Chad Lechner - Head Varsity Coach
Chad Lechner is entering his 5th year as Head Baseball Coach (9th overall) at Linn-Mar High School. Lechner owns a 77-66 record at Linn-Mar, and a 130-99 record overall as a head varsity coach. In 2006, he led the Lions to their first State Tournament appearance since 1995.
Prior to becoming the head coach in 2003, Lechner was the Head Sophomore Coach from 2001-2002, with his 2002 team winning the Mississippi Valley Conference title. He was also a Varsity Assistant at Linn-Mar from 1999-2000. Lechner also served as the Linn-Mar Head Freshman Football Coach from 1999-2003, and is now an assistant at the sophomore level.
Lechner was the Head Baseball Coach at Ft. Dodge St. Edmond's from 1994-1996, where he compiled a 53-33 overall record. He directed his 1996 team to the 2A sub-state finals and was named CYO Coach of the Year. Lechner was also part of a state championship in 1993 as an assistant coach at Lisbon.
Lechner played his high school ball at New Hartford High School from 1987-1989. He went on to play baseball and football at Coe College from 1990-1993.
Coach Lechner works in the science department at Linn-Mar High School, teaching biology and earth science.
Lechner and his wife, Deb, reside in Cedar Rapids and have two sons, Alec and Rylan.
| Year | Record | MVC |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 17-19 | 10-16 (5th) |
| 2004 | 19-16 | 13-13 (3rd) |
| 2005 | 16-18 | 11-14 (5th) |
| Overall | 52-53 | 34-43 |
Mike Shipley - Assistant Varsity Coach
Mike Shipley is entering his 7th year as Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach (9th overall) at Linn-Mar High School. During his tenure as a varsity coach, the Lions are 118-106 with three sub-state final appearances and one state tournament appearance.
Shipley was named the 2006 NE Assistant Coach of the Year by the IHSBCA. He also served as Head Freshman Baseball Coach in 1998 and 2000. Shipley is also an Assistant Varsity Football Coach for the Lions, and has coached football at Linn-Mar since 1999.
Shipley is a 1993 alumni of Linn-Mar, earning All-State honors in both baseball and football. Shipley is a member of the Linn-Mar Baseball Wall of Fame. He went on to play baseball at Loras College from 1994-1997.
Coach Shipley works in the Linn-Mar District as an Intervention Specialist at the middle school level.
Shipley and his wife, Carina, reside in Marion and have a son, Michael Jr., and a daughter, Elly.
Rodger Walsh - Head Sophomore Coach
Rodger Walsh is entering his 2nd year as Head Sophomore Coach (5th overall) at Linn-Mar High School. Walsh had been at the 9th grade level for the three seasons. Walsh has also been a Varsity Assistant Football Coach for the Lions for the past three seasons, and has coached football at Linn-Mar since 2003.
Coach Walsh graduated from Linn-Mar High School in 1995 where he was a two-way starter on the 1994 State Runner-Up football team. Walsh went on to play football at Wartburg College, earning a degree in Elementary Education in 1999.
Walsh teaches Title 1 Math at Novak Elementary School.
Walsh and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Marion.
Hank Gehrls - Head Freshman Coach
Hank Gerhls is entering his second season as Head Freshman Coach, and first overall in the Linn-Mar Baseball program. Gehrls also coached in the Linn-Mar girls softball program for five years, as well as being the Sophomore Assistant Boys Basketball coach for two years, and the Head 7th grade Girls Basketball coach for two years.
Coach Gerhls played high school baseball at Maquoketa Valley at Delhi, where he was a 1992 graduate. Gerhls went on to the University of Northern Iowa, where he received a B.A. in Social Sciences in 1996.
Gehrls teaches Social Studies at Linn-Mar High School.
Gehrls and his wife, Lenora, reside in Marion and have three children: Morgan (9), Gretchen (5), Cleo (5).