Instructors

Joe Teixeira - Owner/Instructor

Coach Teixeira served eight seasons as head coach of the Nichols College baseball team and stands third on Nichols’ all-time winningest coaches charts.

Prior to Nichols, Coach Teixeira was an assistant baseball coach at Assumption College from 2000-2004, where he was the pitching and defense instructor. He also assisted with recruiting while at Assumption.

Prior to the opening of Baseball Skills Academy, Coach Teixeira and Coach Vail implemented indoor baseball leagues, clinics, summer camps and private instruction courses at the Auburn SportsPlex/TeamWorks Auburn. Coach Teixeria has also worked several other baseball camps and clinics throughout his career, including the Nomar Garciaparra Baseball Camp.

In addition, he coached the Worcester Stan Musial baseball team from 1986-1998 and various AAU, Senior Babe Ruth and American Legion summer teams.

During his playing days, Coach Teixeira was a four-year standout at the University of New Hampshire, where he served as team captain his junior and senior years. He spent time in the minor league as a pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles organization from 1989-91.

Coach Teixiera is a member of the Massachusetts Baseball Umpires Association (MBUA) and the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO).
Jim Vail - Owner/Instructor

Coach Vail was part of Coach Teixeira’s coaching staff at Nichols College serving as hitting coach. He previously served as Assumption College’s head baseball coach from 1999-2006.

 

Coach Vail is a 1984 graduate of Assumption where he was a baseball and football standout. Upon earning his degree, he became an assistant coach at St. Peter-Marian High School in Worcester, MA from 1984-86. St. Peter-Marian won the Massachusetts State Championship in 1986. From there, Coach Vail moved on to the college ranks, where he was an assistant coach for ten years at Quinsigamond Community College.  


Coach Vail is a member of the St. Peter-Marian CCHS Athletics Hall of Fame.

 

Prior to the opening of Baseball Skills Academy, Coach Vail and Coach Teixeria implemented indoor baseball leagues, clinics, summer camps and private instruction courses at the Auburn SportsPlex/TeamWorks Auburn.

Tony Durkan - Owner/Instructor

Coach Durkan was part of Coach Teixeira’s coaching staff at Nichols College, serving as pitching and catchers coach. Coach Durkan was a member of the Assumption College baseball coaching staff from 2004-2006.

 

A 1993 graduate of Assumption, Coach Durkan served as an assistant coach at Grafton Hill American Legion in 1995. In 1996, he went back to his alma mater for his first stint as an assistant coach for the Assumption Greyhounds. Also in 1996, Coach Durkan was an assistant coach for the Central Massachusetts Collegians of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.

 

Coach Durkan was a T&G All-Star in Baseball from Holy Name C.C.H.S. and a starting catcher at Assumption College and Shelton State CC in Tuscaloosa, AL.