Tom Nelson

Owner – Dir. of Operations/15u Gold HC

Tom Nelson is a proud alumnus of Naperville Central High School, where he graduated in 2008. During his freshman and sophomore years, he excelled as a shortstop and pitcher, with aspirations of playing collegiate baseball. However, his promising athletic journey was cut short due to elbow and shoulder injuries. Undeterred, Tom took on a full-time job and pursued his education, first at the College of DuPage, before completing his undergraduate degree at West Virginia University.

Tom’s passion for baseball was reignited by his longtime friend Geoff Rowan, a former AA player with the Tampa Bay organization. In 2016, Tom began coaching a 13U team, followed by a 14U team in 2017 within the Naperville Renegades organization. After the 2017 season, he decided to further his education and enrolled in Ohio University’s top-ranked Sports Administration program, where he earned both an MBA and a Master of Sports Administration in 2020.

The onset of the pandemic brought Tom back to Naperville, where he continued to coach, leading 15U and 16U teams for the Renegades during the 2021 season. In 2022, Tom took the reins of the 14U Canes Illinois Gold team, guiding them to a top-10 ranking in the state.

Tom is excited to bring his empowering yet demanding coaching style to the Canes staff. He is deeply committed to developing young athletes both on and off the field, instilling values that extend beyond baseball.

In addition to his coaching career, Tom currently serves as a Global Team Lead at Randstad Sourceright, where he leads a team dedicated to supporting Google’s hiring needs.