Dave Randall is in his 32nd year directing the baseball program at Waubonsee, the longest current tenure in any sport for the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Region IV. Inducted into the Region IV Hall of Fame in 2005, his successful reign was also recognized in 2002 with his induction into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Respected for his fairness and honesty, he serves as Awards Chairman for the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association Committee and is the Region IV Code of Conduct chairman.

Randall’s teams have been ranked in the top-15 of the NJCAA’s non-scholarship Division III polls for 15 of the last 17 years. Entering this season, the Chiefs’ baseball program has amassed 709 wins under his direction, despite playing a majority of their games each season against scholarship schools. The lone non-scholarship baseball program in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC), Waubonsee has captured the league title in 1984, 1988 and 1998.

In 1996, Coach Randall led the Chiefs to a second-place finish at the NJCAA Division III World Series. He also has guided Waubonsee to sectional titles in 1992 and 1993, along with Region IV Division III crowns in 1996 and 1998. Additionally, the Chiefs have reached the title game of the Region IV Tournament six times with Randall at the helm. Over the years, Randall has been honored with numerous other awards including the prestigious Chicago Hit and Pitch Junior College Coach of the Year award in 1996. In addition to his many athletic achievements, Randall was recognized as Waubonsee’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 1984.

Coach Randall’s track record of commitment to education and athletics is evident as 85 percent of his players have transferred to a senior institution and more than 150 have played college baseball at that institution. Under his tutelage 74 of his players have participated in the Region IV All-Star game, while 72 have been selected All-Region and an equal number have been named to the All-Skyway First Team. Waubonsee has had 10 NJCAA All-Americans and a dozen former Chiefs have had the opportunity to play professionally during his tenure. A true teacher of the game and its fundamentals, overall Randall has had 35 former players go on to coach at either the prep or collegiate level.

Randall became Waubonsee’s Athletic Manager in 1984, where he oversees a 13-team athletic department. In other administrative roles, Randall is the baseball chairman for the ISCC, directs the Region IV Junior College All-Star game, manages the baseball statistical program for the Region IV, and is the former baseball chairman for the Region IV. An active member of the community, Randall is involved in the promotion of area baseball and softball. Randall operates the Waubonsee Hitting Camps, runs the Fox Valley Baseball League, coaches with the Northern Illinois Thunder fastpitch softball organization, speaks at several baseball camps throughout the northern Illinois region, and is even a certified umpire.

The Kaneland High School graduate was a two-year starter in centerfield for the Chiefs, serving as team captain his sophomore year. Randall earned an associate’s degree from Waubonsee in 1973 and continued his education at the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health from UW-LaCrosse and a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University. Randall and his wife Kathy reside in Aurora and have two daughters, Rebecca and Jessica, who is a senior softball player at Lewis University.

Mark Hernandez returns to Waubonsee this spring for his fourth tour of duty. He served as an assistant coach for the Chiefs from 1993-1996, and as a volunteer assistant during the 2003 and 2007 campaigns. Hernandez helped guide the Chiefs to Regional and Sectional titles, with a runner-up finish at the 1996 NJCAA Division III Championships.

This season, Coach Hernandez will be instructing the Chiefs’ outfielders while also being in charge of Waubonsee’s rigorous T-N-T (training and toughness) conditioning program. In addition, he has also been an assistant coach at both of his alma maters, Northeastern Illinois University and Elgin Community College (ECC). Hernandez owns and operates Skull Sessions Training Club, a baseball training program geared for youth through high school age players.

Hernandez was a pitcher, first baseman, and designated hitter on Marshalltown, Iowa’s 1985 State Championship team, earning “Best in the Midwest” honors as a junior. He transferred to nearby St. Charles High School, where he was tabbed a Chicago Sun-Times top first base prospect and first team Upstate Eight All-Conference. In 1988, the lefty was named All-Skyway Conference at ECC, leading the league in batting with a .477 average. He received an academic and athletic scholarship to NCAA Division I Northeastern Illinois University, graduating in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in Fitness and Wellness. Hernandez completed a master’s degree in Business Administration from Olivet Nazarene University in 2004. Hernandez currently resides in St. Charles.

