2006 Pitching Coach of the Year Honor

Gordon Alderink is in his 19th season as pitching coach for Grand Valley State, his seventh as an assistant under Steve Lyon. GVSU has ranked among GLIAC leaders in pitching during Alderink's tenure, including a GLIAC best 3.85 ERA in 2004.

Alderink was named the 2006 National College Pitching Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball, a prestigious honor given to the top pitching coach in all divisions of the NCAA.

Alderink has tutored three All-North Central Region pitchers in the past three years, including a pair of Amercian Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Americans. Matt Rafeld (2004), Grant Payton (2005), and Jeremy Dow (2006) have been named the past three GLIAC Pitchers of the Year. Payton tied the GVSU record for victories with 21 during his two years under Alderink's tutelage. Payton and Rafeld are the only two Lakers to earn ABCA All-American honors. Alderink has guided five of GVSU's top 10 in career victories in the last seven years.

Alderink came to GVSU as an assistant professor in the Physical Therapy Program in 1984. He received his physical therapy training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN in 1978, Master's degree in kinesiology from the University of Michigan in 1983, and PhD in Engineering Mechanics from Michigan State University in 2003. Gordy continues as a fulltime Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy program where he teaches courses in kinesiology, biomechanics, orthopaedic diagnosis, spinal manual therapy, and research design. His research interests center on spine and gait biomechanics.

Alderink received his BA in Biology from Hope College in 1976 where he participated in basketball for 2 years and baseball for 4 years. He captained the baseball team as a junior and senior.

Alderink played amateur baseball for several years after college, but in the last 20 years has focused on the prevention of youth baseball injuries through teaching proper pitching mechanics. The 52-year old Alderink is married to Sally and they have two daughters, Jenny and Elizabeth.