The Gateway Archers BeepBall Team enters its 4th year in 2023 and will be a foundation of MindsEye programming moving forward. For the Archers, as with all programs, there will be changes as they adapt, evolve, and grow.
As of this week, the current Archers Head Coach and MindsEye Director of Special Initiatives, Mike Curtis, will move into the General Manager chair for MindsEye President and CEO, Jason Frazier. Jason will remain involved with the team, but his BeepBall attention will primarily focus on preparations for the 2024 and 2025 NBBA World Series. The Series will be presented by MindsEye and Lighthouse for the Blind – St. Louis right here in St. Charles, MO.
With Mike taking over GM duties, the Archers were looking to hire a new Head Coach to help the team prepare for the season ahead. Jason and Mike chose someone who has been involved with the Archers since 2021 and has been involved with all MindsEye programs for 9+ years. Please welcome the Gateway Archers’ new Head Coach, Orlando Gonzalez!
Orlando Gonzalez
Gateway Archers – Head CoachOrlando joined the Archers in the summer of 2021. He first attended practice and started off getting reps as a Spotter, with his first game action in Champaign, IL in 2021. He was a general volunteer and spotter through off-season training and into the 2022 long slate of tournaments. He has excelled at spotting and coaching players on the defensive side of the field and will bring a lot to coaching the overall team.
Orlando has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management from UMSL. He has volunteered at MindsEye in various roles, including umpiring MindsEye recreational BeepBall tournaments since 2013. His being bilingual in Spanish has also contributed to helping MindsEye grow the Audio Description program by describing events in Spanish for non-native English speakers.