This spring is the 16th season Pete Gama has assisted with the Chiefs’ program, but his first as a volunteer. He has worn many different hats over the years serving as third base coach, first base coach, hitting instructor and bench coach. He will again handle some of those duties as well as continue to work with the Chiefs’ infielders and their defensive strategy.

Gama has been a successful head coach in his own right. He established winning programs at Parkland College in Champaign, and Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. In addition, since 1981 he has been in charge of the Ottawa Baseball Boosters program, an organization that supports and operates three teams in the Ottawa area. Coach Gama personally runs the Ottawa Chiefs Connie Mack squad. The program also awards the Louie Gama Memorial Scholarship each year to a deserving Ottawa player who is continuing to compete at the collegiate level.

A 1962 graduate of Ottawa Marquette High School, Gama still resides in Ottawa. Off the field, he can often be found on a golf course after recently retiring from the construction industry. Coach Gama has two grown children, Karla and Rich, who was a successful pitcher for the Chiefs in the late 1980’s. Additionally, Gama is “Grandpa” to grandkids, Kassidy age 15, Carter age 13 and Andrew age 9.

Steve Moga enters his eighth year working with the Chiefs’ pitchers, focusing on all aspects of throwing and pitching mechanics. Under his tutelage, Jeremy Broitzman earned Waubonsee’s Most Improved Male Athlete Award in 2004, and a school-record six Chiefs’ hurlers won four or more games in 2005. The 2006 season was highlighted by Eric Snyder tossing a no-hitter at nationally-ranked Elgin, and last year prodigy Derek Kopko finished second in the nation among NJCAA Division III hurlers with eight saves.

A former Chiefs’ hurler, Moga earned Waubonsee’s Most Improved Award in 1986 before moving on to Aurora University. His junior year he pitched a complete-game shutout at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional to eliminate top-ranked and defending national champion, Marietta (Ohio) College. He capped his senior season by earning his team’s and conference’s Most Valuable Player awards, while also being named Aurora’s Male Athlete of the Year.

Coach Moga also served as a volunteer pitching coach for Aurora University from 1990 through 1993. The Spartans went to the NCAA Division III World Series twice during that time, finishing second in 1990. Aurora’s 1993 pitching staff led the nation in lowest earned run average and had two pitchers signed to professional contracts.

A 1984 graduate of Hinckley-Big Rock High School, Moga earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Aurora and worked 12 years in the video industry. Off the field he serves as Waubonsee’s Sports Information Specialist, does freelance video work and still plays competitive baseball in the Chicago Central Suburban MSBL. In addition he served six years on the Board of Directors for Joy in the Harvest Ministries, which operates in Tanzania, Africa. Coach Moga and his wife Pam reside in Oswego with their nine-year-old son, Joshua. 

Jeff Marcley embarks on his fifth season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Chiefs. He brings to the Chiefs’ dugout extensive experience as a player and coach, along with possessing a true love for the game. A solid teacher of the game’s fundamentals, Coach Marcley will primarily be working with Waubonsee’s catchers this season.

Marcley graduated from Aurora West High School in 1973 after playing two years on the Blackhawks’ varsity. He competed at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin his freshman year before returning to the area the following season to play an integral part of Waubonsee’s baseball team. After earning an Associate’s Degree, Marcley transferred to Western Michigan University, graduating in 1977 with degrees in Petroleum Marketing and Business. He continued playing semi-pro baseball for 18 seasons while also coaching at the American Legion level for most of that time. He is currently in his eighth year as a manager, Traveling Coordinator and member of the Board of Directors for the North Aurora Baseball Association.

Away from the diamond, Marcley has served in a number of managerial capacities for his family’s petroleum business and other enterprises. The last decade he has been the President and Owner of R.D. Marcley, Inc., which operates convenient stores, warehouses, and assorted commercial rental properties in the area. A resident of Millbrook, Marcley and his wife Lauren have three sons, Matt, Ryan and Adam, who played for the Chiefs the last two seasons.