Front Royal Cardinals Welcome New Coaching Staff for 2019
The Front Royal Cardinals are thrilled to announce Tony Hurla as their Head Coach for his first season in 2019. He was recently named Head Coach at Kansas Christian College, where he will be building a baseball program at the college for the first time in their history. Before joining the KCC Falcons, he was the Associate Head Coach and Sports Information Director at the University of Saint Mary for seven years. While there, he served in several roles including directing recruiting, and coaching hitters, baserunners, outfielders and catchers. Prior to coaching at Saint Mary, Hurla was a Graduate Assistant Baseball Coach at Ottawa University, where he was instrumental in leading the Braves to a 2010 KCAC Championship.
Coach Hurla has recruited/coached one NAIA All-American and 35 all-conference award winners, seven of which were first team. He has also coached nine players who earned gold glove awards.
As a player at Ottawa, Hurla was a starter on the 2006 KCAC Championship team and upon graduation, ranked in the top 10 in hits, at bats, doubles, triples, runs, runs batted in, walks and sacrifices. He was an All-Conference selection twice. He then played one season professionally in the Baseball Bundesliga for the Dohren Wild Farmers in Germany, where he served as a coach and player as well as teaching baseball to kids at local elementary schools. Hurla led the Wild Farmers to their first berth in the top German League in program history and the junior team won the German National Championship.
Hurla is from Kansas City. He is married to Anne Hurla and has one son, Anthony. He is looking forward to the challenge of playing in the Valley Baseball League, and the opportunities it presents for players to grow and develop. Asked about this summer, Coach Hurla said, “I’m excited to have the chance to lead a team in the Valley League that offers such a high level of play and to be a part of a great organization like the Front Royal Cardinals. We will bring a competitive mindset every day. We have a talented team and how we execute situationally will be a large component in our success.”
Coach Hurla will be assisted by Coach Mark Vaughn, a native of Salina, KS, who is currently the Graduate Assistant for the Arkansas Tech University baseball team. Coach Vaughn also played baseball at Arkansas Tech University, where he earned All-Great American Conference Honors and Great American Conference Player of the week twice during his career. He played for the Morehead City Marlins in the CPL (Coastal Plain League) in the summer of 2016.
Coach Vaughn’s coaching experience includes the Sho-Me Baseball Camp in Reed Springs, MO, and the Russellville Pirates American Legion, where he led teams to the State Tournament in 2018.
Coach Vaughn graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Health/PE Wellness and Fitness, and is currently finishing Masters of Science in College Student Personnel.
The Front Royal Cardinals look forward to a warm welcome to the VBL for Coach Hurla and Coach Vaughn.