Coaches Bio

Coach Embrey started the Del Norte baseball program when the school opened in 2009, and now begins his 10th year leading the team. A local product, he graduated from Poway High School in 2000, where he was a 2-sport athlete, earning 3 Varsity letters in both basketball and baseball. He earned All-League, All-North County Conference, and ALL-CIF accolades in both sports.

 

For college, Coach Embrey attended San Diego State University, where he earned a degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Education in 2004. At SDSU he played 4 years of baseball, getting the chance to play for 2 Hall-of-Fame coaches in Jim Dietz and Tony Gwynn. During his time as an Aztec, Coach Embrey earned awards for both Most Improved Player (junior year) and Team MVP (senior year). He was also recognized 7 times as a Malik Award winner, honoring the male student-athlete with the highest GPA on campus. During his senior year, Coach Embrey earned First-Team All-Mountain West Conference honors and was recognized as a First-Team Academic All-American.

 

Following college, Coach Embrey got drafted by the San Diego Padres, and had a short minor league career that ultimately ended following a couple of wrist surgeries.

 

Prior to starting the Nighthawk program, Coach Embrey spent time as an assistant coach at Scripps Ranch HS, Westview HS, and Rancho Bernardo HS. In 2013, He earned his Master’s Degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine. Currently, he’s a teacher in the Exercise and Nutritional Science department at Del Norte, teaching Health and P.E. classes. He lives in 4S Ranch with his wife and 3 young kids. In his free time, Coach Embrey is an avid reader and fly-fisherman.

Coach Gusich is in his 8th season working with the Del Norte baseball program, currently serving as the assistant varsity baseball coach. His areas of focus are: 1st base coach, assistant to the head coach, co-hitting instructor, lead outfield instructor, lead base running instructor, youth camp and program coordinator, and Del Norte Liaison to the 4S Ranch Little League.

 

He was raised in Glendale, Arizona where he succeeded as a dual sport Varsity Athlete in baseball/basketball at Deer Valley High School, earning a 1st Team All-Desert Valley Region selection as an outfielder in 1996. After high school, he took his love for the game of baseball to the next level, beginning his collegiate career at Missouri Valley College (NAIA 96-98). Coach Gusich later transferred to Colorado Mesa University (CMU) in the Fall of 1998.  As an outfielder at CMU, he was part of 2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships (1999, 2001).

 

Following graduation in 2001, Coach Gusich joined the CMU coaching staff from 2001-02 through 2003-04. During his assistant coaching tenure at CMU, he served the Mavericks as lead outfield coach, assistant hitting instructor, and assistant to the head coach.

Following the 03-04 campaign, Coach Gusich turned to a different aspect of the game and became an umpiring official. Mentored by some of the top NCAA umpires and rules coordinators, he quickly became a top quality High School umpire. After 2 seasons in the HS ranks, Coach Gusich began to umpire within the Community/Junior College Scenic West Athletic Conference and was affiliated with the Mountain West Athletic Conference. He also began to umpire NCAA Division II non-conference affiliated games.

 

Coach Gusich moved to San Diego in 2011 with his wife and 2 sons where he quickly made an impact within the 4S ranch Community as a teacher and coach at Del Norte along with his volunteerism within the 4S Ranch Little League.

 

Coach Gusich is currently the assistant varsity baseball coach at Del Norte High School. His areas of focus are: 1st base coach, assistant to the head coach, co-hitting instructor, lead outfield instructor, lead base running instructor, youth camp and program coordinator, and Del Norte Liaison to the 4S Ranch Little League.

 

Coach Gusich continues to volunteer his time in the 4S Ranch Little League as a Manager in addition to his HS duties, and equally shares his love for the game as a Special Assistant and Head Coach for a local club baseball program.