Baseball Staff

Meet your Hayner Academy/ Sports Barn Baseball Staff

  • Norm Hayner (Co-Owner)

    Specializes in hitting, pitching, Catching

    • Norm currently coaches the Barnstormers 15u Travel Baseball Team.
    • Varsity Baseball Coach at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake H.S. 1995 - 2000.  Led Spartans to 1998 Section II Class A title, Region IV title and runner up finish at NY State final four.
    • Former Pitching Coach at UMass/Amherst, Siena College, Skidmore College and Schenectady C.C.
    • Division I catcher and graduate of Siena College ('85).
    • Earned M.S. in Sport Management at UMass/Amherst ('92)
    •  Former Player/Manager of Apex Printing in Albany Twilight League, achieving 3 consecutive league championships, 3 NYS AABC Stan Musial Division Titles, 1 AABC North Atlantic Regional Championship and 2 runner ups and a 3rd place finish at the 1989 Stan Musial World Series in Battle Creek, Michigan.
    •  Member of the Shenendehowa Athletic Hall of Fame and Albany Twilight League Hall of Fame


  • Ken Hayner (Co-Owner)


    • Since 2014, Ken has been the Director of the Hayner Academy Barnstormers Travel Baseball Program.
    • Head Baseball Coach at Hartwick College 1988 - 1998.  Was named Empire Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1993.  Received Louisville Slugger Coaching Award in 1994.  Led '94 team to NCAA New York Regional Tournament.  '92, '94 and '96 teams captured ECAC Upstate New York Championship.
    • Served as Assistant Coach at Siena College '84, '85, '87 and UMass/Amherst. '86.
    • In 1982 played professionally as a shortstop for the Utica Blue Sox of the New York-Penn League and received NY-Penn League's Achievement Award for development.
    • Former Division I player and graduate of Siena College '82. 
    • Received M.S. in Sport Management from UMass/Amherst in '87.
    • Member of the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame, Siena College Sports HOF, Shenendehowa Athletic HOF and Albany Twilight League HOF.



  • Kyle wilkins

    specializes in hitting, fielding and pitching

    • Kyle served as the Head Coach at The College of St. Rose  from 2014 - 2016.  Kyle was an assistant coach at St. Rose from 2012 - 2014.
    • Served as hitting coach for the Amsterdam Mohawks in the Perfect Game League in 2010 and 2011 helping them win the PG League Championship in 2010.
    • From 2004 - 2007, Kyle served as an assistant coach at Ithaca College helping the Bombers appear in four straight NCAA Regional Tournaments.
    • Kyle was a four year starting infielder at Ithaca College.  He was also team captain and was honored as 2003 Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year.
    • Kyle holds a bachelor's degree in athletic communications from Ithaca and a master's in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University at Irvine (CA).

  • Bill Kelts

    Specializes in Hitting, pitching and fielding

    • Bill has been a highly successful coach in the Waterford Nationals program for 15 years.
    • Bill played college baseball at SUNY New Paltz where he was a NCAA Division III All American.  Bill also achieved 1st team ALL SUNYAC and 1st team All Region.
    • Before transferring to SUNY New Paltz, Bill was a two year starter for HVCC and earned 1st team All Region III his sophomore year.
    • Bill played varsity baseball for CBA  and was named 1st team All Big 10 and 1st team All Section 2 in his senior year.
    • In November 2024 Bill was inducted in the Albany Twilight League Hall of Fame.  Over a 15 year career Bill finished with a .336 career batting average and is top 25 all time in home runs and RBI's.

  • Donovan Rhoden

    Specializes in Hitting and Fielding

    • Donovan attended Herkimer Community College in '23 and '24.
    • Helped lead the '23 team to the NJCAA World Series In Tennessee.
    • Named NJCAA Region 3 Second Team All-Star in '24.
    • Named Mountain Valley Conference First Team in '24.
    • Played in '25 for Keystone College in LaPlume, Pa.
    • Hit .357 over three college seasons.
    • Donovan graduated in 2019 from Ballston Spa High School helping lead the Scotties and Coach Curtis Nobles to the NYS Class A Championship.
    • Donovan joined the Hayner Academy Staff in September '25.


  • Joel Hayner

    Specializes in Pitching

    • As a freshman, Joel was a key member of the 2022 Herkimer College Team that won the JUCO National Championship.  Joel's 8 inning performance against Dallas-Eastfield in the national semi-finals earned him the victory and NJCAA National Championship All-Tournament Team Honors.
    • In his sophomore season at Herkimer, Joel was selected Region III Player of the Week, named to the All-Region Team and also to the Region III All-Tournament Team helping Herkimer to return to the JUCO World Series in Tennessee. 
    • For his JUCO career Joel's pitching line was 109 IP, 129 k and an ERA of 3.87.
    • As a junior, Joel played for Lynn University in the DII Sunshine Conference in Florida where he appeared in 19 games.
    • Joel completed his collegiate career at SUNY Oswego where he helped the Lakers earn a DIII at-large tournament bid.  Joel pitched 69.1 innings, struck out 63 and posted a 4.02 ERA.
    • His collegiate career totals were 207.2 IP, 207 K's, 62 BB, 3.94 ERA and a record of 19-10.
    • Joel pitched for the Oneonta Outlaws in the PGCBL during the summers of '22, '23, '24.
    • Joel specializes in pitching, specifically, pitching mechanics, arm care, velocity development, mound presence and how to pitch and get hitters out.

  • Mike Robbins

    specializes in hitting, pitching, fielding

    • Mike is currently the Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics at Lansingburgh Central School District.
    • Mike served as Director of Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation at Waterford - Halfmoon Union Free School District from 2018-2024.  Mike also served Waterford as Varsity Baseball Coach.
    • In 2012 and 2013 Mike served as Athletic Director at Catholic Central High School.  
    • From 2014-2016 Mike was an Assistant Principal at Cobleskill- Richmondville High School.
    • Mike has coached with the Waterford Nationals Baseball Program from 2010 - 2024.
    • Mike received his Bachelor's Degree from SUNY Cortland in May 2009.  He worked toward his advanced degrees in Physical Education at Canisius College and received his master's degree in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology from SUNY Albany in August 2010.
    • Mike specializes in hitting, pitching and fielding.