About Justin
Baseball. Teaching. Creativity. Development.
This page isn't a résumé — it's the story of how a phrase from Justin's childhood became a coaching philosophy, and how a career spent behind the plate and on the field turned into Dece Athletics.
Where Dece Came From
Dece began as a phrase Justin and his friends used growing up.
During college, Dece gradually became a personal creative brand through gaming, graphic design, apparel, and designs created for collegiate baseball players.
As Justin's career moved from collegiate player to NCAA coach to private player-development instructor, Dece evolved with him.
Today, Dece Athletics represents the intersection of:
- Baseball•
- Teaching•
- Creativity•
- Curiosity•
- Development
Career Path
A Visual Career Timeline
From catcher, to coach, to founder — the path that shaped Dece Athletics.
The Journey
Player. Coach. Instructor. Founder.
2008–2012 · Playing Career
Catcher / First Base
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Walk-on who developed into an everyday starter and team leader over four collegiate seasons.
- Second Team All-AmericanConfirm organization / year
- Played under Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter
- Built the foundation for a coaching career centered on hitting, catching, leadership, and player development
2012–2021
Assistant Baseball Coach
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Nine seasons on the NCAA Division II coaching staff with a primary focus on hitting, catching, and position-player development.
- Directed individual and group instruction and developed opponent-specific practice work
- Reviewed game film and helped prepare position players for competition
- Contributed to year-round recruiting, camps, travel coordination, and academic accountability
- Built relationships with prospective student-athletes throughout the recruiting process
- Hitting
- Catching
- Position players
- Practice planning
- Recruiting
0%Caught-stealing rate
0.00Passed balls per game since 2017
Catching-unit results during Justin's tenure — including a starting catcher who earned First Team All-Conference recognition.
2021–2022
Assistant Coach / Catching Coordinator
Gardner-Webb University
NCAA Division I / Big South Conference — primary responsibility for catcher development within the daily operation of the program.
- Designed position-specific development plans, catching progressions, practice work, and individual instruction for collegiate athletes
- Contributed to offensive instruction, scouting, and recruiting
- Supported game preparation through video review, opponent analysis, player feedback, and collaborative staff planning
- Handled daily program operations
- Catcher development
- Offensive instruction
- Scouting
- Recruiting
- Video analysis
2022–2023
Lead Instructor
Evolve Baseball
Lead hitting instructor and offensive development.
2022–Present
Owner / Director of Player Development
Dece Athletics
Founded and operate an independent baseball-development business in West Palm Beach, FL.
- In-person hitting and catching instruction, remote coaching, and player-development programming
- Individualized hitting plans built around swing assessment, approach, movement quality, practice design, video review, and measurable progress
- Remote hitting program with recurring swing breakdowns, player feedback, and monthly video meetings through OnForm, Trainerize, and Blast Motion
- Team training and consulting for travel and development programs throughout South Florida
- Client relationships, scheduling, program design, and business operations
2022–Present
Hitting Director
XLB Training
Leads hitting instruction and player development in Boynton Beach, FL for athletes from youth through advanced high school and collegiate levels.
- Builds individualized development plans using movement evaluation, swing video, measurable performance feedback, and progressive drill design
- Integrates player-development technology — Blast Motion, Rapsodo, OnForm, and other video/data tools — to support objective coaching decisions
- Conducts player evaluations, oversees ongoing development priorities, and communicates actionable plans to athletes and families
- Contributes to hitting-program structure, instructor development, team training, and the evolution of XLB's overall player-development model
Youth · High School · Collegiate Summer
Travel Head Coach / Field Manager
Travel & Summer Ball
Additional coaching experience across South Florida travel and summer programs.
- Field Manager — Phipps Park Barracudas, South Florida Collegiate League
- Travel Head Coach — South Florida Anglers, Phipps Park Barracudas, and Boca Thunder
The Journey
From college player, to college coach, to private instructor.
Education
Bachelor of Graphic Arts
Palm Beach Atlantic University · West Palm Beach, FL · 2013
Core Skills
- Player Development
- Hitting Instruction
- Catching Development
- Video Analysis
- Blast Motion
- Rapsodo
- OnForm
- Trainerize
- Practice Design
- Recruiting
- Program Operations
- Athlete & Parent Communication
A Formative Chapter
Playing For A Hall of Famer
[Justin's first-person memory of what it felt like stepping onto the field with Gary Carter.]
[Justin's first-person reflection on a lesson Gary Carter taught him that still shapes his coaching.]
Ready to Get Better?
Tell Justin where you are, where you want to go, and what you believe is holding you back.