BEN GAAL PROMOTED TO FULL-TIME STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINER IN ’07

Syracuse, NY – Director of Athletics, Le Moyne College Bob Beretta announced that Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Ben Gaal ’07 has been promoted to a full-time position.

Gaal, a Syracuse native, returned to the Heights in August 2018 to lead the strength and conditioning program. He is responsible for designing conditioning, speed, strength and flexibility training programs for all Dolphin students and athletes to be an integral part of the overall injury prevention program.

“Ben Gaal has been an integral part of the success of our Intercollegiate Athletic teams at Le Moyne for many years,” said Beretta. “He is committed to the Jesuit values ​​that guide our collegiate and athletic departments and he is laser focused on serving our student athletes and coaches. We couldn’t be more excited to appoint Ben as the first full-time head trainer for strength and conditioning at Le Moyne.


“Caring for the mental and physical well-being of our student-athletes is our primary focus, and we continue to look for initiatives that further enhance the overall student-athlete experience. We believe that Ben’s increased contributions will benefit our student-athletes in many ways and help them reach the highest level of their potential on the pitches.”

“I want to thank President Linda LeMura, Director of Athletics Bob BerettaAssistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine/Head Athletic Trainer Scott Peterson and everyone else involved in bringing the idea of ​​a full-time strength and conditioning position to fruition,” said Gaal. “As the first person in Le Moyne’s history to be associated with this Responsibility is not something I take lightly.


“Having been a student and an athlete here, it’s great to see the progress the school is making in terms of athletic performance. This position is another snapshot of the college’s tremendous investment in the full development of its students and athletes. The additional hours of training provided by this position will allow us to serve more student-athletes and continue to build on the culture that has developed over the past four years. Our student-athletes will benefit tremendously from these additional Opportunities benefit, both in terms of performance and injury prevention.”

Gaal, a letterwinner in baseball for four years, was a student-athlete from 2003-2007 when the Dolphins competed in Division I. He helped lead the Dolphins to three MAAC regular-season championships and two MAAC tournament championships while earning two All-MAAC selections. As a senior, Baseball America used him as both a captain and a preseason collegiate baseball player.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, Gaal enrolled at Ithaca College, where he served as an assistant baseball coach and received a Master of Science in Exercise and Sports Science with a focus on human performance in 2009.

After completing grad school, Gaal spent three years as a strength and conditioning coach with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was responsible for overseeing all S&C-related activities for the Arizona Rookie League Angels in 2010, including five first-round draft picks, and Class High-A Inland Empire 66ers in 2011 and 2012.


Gaal returned home in 2012 to start his own business, APE Strength Training, LLC, and also teaches travel-level baseball at CNY Baseball Warehouse and Baseball U-New York.

Gaal is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and First Aid/CPR/AED certified.

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