Coaches

Greg Raho - Sports Director


Coach Raho is well known throughout Rockland County as a 5 time All-Stars coach in New City Little League, where he built the New City Pirates into a Little League dynasty. Coach Raho brought his Pirates team to the Journal News "Tournament of Champions" twice. Greg is a very popular name in the local baseball community and is widely recognized as one of the premier coaches of children ages 5-12. Coach Raho works extremely well with younger kids, with over seventeen (17) years of coaching experience at all age levels, including several elite travel teams. His soft spoken, positive reinforcement way of dealing with youngsters, makes learning baseball fun and exciting.

Greg is in Director of the "1st to Home" Sports Enrichment program at The Sports Place, in which children ages 5-8, through interactive drills and simulations are taught how to play the game of baseball as they prepare to start their T-Ball and Little League careers.   Greg is also the Open Gym Coordinator and is responsible for the Friday Night Open Gym where upwards of 100 kids are watched by his careful eye. Coach Raho is TSP's Camp Director and oversees all of the mini and summer TSP camp offerings.

At The Sports Place, Greg gives individual and group lessons daily, along with running numerous Fielding, Hitting and General Baseball Clinics for "New Players".   Coach Greg has in-depth experience as a baseball camp director and his skills and techniques have been instrumental in the development programs at New City Little League.  He is available as a batting practice pitcher for team practices to help you get the most out of your limited team time.  Coach Raho also serves as the TSP Party Coordinator and runs a majority of the most fun and exciting parties you'll ever experience.


Joe Ruback: 'The Hit Doc' & 'License Plate Guy'

Known for years throughout Rockland County, Westchester and Bergen County as the famous "HIT DOCTOR", Joe was a standout player at Spring Valley High School before entering the University of Western Connecticut.  Playing just one year with the Colonials, Ruback earned "Player of the Year" honors after leading his team in both average and stolen bases.  Ruback went on to the State university of Cobleskill where he led the Tigers to their first playoff appearance while leading the team in seven different offensive categories: Runs Scored (25), Hits (42), Batting Average (.492), Doubles (18), Triples (6), Home Runs (10) and Stolen Bases (19).  Ruback was named "Player of the Year" in his conference and also was named first team all-star NJCAA.  As the MVP, he was also named Defensive and Offensive "Player of the Year" and was the first player in Cobleskill college history to ever win the Triple Crown.

Upon earning his Physical Education degree at Cortland State University, Ruback went on to teach at his alma mater.   His coaching achievements include becoming the youngest head football coach in Section 1AA history and leading the S.V. Tigers to their first ever Section 1 Championship and the School's first ever victory in the Eastern Regional playoffs taking the team to the state's semi final football game.  This feat earned him "Coach of the Year" honors in New York State and the New York football Giants named him football coach of the week in 1997. He moved on to become the Athletic Director of the JCC and led a 15 and 16 year-old Rockland baseball team to a Bronze medal victory in the Maccabi games in Miami Florida.  Ruback continued to show his love for the game and children initiating a baseball/softball program at Reuben Gittleman Day School and introduced a new program at the school, starting a league for all nonpublic schools called the "Rockland County Interscholastic League."

Joe's "Hit Doctor" program incorporates the vast knowledge he learned from the great Charley Lau SR., along with his own baseball vision.  Ruback teaches both Charley Lau and Ted Williams style hitting.   He continues to work with All-star teams around the county and runs the minor league clinics for all of New City Little League. In addition to teaching Hitting, Pitching and positional play Ruback insists a good training exercise and sports specific training will enhance any young athlete to better reach their goals.  Ruback continues to strive for excellence in instruction of Hitting.

Casey McGowan - Windmill Pitching
Casey began her all-star career locally, pitching for Tappan Zee High School and Rockland Community College where she pitched in every game for several seasons...all with an overall ERA of 2.15.

After two (2) years at RCC, Casey received a softball scholarship for Windmill Pitching from Division 1 powerhouse East Carolina University.  Since college, Casey has coached the Varsity team at Nanuet High School, rebuilding the program and bringing the team to the section finals within two (2) years.

Casey works with numerous travel programs and their players in Orange and Rockland Counties, including Rockland Thunder, Suffern Styx, and Suffern Softball.  She recently ran a clinic featuring Natasha Watley from Team USA Softball, focusing on slap-hitting and leads/steals.  In the Summer of 2008, Casey was an invited instructor at an Elite College Bound Fast-pitch Camp in Cape Cod that featured professional players including Jessica Mendoza and Lisa Fernandez.

She has been training pitchers from the Little League level all the way through college for over fifteen (15) years, both individually, and in group environments.  She firmly believes in the concept that 'a strong athlete is a successful athlete.  She excels at training players in softball-specific Strength & Conditioning programs, getting them ready for college, and ultimately, pro careers.

Casey's love for the game has taken her from High School to college, and she's been giving back via lessons, helping to develop the best athletes in the game, both mentally and physically.


If you are interested in an exclusive coaching relationship with The Sports Place, please contact us at 845-358-GAME (4263).