SOUTH SUBURBAN COLLEGE’S RUZICH SELECTED FOR BASEBALL COACHES HALL OF FAME

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL–South Suburban College (SSC) Head Baseball Coach Steve Ruzich was recently selected for the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.  Ruzich will officially be inducted on May 23rd in an opening ceremony for the 2014 World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado–annual home of the NJCAA Division I World Series–where Ruzich’s Bulldogs have made two past appearances.  This recognition is a rare accomplishment–the NJCAA Hall of Fame began in 1982 and the Selection Committee has only chosen 89 members since that time.

“I am honored to be selected to the Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame,” said Coach Ruzich.  “This is such a prestigious award, I am just very grateful to be recognized for the career I have been able to have with the help of some great coaches and players."

Coach Ruzich heads into his 28th year as the head coach at SSC where he has compiled a record of 978 wins and 565 loses.  Included in his tenure have been four sectional titles, ten Regional Championships, two Midwest Championships and two appearances at the Juco Division I World Series.  His coaching awards have included N4C Coach of the Year, ten Region IV Coach of the Year Awards, two College Coach of the Year Awards from Pitch Hit Club of Chicago, Great Lakes District Coach of the Year and Diamond District Coach of the Year.  Ruzich has coached 12 All Americans, 22 players have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams, 5 players have reached the big leagues, 251 players have continued on to four year college programs, and more than 80% of coach Ruzich’s players have graduated.

Coach Ruzich was an All-American catcher at the College of Saint Francis and was drafted in 1985 by the Chicago White Sox. After a brief pro stint, Ruzich took over the SSC Baseball Team in 1987 and now also serves as SSC’s Athletic Director.  He is well-known as a director and coordinator of local parent-child baseball camps which have attracted thousands of participants, and Ruzich has also worked for the Chicago White Sox as an instructor in their Fundamentals area at Cellular One Field. 

Coach Ruzich will be conducting Adult-Child Baseball Camps February 14-23 for boys and girls 6-14 years of age. The camps will feature sessions for pitching, catching, hitting and fielding while providing adults and kids the opportunity to improve their knowledge of baseball skills and techniques.  The cost is $45 for one adult and one child per camp, and $40 per camp if enrolled in more than one.  The cost is $30 for each additional child.

For more information, please contact Coach Ruzich at (708) 596-2000, ext. 2413 or email SRuzich@ssc.edu.  SSC is located at 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois.