Coaches

Coach Menendez has over 20 years of baseball experience competing at multiple levels from varsity, to D1 & professionally. Retired from baseball, he now focuses on baseball development from skills to strength & conditioning and founded the Turf Performance Club (TPC) Strength System at The Turf at SNF Club. He is also the Baseball Player Development and Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of Saint Elizabeth. His accomplishments include, but are not limited to, Professional Baseball including MLB organization(s) (2009-2014), Division 1 Baseball at Penn State (2008) and 4 Year Varsity Baseball at Elizabeth High School.

• Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth certified Baseball coach
• He started his career in the spring of 2008 for the Cranford Baseball League’s Recreational program
• Currently coaching for the Majors Cranford Baseball Softball League (CBSL)
• Coached the CBSL’s Summer “A” Baseball Team program yielding 2 District Titles
• Also winning 10 tournaments and 1 league championship
• A member of the CBSL board, since 2013.

• Played professional baseball in the Cincinnati Reds organization from 2007-2010
• Also played pro-ball in the Frontier League
• National Champion in 2007 with Kean University
• Gold Glove Award winner in 2007
• Lowest ERA in the nation in 2005 with a ( .9 ERA in 80 innings)
• 2x All-American
• Graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology
• Coached baseball & softball players for over 12 years to some and many of which I still coach today
• Specializes in Velocity Training
• Owner of Zeffiro Athletics. Find out more at Zbaseball.net

• Played A-Level baseball from 8U-14U and a successful Cal Ripken player
• Cranford High School (CHS) graduate (2021)
• CHS Varsity Baseball Player
• Participated in 2 Conference Championships along with a
• State Championship win
• After high school, Kurt pitched for Atlantic City Cale Community College for 1 year
• Pitched for 1 year at Cumberland Community College
• Kurt is looking forward to passing his knowledge down as he teaches pitching, hitting and fielding.

• Cranford High School graduate (2021)
• 3 years of Varsity Baseball at CHS
• Participated in 2 Conference Championships along with a
• State Championship win (2020, “The Last Dance” tournament)
• Finished with an 11-1 career record with a sub 1 era through 3 years of varsity baseball.
• Played Baseball for Brookdale Community College, 2 years
• Played Baseball for Kean University and finished his junior year with a 2.56 era, threw 70 innings and earned a second team all region selection.

• Belleville High School Graduate, 2024 
• 4 Year Varsity Starter 
• Two time First Team All Conference selection 
• Developed strong offensive and defensive fundamentals throughout competitive play
• Continued softball career at Saint Elizabeth University 
• Brings collegiate level playing experience and strong softball IQ into private instruction.
• Focuses on hitting, fielding, and pitching while emphasizing fundamentals, game awareness, and consistency.
• Aims to help athletes build confidence, sharpen decision-making, and develop a competitive mindset while learning to recognize and feel their mistakes so they can understand proper adjustments and make confident corrections naturally in game situations.

• Colonia Cyclones through 18u
• Colonia High School Varsity Softball Player
• Division Title, Captain, All-Star Player
• Graduated from Alvernia University, PA
• 2nd Baseman, Outfielder
• Won MAAC Championship
• Earned Defensive Player of the Year
• Snyder High School Varsity Coach (2 years)
• Full time teacher
• Areas of focus: hitting, fielding, catching, lefty slapping, strength and conditioning, speed and agility
• “As a coach, I believe it is truly important to focus on fundamentals no matter the age. I like to break things down into many ways to meet each athlete’s needs and to target their individuality.”

• Colleen Spadora is a Fastpitch instructor at The Turf at Strength and Fitness Club as well as a private instructor in Union, Somerset and Morris County with over 15 years of experience.
• Current Varsity Softball Coach at Union Catholic Regional High School and previously at the Academy of Saint Elizabeth (2007-2009)
• Played a year in college and four years of Varsity softball at Mount Saint Mary Academy. 
• Colleen holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education from Montclair State University