Coaches

Varsity

Head Coach Joseph Abarr

The 2021 season will be Coach Abarr's fifth season as head varsity coach for Oliver Ames baseball. He has a record of 30-17 in his initial two seasons with two tournament appearances. The team made it to the same rounds in 2017 and 2019 and reached the State Quarter Finals for each. Joe also teaches history at Oliver Ames. Prior to being named head varsity coach, Joe spent three seasons (2014-2016) as a volunteer assistant to longtime Coach Leo Duggan and worked primarily with the team's hitters and catchers. He previously served as head coach of girls softball at Exeter-West Greenwich Regional School in 2010 and 2011. The team won the Division II State Title in 2010 and five girls went on to play college softball.

Coach Abarr played high school baseball for Coach Mike LaBarbera at The Prout School in Rhode Island. He then walked-on at The University of Rhode Island and played for Coach Jim Foster (currently head coach at West Point). The University of Rhode Island baseball annual Unsung Hero award is named the Joe Abarr award since it was first awarded to him in 2010. After college, Coach Abarr worked for three seasons as the bullpen catcher for the Pawtucket Red Sox where he caught for and worked with numerous major leaguers, prospects, and even Cy Young award winner Bartolo Colon and Hall of Famer John Smoltz. He was also tasked with daily throwing with current Red Sox manager, Alex Cora, during a rehab stint.

In 2019, the Tigers made a run to the South Sectional Semifinals knocking off two higher seeds after barely making the tournament (10-10) while playing a majority Division 1 schedule. In 2018, the Tigers went 13-7 and earned a #6 seed in the D2 South MIAA tournament. This earned them an opening round home game at Frothingham Park against Bishop Feehan. The Tigers relied on a late inning rally to send the game into extra innings and won on a dramatic walk-off earning them another tournament game at the Park. Once again, they were victorious over Nauset, resulting in a return trip to the South Semi-Finals at Rockland. This time the outcome was different, with a 3rd tournament win over Duxbury. The 2018 season (16-8) came to an end in theSouth Sectional Finals at Campanelli Stadium with a loss to fellow Hockomock League member and #1 seed North Attleboro. North Attleboro followed up their victory with another in the state championship.

In his first season at the helm in 2017, he guided them to a 12-8 regular season record and a #10 seed in the South D2 MIAA tournament . The team picked up road wins in the first round over #7 Pembroke and the quarterfinal round over #2 Dighton-Rehoboth. The tournament run ended in South semi-finals at Rockland with a loss to Westwood to finish at 14-9.

Coach Joe Abarr

Assistant Coach Steve Adams
Assistant Coach Nick Zwerle

Junior Varsity

Head Coach Redmond Woodward

The 2021 season will be Coach Woodward’s first season as head junior varsity coach for the Oliver Ames baseball program. He has previously worked as a coach for Glenn Tufts at Play Ball Baseball Camp since 2012. He has worked very closely with varsity coach Joe Abarr there since 2016. Coach Woodward played high school baseball for Coach Ray Bresnahan at Cardinal Spellman in Brockton. During his senior season he was named a captain for his leadership and commitment.

Assistant JV Coach Matt McCormack

Sub Varsity

Head Coach John McCaffrey

Returning for his third season, Coach McCaffrey is back this time named the OA Freshman- Sophomore Sub-Varsity Baseball head coach. He is a high school math teacher here at OA and began teaching here in 2011. He has contributed to the athletic department in various roles over the years, be it officiating track meets, working the scorer’s table at basketball games, or running the PA during football games, but is very glad to have an opportunity to be back on the diamond again after we all missed the 2020 Spring season.

He is excited to work closely with Coach Abarr, Coach Woodward, and the rest of the coaching staff to help grow the baseball program here at OA and to help each student-athlete achieve their goals and improve all aspects of their game. He is excited to share his passion and knowledge for the game with each student-athlete involved in the OA baseball program.

Coach John McCaffrey grew up in Middletown, RI, where his family still lives, playing baseball in nearby Newport throughout high school. He later returned to coach there during the summers while attending Bridgewater State University. He is very excited and humbled to have this opportunity at OA this season.