18U Gold Team Coaches
Ryan Jones, Founder & Head Coach
Coach Ryan Jones, Founder and Head Coach of Semper Fi Athletics, brings over 30 years of expertise in coaching youth baseball, football and soccer in Northern Colorado. A respected leader in both athletics and business, Ryan has also thrived as a real estate entrepreneur for nearly three decades, showcasing his dedication to excellence and community as a Realtor and co-founder of Semper Fi Property Management.
Driven by a passion for youth development, Ryan founded Semper Fi Athletics to empower young athletes aged 12–19 in Severance and beyond. Inspired by the Marine Corps motto Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful), his programs foster resilience, teamwork, and character through competitive baseball and softball. His extensive network and stellar reputation, built over decades of working with local families, have made Semper Fi Athletics a cornerstone for youth sports in the region.
Ryan’s coaching journey includes over eight years at Greeley West, followed by impactful roles at Severance High School as C-Team Coach and Varsity Assistant Coach. His commitment to mentoring young athletes on and off the field continues to shape the next generation of leaders.
Why Semper Fi Athletics? “I believe in building not just skilled athletes, but strong, principled young people who carry teamwork and integrity into their futures.” — Ryan Jones
Brett Shartzer, Gold Team Assistant Coach
Brett Shartzer is a passionate and uplifting baseball coach originally from Lodi, California. He played shortstop at Concordia University before transferring to the University of Northern Colorado, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Sports & Exercise Science.
Brett’s coaching philosophy is built on his core values — “RFT”: Respect, Faith, and Trust.
- Respect for each other, for the game, and for the opposing teams and coaches.
- Faith in yourself, your teammates, and your coaches.
- Trust in the process, in your abilities as a young player, and in the Semper Fi way of baseball.
He brings high energy, dedication, and a strong belief in developing not just better baseball players, but better young men through the game.
“Let’s defy the norm!!”
Coach Brett is excited to help the Semper Fi Athletics players grow, compete, and succeed both on and off the field.
Alfredo Verdugo, Gold Team Assistant Coach
Stay Tuned!
Hunter Matthews, Gold Team Bat Commander and Iron Team Player
16U Scarlet Team Coaches
Caleb Linnemann, Scarlet Team Head Coach
Coach Linnemann has been an important part of Semper Fi Athletics for several years. He has made a lasting impact on many of our players through his dedication to helping young athletes grow! He has also played a significant role in growing the Semper Fi Athletics brand and bringing many talented athletes and outstanding families into our program.
With five years of coaching experience, including roles as Assistant Coach at Weld Central High School and Pitching Coach at Severance High School, Caleb is dedicated to helping players excel both on and off the field.
A standout pitcher at Windsor High School from 2011–2015, Caleb was clocked at 94 mph and ranked as a top 20 recruit in Colorado before a shoulder injury ended his playing career. His deep love for the game continues to drive his coaching.
Favorite Quote: “The windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror — learn from the past, but focus on the future.”
Advice to Players: Your success depends on the preparation you put in.
Fun Facts:
- Lifelong dream of being a storm chaser
- Car enthusiast
- Proud Red Sox fan (despite Coach Jones’ disapproval)
- Competitive video gamer in his free time
Michael Flores II, Scarlet Team Head Coach
Michael Flores II has been with Semper Fi Athletics from the very start. He played under Coach Jones throughout high school and on our program’s inaugural team. After injuries ended his playing career, he immediately transitioned to coaching and has been with Semper Fi ever since.
Besides coaching at SFA, Michael brings three years of high school baseball coaching experience, including two seasons at Greeley West. He is deeply passionate about making a positive difference in young athletes’ lives — both on and off the field. He strives to help players become the best baseball players and young men they can be, while creating an environment where baseball serves as a positive escape from everyday pressures.
His coaching philosophy is simple yet powerful: “You represent what you wear on the front and the back of your jersey.”
Caleb Chavies, Scarlet Team Assistant Coach
Caleb Chavies is a passionate coach who played baseball most of his life, including as a member of Semper Fi Athletics’ Gold team last summer before injuries ended his playing career. He is deeply committed to helping young athletes develop strong skills, compete at a high level, and build a winning work ethic both on and off the field. Caleb believes that effort, discipline, and a competitive mindset are the foundation of success. He is currently in college pursuing Business Investments and is excited to help Semper Fi players reach the next level in baseball and in life.
Jacob Flores, Scarlet Team Assistant Coach
Jacob Flores was a member of the very first Semper Fi Athletics team. After two summers with the program, he committed to play baseball at Hastings College alongside Ethan Guest. Jacob is currently attending Hastings College, where he is a member of the men’s volleyball team. He is looking forward to giving back this summer as an Assistant Coach with the 16U Scarlet team.
15U Navy Team Coaches
Gil Salazar, Navy Team Head Coach
Coach Gil Salazar is a proud U.S. Veteran and longtime Northern Colorado baseball coach with over 30 years of experience developing young players. A Platte Valley High School graduate, Gil played college baseball in Kansas and at the University of Northern Colorado before continuing his playing career in the California League.
Gil has spent three decades coaching high school baseball in the area, including 10 years at Platte Valley High School (Kersey), 18 years at Dayspring Christian Academy, and 2 years at Highland High School. In addition to his high school coaching, he has coached summer and fall travel baseball every year for 30 years, positively shaping the lives of hundreds of local athletes.
