Darren Ware joined the Cavaliers dugout in 2023 and serves as Pitching Coach. Ware also helps with recruiting where he has been able to sign great, talented players from the local area as well as in the rest of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kentucky, California, Illinois, and New York.
In 2023, through the first half of the season Ware’s pitching staff at Walsh ranked number 2 in the country for D2 in least number of walks and were in the top 20 in multiple other categories. With his “Old” School “New” School methods of coaching Ware has developed his pitchers to have the “Pound the Zone” mentality. Ware’s “Work Wins” message has his pitcher's mentality and physically ready to compete.
Before coaching in college, Ware coached 25 years with various high school programs all over the Stark County in Ohio area including Jackson HS, GlenOak HS, and North Canton Hoover HS, along with Malvern HS. In those 25 years of High School coaching, Ware’s teams have won severval league titles as well as District Championships and Regional Appearances. During Ware’s high school coaching career, he has helped several players get into college and continue their baseball aspirations. Among some of those colleges were Kent State, Lipscomb University, Auburn University, Santa Clara University, Walsh University, Ashland University, Hiram, and Mount Union College to name a few. Along with his role as Pitching Coach, Ware is also a pitching instructor at Velocity Sports Ohio in North Canton, Ohio.
Ware’s college career started out at Gulf Coast CC in Panama City, Florida where he was coached by legendary coach Bill Frazier. Ware then transferred to Walsh University and played for another legendary coach, Tim Mead. After Ware graduated in 1997 from Walsh University with a bachelor's degree in education, he became a middle school teacher and HS baseball coach for the next 25 years.
Ware attended Holy Name HS in Parma Hts, Ohio. As a member of the Varsity team, he had a great HS career setting multiple records in Wins(season/year), Strikeouts(season/year), being named All State, Conference Pitcher of the Year, Plain Dealer Player of the Week multiple times and Plain Dealer Pitcher of the Year. Ware also threw a No-Hitter in the District Finals in 1990 to get his team to the Regionals.
Ware currently resides in North Canton, Ohio with his wife (Molly) and two sons Brody and Tanner. Both of Ware’s sons played college baseball. Brody played at Kent State and Walsh University. Tanner is currently playing at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
