Mark Wardzinski - Varsity Head Coach   

Mark Wardzinski is returning to the varsity coaching staff for his second year with Gateway.  The Gators are coming off a very impressive year.  The Gators finished as the section runner up only missing section champs by a game.  The team this year will be mostly made up of the players that he coached in 8^th grade.  Coach Wardzinski is excited to see the development of this graduating class and the classes to follow.   Before moving up to the Varsity staff, Coach Wardzinski had coached the JR High team for three seasons at Gateway. 

Mark played for Gateway Baseball from 1994 to 1998.  He was named team captain in 1998.  He also played for Pitcairn Baseball and Monroeville Legion.  Mark also helped coach Pitcairn Pony League Baseball the past 7 years.   

Mark attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania for his degree in Health and Physical Education.  He also received his Masters degree from Gannon University in Curriculum and Instruction.

Mark currently resides in Monroeville with his wife Elizabeth and daughter, Diem.

Paul Kochka, Jr. - Varsity  Assistant Coach

Coach Kochka graduated from South Side High School in 1975 where he lettered in baseball, basketball football and track.  He served as a pitcher/outfielder of the baseball team, co-captain of the basketball team and was the starting quarterback on the football team.

In 1980, Coach Kochka graduated from the University of Pittsburgh where he lettered in both basketball and baseball.  He played basketball for Tim Grgurich for three years before a knee injury and also played his JR and senior years on Bobby Lewis’ baseball team.

For ten years, Coach Kochka played for Pittsburgh’s semi-pro Federation League as a pitcher, outfielder and first baseman.  He has coached for the Serbian National Federation Tournaments in the United States for boys and girls ages 8 through 17. For the past ten years, he has coached youth baseball and basketball teams in the Monroeville area.

Coach Kochka currently works for Philips-Respironics in Murrysville, and lives in Monroeville with his wife, Melissa, and two children, Luke and Danielle.

This is Coach Hanford’s first year with the JR High Baseball program at Gateway.  He has played baseball for Allegheny Township Athletic Association from age eight to eighteen.  Coach Hanford had his High School career cut short at Kiski Area due to injuries and illness, but he continued to remain active in baseball through coaching and umpiring with Allegheny Township .

Coach Hanford has been a Special Education Teacher and seventh/eighth grade assistant football coach since 2006 at Gateway School District .  He received a Bachelors degree in Communications from Duquesne University and a Masters in Special Education from Seton Hill University .

Coach Hanford continues to reside in Allegheny Township with his wife Andrea.