Bandit Coaching Staff

OBA's Bandit Baseball program is staffed by professional paid coaches. These coaches have generally played high levels of competitive baseball and have a strong desire to continue teaching the game to our youth.

Meet the Coaches

Mustang and Bronco (10u - 12u)

Gerald Nervis, Jr was a 4-year high school varsity starter at San Leandro High School. He also earned SWAC All Conference 2nd Team Honors while playing while playing at Grambling State University. And he earned CCCAA All Conference 1st Team Honors while playing at Chabot College. In addition to being a former Division 1 baseball player, Coach Gerald continues to pursue his dream of playing professionally. Coach Gerald’s mission is to guide our youth on and off the baseball field. It brings him great joy to give back the knowledge he’s learned over the years to Bay Area baseball, especially OBA! This is Coach Gerald’s 3rd season with OBA.

Coach Cris is 26 years old and he grew up playing baseball almost every weekend (most of the time with coach Gerald!) He has been involved in the game for many years as both a player and coach. He played baseball all 4 years at San Leandro High School. Cris sustained some challenging injuries during high school which ultimately led him to pursue coaching and player development. Cris has done volunteer coaching with his old league, Oakland Babe Ruth and enjoys playing, watching and teaching the game of baseball at all levels. Cris underscores that baseball has instilled in him the importance of hard work, accountability, and being a good teammate, values he looks to pass on to every player he coaches. He looks forward to working with the 12U team to develop their skills and understanding of the game and build confidence while fostering a positive, supportive, and fun environment.

Antoine Valerio born and raised in the Bay Area, I’ve been around baseball for as long as I can remember .I’ve played at Chabot College, Grambling State University, and ultimately finished my collegiate career at California State University, Monterey Bay, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology entering my second year with OBA. Coaching has given me the opportunity to share

the knowledge, experiences, and passion that baseball has given me throughout my life. For the kids, I want to help build confidence, develop discipline, learn how to overcome adversity, and grow as people . My goal as a coach is not only to help players become better baseball players, but to help prepare them for life beyond the field.

Camari Delgadillo I have been around the game of baseball since the age of five, building a lifelong passion for the sport through years of playing and learning. As a former pitcher at Chabot College, I bring firsthand experience and a deep understanding of the physical and mental demands of competing. Having never experienced an arm injury throughout my playing career, I understand the importance of proper mechanics, preparation, consistency, and recovery. My coaching philosophy goes beyond the physical side of things. A major focus of my approach is the mental side of baseball and helping build resilience that will help players grow on and off the field.

Cole Wells Baseball has been a lifelong passion for Cole, and the opportunity to mentor the next generation of players is something he has long aspired to do. Cole played baseball at almost every level, culminating in competing at the division 1 level in college. Beyond his playing experience, he served as an umpire for USSSA, giving him a well-rounded perspective on the game. Throughout his career, he has faced both injuries and mental challenges, and understands how impactful a coach can be (both positively and negatively!) during those times. These experiences have shaped his belief that coaching is about more than teaching fundamentals, it's about instilling confidence and a genuine love for the game, he looks forward to bringing this perspective to the OBA program. Cole’s goal as a coach is to not only help players develop their skills on the field, but also to foster

teamwork, sportsmanship, and perseverance that will serve them well beyond baseball. This is Cole’s 1st season with OBA.

Jay Almendral is a highly experienced baseball coach and former professional player with deep roots in the East Bay. A graduate of Freedom High School, Coach Jay advanced his athletic career at Chabot College and Patten University, where he played collegiate baseball. He later competed in independent minor league baseball with the Pittsburg Diamonds. With over 20 years of coaching experience across multiple levels, Coach Jay has built a reputation for developing athletes through a personalized, skill-focused approach. He spent eight years coaching with the San Ramon Baseball Club, served as Varsity Assistant Coach at Liberty High School for two seasons, and held the role of Varsity Catching and Hitting Coach at Pittsburg High School for another two years. His professional coaching career also includes three seasons with the Pittsburgh Diamonds. His impact spans youth leagues to collegiate and professional levels, consistently helping athletes reach their full potential. Now entering his sixth season with OBA, Jay continues to mentor players by building on their natural abilities and fostering growth through tailored instruction.

Brian Dell’Aquila brings 25 years of baseball coaching experience to the Orinda Baseball Association, including 17 years coaching at Miramonte High School. He has coached players at every level from youth baseball through varsity, with an emphasis on developing strong fundamentals, baseball IQ, confidence, teamwork, and leadership. Brian has been a Positive Coaches Alliance member since 2008 and believes baseball should be challenging, competitive, and—most importantly, fun. Brian spent 17 years on the Miramonte High School baseball coaching staff, contributing to five North Coast Section championship teams and 16 playoff appearances in 17 years. He has served as a varsity assistant, hitting coach, defensive coordinator, pitching coach, catcher coach, first base coach, and freshman head coach. Brian was also part of the 2017 Miramonte team that finished 27–1, the best record in the state that season. At OBA, he has coached Fall, Spring, and Summer teams and served as the Pony Commissioner, helping players prepare for the transition to high school baseball. He currently serves as OBA Vice President of Operations, overseeing fields, scheduling, umpires, tournaments, and league operations. Most importantly, Brian is a longtime OBA parent and coach who has had the opportunity to coach his two sons from Pinto through 14U. He enjoys helping young players develop not only as baseball players, but also as teammates, leaders, and young adults. His goal is to build a positive team culture where players work hard, support one another, learn from challenges, and develop a lifelong love of the game.

Camari Delgadillo I have been around the game of baseball since the age of five, building a lifelong passion for the sport through years of playing and learning. As a former pitcher at Chabot College, I bring firsthand experience and a deep understanding of the physical and mental demands of competing. Having never experienced an arm injury throughout my playing career, I understand the importance of proper mechanics, preparation, consistency, and recovery. My coaching philosophy goes beyond the physical side of things. A major focus of my approach is the mental side of baseball and helping build resilience that will help players grow on and off the field.

Lindsey Frase Lindsey joined the OBA Board in 2021 in the role of Treasurer and last year took over the new role of Bandit Commissioner. She has 3 sons who have all participated (two still do!) in OBA and she’s enjoyed coaching in OBA and other sports around Orinda. Lindsey played softball at Santa Clara University and coached some travel softball during the summers. She works in Finance for Howden Re. When she’s not on a plane or on a baseball field, she’d prefer to be at the ski hill or on the tennis