Tides Coaching Staff...

Joe Styborski

Tides Founder and Director of Baseball Operations

2008 12U Head Coach

2001-07 13U Head Coach

The depth of baseball experience and knowledge of the Tides coaching staff is one of the main reasons why parents want their sons playing for the state's most elite select baseball organization.  The Director and Founder of the Tides is Joe Styborski, he started the program back in 1994 while in college as something to do during the summer, and from that point the program has grown into one of the most respected AAU/Select baseball organizations in the country.  The Tides are regularly invited to participate in many of the premier tournaments around the country and here at home in New England. His coaching experience includes a five year stint at Bishop Hendricken High School as a varsity baseball assistant, and a Junior Varsity coach at Classical High School in the city of Providence.  While at Classical his teams won 7 Metropolitan titles and 4 Class "B" Junior Varsity Championships.  Also, Styborski has either personally coached or presided over a program which has helped to develop over 9 Major League Baseball draft choices and countless Division 1 and 2 collegiate players.  It is a common occurrence to look in the Providence Journal and see Tides players either being bestowed All Division or All State honors, the Tides have simply had a hand in developing the majority of the top players to play baseball in the Ocean State over the past ten or so years. In addition to serving as the Tides director of baseball operations, Styborski is also the 13 year old team's head coach.  However, in 2008, Styborski will head coach the 12U Tides team, as his long time current assistants take Mark Andrews and Jarrod Brucato take over the Tides 13U team. Currently Styborski is a high school teacher in the City of Providence.

Coaching Philosophy

The Rhode Island Tides coaching staff's mission and focus is to prepare our players to play varsity baseball by the time they are either a freshman or sophomore in high school.  We do this by teaching them the "college way" of playing the game of baseball.  By learning the game at this level the players gain an edge against the competition within their playing age which pays off when they are in intense competition for playing time at their school. 

Making the jump from the Little League diamond to the big diamond is very difficult.  Also, due to birth dates many players who are 14 end up having to try and compete at the high school level a year younger than most other competing freshman.  Both of these situations call for a need for a program like the Tides.  What we do is take a very good ballplayer and prepare them to play at the next level by teaching them the skills and insights into the game to be successful against older competition.

At the 12U & 13U levels we really focus on the skills needed to be a successful player on the big diamond.  As stated earlier at our practices we will teach players the "college way" of doing things around the baseball diamond.  At these weekend practices we will go over everything from pickoff plays, outfield defense, bunt defenses, hitting techniques, catching skills, and of course infield fundamentals and techniques.  All our pitchers will work on throwing mechanics, how to grip and throw different pitches, how to field their position, pick runners off, and so forth.  By learning at the college level our players are always prepared to move on into the best high school baseball programs in Rhode Island and Southern New England.  As many players have moved from our program into these schools and gained varsity baseball starting positions as freshman or sophomores, and that is no easy task.

Mark Andrews (pictured left and above) is currently serves as the Tides 13U assistant coach, he has done excelled in this role for the past several years, however in 2008, Coach Andrews will take over the head coaching duties of the 13U team. As a player Mark was a standout shortstop who helped to lead his school, Warwick Vets, to a Class "A" state title, and he then went on to excel as a middle infielder with the Community College of Rhode Island. Currently for the Tides, Mark handles the third base coaching duties on the 13U team and the infield defense. The knowledge Mark brings to the program is great benefit to all our players. Also, Mark contributes to the Tides by coordinating the Tides camps and is the head of scouting for Warwick and Southern RI.

Coach Mark Andrews also is currently the assistant varsity baseball coach at Moses Brown School in the city of Providence. While there the school has enjoyed a great deal of success and now participates at the class "A" level.

When he is not on the field, Mark teaches in the Providence school system.

Tides Director of Talent Development

2008 13U Head Coach

2004-07 13U Assistant Coach

Coach Jarrod Brucato (pictured left) played baseball at Providence College, just before the school shut it's baseball program down, he also excelled in high school baseball in Connecticut. At Providence College, coach Brucato pitched and also caught, which is a unique combination.

With the Tides Jarrod acts as the Tides pitching and catching coach, due to his previous experience playing both positions at such a high level of play he is able to greatly aid our players and help them gain an edge as they seek to play at the next level.

In 2008, coach Jarrod will team up with coach Andrews and take over the 13U team, as coach Styborski moves to take over the 12U program. Coach Brucato's duties will be increased as he will now handle more of the game duties and pitching changes.

When Jarrod isn't on the baseball field he works for Citizens Bank.

Coach Steve McManus (pictured left) will be coming back to the Tides organization and will take on the duties of the 12U assistant coach. Coach Steve had coached the 14U team from 2001 until 2005, and prior to the that a few years in the 90s, taking a break for the past 2 seasons. During his stints has the Tides 14U head coach his teams have traveled to and competed in AAU Nationals and competing World Series events in the states of Florida (5 times), Pennsylvania and Tennessee.   

Steve does an excellent job of getting the most out of his players, as they genuinely enjoy playing for him, his skills at teaching the game are excellent and his calm demeanor is a perfect fit for the select youth player.

Steve has plenty of coaching experience besides his work with the Tides, as he is the current junior varsity baseball coach at Pilgrim high school in Warwick, RI, and in addition to that Steve has been an assistant baseball coach at college level, as he served as an assistant baseball coach at Roger Williams University for a few years.

Currently Steve teaches in the Warwick public school system as his job has him working with handicapped children.

Steve McManus

2008 12U Assistant Coach

1996 - 97 and 2001 - 2005 Tides 14U Head Coach

Tides Pitching Coach

2008 13U Assistant Coach and Pitching Coach

2004-07 13U First Base Coach and Pitching Coach

Rian McCarthy - 2008 14U Head Coach

Coach McCarthy will take over the reigns of the 14U Tides team, Rian is currently an assistant coach at Salve Regina University, and he also played for the Tides in the mid-90's winning a Bronze Medal for the organization. In addition, Rian has acted as an Tides assistant coach to Steve McManus at the 14U age division.

Dante Blancarte - Assistant Coach

As a former All Division 2 and All American at Franklin Pearce, Coach Blancarte, a former draft pick of the Minnesota Twins, will add great deal of knowledge and experience to the Tides 14U coaching staff. He will act as the team's top assistant.

Mike Lewis - Pitching Coach

For 4 years coach Lewis took the mound at Salve Regina University pitching mainly as a reliever during that time. Mike will act as the 14U team's pitching coach.