Jon Norfolk enters his third season on Bob Ralston’s staff after serving as an assistant coach at the University of San Francisco from 2008-2011. Norfolk serves in a variety of roles, including working with the pitching and catching staffs, assisting with recruiting and strength and conditioning, running summer camps, and overseeing academics.
Under Norfolk, the Pioneer pitching staff had an historic season in 2013. They went 32-18 as a team, matching the school record for victories and placing fifth in the CCAA with a 22-18 record. East Bay ranked second in the CCAA and 10th in the nation with a 2.91 ERA, the lowest for a Pioneer team since 1977. They also ranked 13th in the nation in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (8.02) and 15th in WHIP (1.23). Norfolk mentored junior right-hander Sean Becker (8-2. 2.19 ERA), who was the CCAA Co-Newcomer of the Year and a second-team All-West Region selection. Senior hurler Matt Fontaine (6-1, 2.03 ERA) collected All-Conference honors as well.
In Norfolk's first season at East Bay in 2012, the pitching staff improved its collective ERA by more than a half-run from the previous year. They also finished fourth in the CCAA in strikeouts per game, averaging 7.14.
During his time at USF, Norfolk supervised a pair of catchers who went on to sign Major League contracts (Ryan Lipkin was drafted in 23rd round in 2010 by the Oakland Athletics, and Travis Higgs was signed by the Seattle Mariners as a free agent in 2011). Under Norfolk’s guidance, Lipkin finished as a semi-finalist for the 2010 Johnny Bench Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate catcher.
Before becoming a coach at USF, Norfolk caught for the Dons from 2002-07. A first-team All-West Coast Conference selection as a senior in 2007, Norfolk finished his career batting .315 with 121 hits and 27 RBI, starting 108 of his 164 games. Norfolk and the Dons won a West Coast Conference Championship in 2006, earning a trip to the Lincoln, Neb., Regional where they knocked out the nationally-ranked host Huskers.
During the summer of 2007, Norfolk was an assistant coach for the Yuba Sutter Goldsox collegiate team in the Horizon Summer Series League. There he coached current big league pitcher Anthony Bass, who was drafted in the 8th round by the San Diego Padres in 2008.
For each of the last two summers, Norfolk has served as a head coach at IMG’s World Premier High School Wood-Bat League in Bradenton, Fla. The league helps develop players from all over the world on a professional stage, focusing on training the total athlete.
Born and raised in Riverside, Norfolk earned a Bachelor's Degree in business administration from USF in 2007 and a master's in organization and leadership in 2010. He also served as the Assistant Academic Advisor for the USF Athletic Department during the 2007-08 school year.
