baseball knowledge.