Known for his patient, fundamentals-first approach, Coach Gil thrives on the “a-ha” moments — when a player finally understands a concept and their eyes light up. He believes in a simple, effective teaching method: tell them, show them, and let them feel what they’re learning, then repeat. His goal is to build confident, fundamentally sound players who understand the game.
We are excited to welcome Coach Gil as the full-time Head Coach of our Navy Team for Summer 2026. His experience, leadership, and passion for developing young men make him a tremendous addition to the full time Semper Fi Athletics coaching staff. We’re grateful to have him on site as often as possible and look forward to the impact he will make with our players this summer and beyond!
Jarrod Bishop, Iron Team Co-Founder and Coach, Iron & Navy Teams
Jarrod Bishop is a dedicated baseball coach and former collegiate athlete with a strong passion for developing young players both on and off the field. A graduate of Fruita Monument High School, Jarrod earned All-Conference honors in both his junior and senior seasons. Primarily an infielder, his favorite position was third base. He continued his playing career at Colorado Northwestern Community College.
Jarrod has spent the past several years coaching travel baseball, most recently with the Fort Collins Force. He now serves as an Assistant Coach for Semper Fi Athletics’ 15U and 12U teams.
His coaching philosophy centers on hard work, accountability, teamwork, and building confidence. Jarrod enjoys coaching athletes of all ages and takes great pride in helping players grow not only as baseball players but also as strong teammates, competitors, and well-rounded young men.
Ethan Guest, Navy Team Assistant Coach
Ethan Guest is excited to begin his first year coaching with Semper Fi Athletics. With over 14 years of playing experience, he is eager to share the knowledge he has gained from the game with the next generation of players.
Ethan was coached by Coach Jones, who became one of his biggest mentors. Semper Fi Athletics and Coach Jones played a major role in helping him earn the opportunity to continue his baseball and academic career at Hastings College, where he plays now.
His goal as a coach is to help players grow both on and off the field by teaching strong fundamentals, building confidence, and creating a positive, competitive environment. Ethan is passionate about giving back to the game that has given him so much.
Ava Jones, Social Media Coordinator
Ava Jones grew up around the game of baseball, learning the ins and outs of the sport from her dad, Coach Ryan Jones. Ava enjoys capturing and sharing the Semper Fi Athletics experience with families and followers.
Ava is learning about photographing the team’s best moments, creating mic’d-up content, and helping tell the stories of our players and coaches. Through her work, she brings the energy, hard work, and heart of Semper Fi to life on social media.
Outside of baseball, Ava loves being outdoors, traveling, serving on mission trips with her Church, and competitive swimming.
12/13U Iron Team Coaches
Joe Matthews, Iron Team Co-Founder & Coach
Baseball has been a part of Joe Matthews' life since childhood. Growing up in Fort Collins, his family didn’t have the means to join an organized league, so Joe and a group of friends took matters into their own hands. They cleared weeds from an open field behind their apartment complex, used cinder blocks to build makeshift bases and dugouts, and created their own sandlot field.
When they needed equipment, the kids went door-to-door asking neighbors for any old gloves, bats, or balls. Their determination caught the attention of the local newspaper, The Coloradoan, which ran a story on the young team. The article sparked an outpouring of community support—donations of gear poured in, the City of Fort Collins transformed their sandlot into a proper field, and the Colorado Rockies even invited the team to a game, complete with a limousine ride.
Joe has been coaching youth baseball for six years, including two intermediate seasons and six competitive seasons. During that time, he has had the privilege of learning from talented coaches and baseball minds while helping young athletes develop both their skills and character.
For Joe, coaching is about far more than wins and losses. He finds his greatest joy in watching kids succeed through hard work, being part of their baseball journey, and building lasting relationships. He treasures the late-night conversations about baseball and life, the hotel lobby hangouts on road trips, the bonds formed with teammates, and the lifelong friendships that develop along the way.
“The kids will forget the outs, the home runs, the wins and the losses… but they will never forget the moments spent together as a team. That’s what I love about coaching baseball. There is truly nothing better than this.”
Joe is excited to bring his passion, experience, and commitment to Semper Fi Athletics as the founder and head coach of the new 12U Iron team.
Aubrey Jones, Director of Operations
Aubrey Jones is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for Semper Fi Athletics. She is also the owner of Aubrey Jones LLC and co-founder of Semper Fi Property Management.
With a strong background in business management and operations, Aubrey brings extensive experience in organization, management, and program development. She helped Coach Jones build Semper Fi Athletics from the ground up, sharing his vision of creating a high-quality, family-oriented baseball program that develops strong athletes and young men of character.
In addition to overseeing all day-to-day operations, travel, scheduling, uniforms, and team management, Aubrey continues to grow both her consulting business, AubreyJones LLC and her property management company, Semper Fi Property Management. She is deeply passionate about providing a positive and competitive experience for every athlete in the program.
Lucy Kos, Social Media Coordinator
Lucy enjoys capturing special moments by taking photos of the team and helping tell their story through pictures. Outside of that, she loves traveling, spending time with family and friends, being involved at church, and competitive swimming.