Ben Harley is looking ahead to 2025 as his second year as Manager for the Battle Creek Battle Jacks. Previous to taking the helm for the Battle Jacks he served for two summers as the pitching coach for Kalamazoo Growlers. While with the Growlers, he helped guide them to a Northwoods League Championship in 2022 while also setting a franchise win record in 2023.
During the school year, Coach Harley is the head coach at Centralia College where he is in his 5th year with the program. In his time at Centralia they have moved 38 players on to 4 year schools and have increased their win total every season. The 2023 spring season saw the program win the most games it has since 1985.
Parker Kauffmann enters his first season as an assistant in Battle Creek. The Covington, Georgia native will work with the offense and serve as the first base coach.
Kauffmann recently wrapped up his collegiate playing career as a catcher/outfielder at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia under the leadership of Coach Nolan Belcher, earning his Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing during his time. He is currently pursuing his Master of Science in Health and Human Performance from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, where he serves as a graduate assistant for Coach Rodney Batts, working with the Statesman hitters and outfielders.
Originally born in White Rock, Canada but grew up in Blaine, Wa. Started playing career at Centralia College under coach Ben Harley before finishing up at Bushnell University with coach Tommy Richards.
Holds all time and season records of appearances and saves at Bushnell along with winning the Conference Tournament Championship and making an appearance in the national tournament in 2024.
Having graduated with a degree in Business, is now working towards a Master’s in Sports Management while serving as a Graduate Assistant for Bushnell working with the pitching staff.
Dan Bower is excited to join the Battle Jacks staff for the first time as the team’s Hitting Coach. He looks forward to bringing the same success he and Battle Jacks Field Manager Ben Harley have produced together at Centralia College to Battle Creek.
Coach Bower is currently in his third season as the Associate Head Coach & Recruiting Coordinator at Centralia. He is the team’s hitting coach and 3rd base coach, as well as being responsible for coaching the team’s outfielders. In 2024, Centralia set the school record for most wins in a season.
A Midwest native, prior to coming to Centralia, Coach Bower spent two seasons on staff at the University of Akron and one season at Cuyahoga Community College.
Coach Bower will be joined by his dog Corduroy, who looks forward to making lots of new friends in Battle Creek!