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Joan Manuel 'John' Sanchez
Program Director
Joan Manuel "John" Sanchez has being at every step since Youth Empowerment’s creation in 1996. Has a freshman in college
he joined hands with community activist and youth counselor Javier Cardenas to create a non-for-profit organization for student-athletes.
Thus the birth of Youth Empowerment.
With the sole vision of helping the young student-athletes with guidance and a safe-heaven to pursue academic and athletic
dreams, Joan was named executive director of the Student-athlete Youth Empowerment organization.
As Executive Director, Joan was the catalyst in the creation of the major programs that today serve over 100 student-athletes.
‘The College Placement’ program created to help the student-athlete find a college that meets the needs each student
has academically, athletic and social has helped over 200 youth since it’s creation in 1996. Along with the ‘College
Placement’ program, the ‘Empowerment Program’ that includes Academic Tutoring, ACT, PSAT, and SAT workshops
and Counseling has provided each student-athlete in the program an opportunity to prepare for college.
Before being promoted to Program Director in 2004, Joan working with the Hostos Community College GED center created the ‘Second
shot opportunity program’ for those young athletes in need of a GED.
Besides his work on the academic field, Joan has being successful in putting together showcases and exposure camps for the
student-athlete.. In 1997 he organized the "Drazen Petrovic Basketball Fall Classic", where over 120 youth participated including
NBA Vancouver Grizzlies Charlie Villanueva and LA Lakers ‘Smush’ Parker, while producing over 20 Division I basketball
players. In 1998 the ‘Youth Empowerment Exposure Games" where held at Elmcore Community Center. Co-sponsored with ‘Real
Scout’ director Nate Blue, the games attracted top-college coaches while producing several D1 and D2 scholarship players.
This last event won him a position as an assistant coach at the College Ranks and in 2000 was named assistant coach of the
men’s basketball program at Lehman College. There under the guidance of Steven Schulman, Joan played a major part in
the renaissance of the Lightning program. Recruiting the 2001-2002 ‘Rookie of the Year’ (Luis Chavez) and several
All-Conference athlete’s.
In 2002 Joan took Youth Empowerment to a new level, incorporating a baseball academy to serve the need many parents and student’s
in the city had in that sport. The baseball academy has being where the organization has grown the must. In the spring of
2008 over 40 Youth Empowerment students gained college scholarships and 6 have being chosen in the MLB Draft.
Youth Empowerment Baseball has grown to be one of the top elite Teams in the NY region. For their success this spring Akadema
and X-Bats have announced a partnership with Youth Empowerment.
Joan is no stranger to baseball. A 3-year letter winner at Newtown High School, Joan played for legendary coach, Warren Albert.
As a youngster he also had the opportunity to play for Venezuela legendary coach Hector Grubber, a former Scout of the Cleveland
Indians. After his HS days Joan was signed has a free agent by the Cleveland Indians. However, an injury kept him in the sideline
for most of his contract.
The success of Youth Empowerment and his merits as a coach on the hardwood, brought an offer from Lehman College head baseball
coach Juan ‘Kiko’ Reyes, and in 2002 was named has the college pitching coach.
There Joan Exeled has a pitching coach recruiting ‘Rookie of the Year’ Steve Ortiz while guiding the pitching
staff to a conference low 2.76 ERA.
The following year Joan accepted the position of Assistant Athletic Director/Head Baseball Coach at Hostos Community College.
There he will become the youngest head baseball coach at any level of college baseball. At the mere age of 26 Coach Sanchez
led a first-year program to the NJCAA Region XV playoffs while helping form the college first ever Soccer, Women’s Volleyball,
Women’s Basketball and Men’s Basketball programs. In men’s basketball he was a major part in the recruitment
and putting together the 2005 NJCAA Division III National Championship Team.
In 2005 after Hostos Community College decision to abandon baseball do to lack of a playing field and financial reasons, Joan
moves on and accepted the Pitching Coaching position at Cardinal Hayes HS. While at the Bronx School he has helped transform
the program. During his second season Joan guided to Hayesman to their first Divisional Championship in 25 years, while producing
several All-City players and College bound athletes.
In 2007 Joan was named Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Lehman College, while coaching Varsity at Cardinal Hayes
HS.
In the spring 2008 Joan announced that he will continue to lead Youth Empowerment and announced the creation of the "Burt
Beagle Memorial Tournament’ a baseball classic to Honor the Late Hall-of-Fame Coach Burt Beagle, and the Youth Empowerment
Dinner.
He also announced that the work is in process in creating the Youth Empowerment Clubhouse a place where all the offices and
programs can run out of, while providing each athlete a gym space.
Joan recieved has B.D., Divinity from Moody Bible Institute.
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