The Normal CornBelters are excited to announce Andy Turner as the Field Manager and Chris Hawkins as the Assistant Field Manager and Bench Coach for the 2022 season. 

Andy Turner has helped develop high school athletic programs since 1999 as the athletic director at Maine South High School and Glenbrook South High School. He has also served as an athletic director in the Big 12 Conference at Normal Community High School and the Sangamo Conference at Rochester High School.

Turner was also the Head Coach at Normal West High School and Normal Community High School. He was also the assistant coach at Wentzville, Lafayette, Orchard Farm, and East Peoria High Schools. 

In 2017, Turner worked with Pro Camp, Cincinnati, OH to bring Kyle Schwarber's Inaugural Youth Baseball Camp to Maine South HS. Coach Turner also volunteered with the Chicago Cubs Charities' Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) to help advance the curriculum for intercity youth baseball.

During his tenure at Normal Community and Normal West High School, 12 players moved on to the collegiate level and two continued on to play professionally. 

When asked what interested him in coaching collegiate players, Turner said, "I think the best part of the job is developing relationships with this type of player. The college player has so many decisions to make in a short period of time. Hopefully, Coach Hawkins and I can provide some good information on our past experiences."

Coach Hawkins started as the assistant coach of Normal West High School Varsity Baseball in 1998. In his 21 seasons as head coach of Normal West, he has accumulated an overall record of 537-230 and has helped lead the Wildcats to 12 Regional Championships and 7 Sweet 16 appearances.

Hawkins directs annual baseball clinics and camps, as well as coaching for Parkside Junior High, Kingsley Junior High, the 15U BNBA Gold squad, and the 14U All-Star team from Illinois. He is currently a member of the IHSBCA Board of Directors. 

Normal West has seen 10 players drafted and/or signed by MLB organizations in the past 2 decades of coaching by Hawkins.

On working with Coach Turner, Hawkins said, "Andy Turner and I first coached together nearly a quarter of a century ago for 2 years. During that span, we were fortunate to finish as one of the top teams in Illinois both seasons. After years of friendship, we are excited to get 'the band back together again to compete for a championship."

For schedules and information about the Normal CornBelters, visit cornbeltersbaseball.com or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Turner and Hawkins will be hosting a baseball camp this season. Dates and details will be released on cornbeltersbaseball.com.