Jonathan Gandert

League Position (Title): New Mexico Region Director
College: Rio Salado College, Tempe, AZ
Bats/Throws: R/L and Right

Giving back to our NM Softball Community and sharing our NM Suncat Gold experiences and roads of success is very important to me. Great satisfaction comes from sharing with others.

The Alliance and RMFL is a blessing to young gals across our nation. I am proud and grateful for the opportunity to help grow such a beautiful game.

Current role:
USA SOFTBALL of NM JO Commissioner 9 years running. USA softball of NM StateTournament Director. Manager of NM Suncats Organization (4 teams). Head Coach NM 18u GOLD. We are part of AZ Suncats/AZpower non profit 501c3.

My ultimate goal:
To grow the game of youth fastpitch softball in our NM community for EVERYONE. The respect and integrity I have for the game along with a mindset of giving back… has always been a foundation and mentality I have passed on to my players and community from day one.

My biggest youth fastpitch achievement :

As the first organization (USA SOFTBALL) 4 years ago to bring a true Softball College Coaches instructional Camp & Showcase Tournament to the State of NM. We have directly and indirectly helped over 120 gals get to the next level in the last 4 years. Our Duke City Showcase has been something College Coaches have looked forward to the last 3 years. They have come to know and see with their own eyes how much talent and grit we have in the Land of Enchantment.

Some very talented NM kids are underprivileged and come from tough backgrounds as I did and can’t afford to get out and be seen. I have sponsored & financed with my own money many kids the last 10 years. Every dollar generated from the showcases was given back in scholarship money to young ladies who accepted a scholarship to play college softball.

Last year at our 3rd annual Duke City Showcase in Albuquerque… USA softball of NM & AZ sponsored 3k in camp fees to 30 qualified underprivileged kids to attend our College Coach Instructional Camp. In doing so I had heard from a parent signing up their kid a small town in Northern NM school was going to do away with their softball program. I reached out to a community member to help with a raffle for uniforms. We ended up sponsoring the whole High School team. Their 2020 graduating class was 28 students. The head Softball Coach and his wife attended every game that weekend. I invited the head coach to join my coaching staff at the 2020 USA GOLD NATIONALS. Coach Abeyta learned a wealth of knowledge to take back to his community. A young lady from Coach Abeytas HS team that never played travel ball until she guest played with us at the 2019 Duke City Showcase signed to a NM community College to play softball. This is why I do what I do.

I reached out to Bobby Pena 4 years ago with USA Softball of AZ for guidance and wisdom on bringing opportunities to the youth New Mexico. Bobby has been a true mentor to me and our community; we would not be at this point without his guidance.

I hope this sheds a little light on how much we love the game and look forward to making dreams happen in the classroom and the field with such a wonderful game.
I look forward to helping grow The Alliance Fastpitch in our State… My loyalty to the USA SOFTBALL and this movement is exactly what I’ve been hoping to happen for the last 9 years.