Eric Gardner led the Sunrise Mountain High School Baseball Program for 21 years before retiring this year, building the program into one of the biggest powerhouse baseball teams in the state of Arizona. During his career, Eric garnished a 435-181 record, a 71% winning percentage, was a 13 time region champion, a 3 time state runner up, and finished in the final four of the state tournament 5 times. Eric has been named region coach of the year 13 times, the state coach of the year 3 times, and has led a program that has sent over 150 athletes on to the college ranks, including 12 players that have played professionally. The impact that Coach Gardner has made in the baseball community has been monumental, where he has led the state coaches association and been an innovator in off season training and organization of high school programs. Eric continues to work as a guidance counselor and NCAA Liaison at Sunrise Mountain High School.

In addition to his role as the head coach at Sunrise Mountain (retired), Eric also leads one of the largest club baseball organizations in Arizona, The Arizona Athletics. Over 250 players are in the Athletics program form ages 9 to 18. Over the past 15 years the Athletics have become one of the most well respected club baseball programs in the southwest and have won numerous local and national championships. The athletics have provided a vehicle for over 300 players to move on to play at the next level including over 100 division 1 players and 25 currently playing professionally. Eric's passion for helping players reach their baseball goals is evident in all of his baseball endeavors.

Eric is married to his wife Heidi for 18 years and has two sons, Hunter (16) and Brock (14)