FRONT OFFICE
President/General Manager
Mike Jones
Mike Jones was elected as the President and General Manager of the New Market Rebels on October 31, 2021. He succeeded the late Bruce Alger who had held the position since 2001. A board member for over fifteen years, he had previously served as the Rebels Executive Vice President.
Mike is a lifelong resident of Shenandoah County with deep roots in the area dating back over six generations. He graduated from Bridgewater College in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration and is a proud graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School. He is currently employed as the Owner/Manager of Mt. Jackson Farm Service, LLC.
Aside from his family, business interests, and affiliation with the New Market Rebels, Mike is heavily involved in many community organizations. He is a member and current Moderator of St. Luke Brethren Church, President/Trustee of the Lawrence L. Lucas Foundation, and Chairman/member of the Shenandoah County Career and Technical Education Committee. He serves as a member of the Shenandoah County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, board member of the Mt. Jackson Economic Development Authority, as well as board member and Vice President of the Mt. Jackson Cemetery Association. Mike is also a member of the Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative Operation Round-Up Committee. He is an associate member and Past President of the Forestville-Quicksburg Ruritan Club and a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 4246 in New Market. In following his interest in genealogy, Mike is a member of the Captain Jack Adams Camp 1951 - Sons of Confederate Veterans and of the Colonel James Wood, II Chapter of the Virginia Society of the Sons of American Revolution.
Mike and his wife Ann are the proud parents of three children and reside on a small family farm in the Quicksburg area. Aside from spending time with his kids and watching them thrive, he enjoys hunting, fishing, farming, local history, baseball, and most any outdoor activity. His longtime affiliation with the Rebels has allowed him to remain active in the most wonderful game in the world…the game of baseball.
"Having played baseball since the age of 5, up until a tragic accident at the age of 17, I have always had a love of the game. For many years after the accident, I had to leave the thought of baseball. After about 20 years, I started watching it again, going to games, and getting involved. It’s great to be back in some capacity."
"For almost 30 years, I have worked in the printing industry. For the past 9 years I have been a sales representative for a printing company in Baltimore Md. My territory is Washington DC/NOVA where I work with hundreds of clients including the Washington Nationals."
"I am a beekeeper, avid gardener, terrible golfer and a huge Rebels fan since 1979. I enjoy the outdoors and anything to do with it."
Vice President
Jared Thompson
Andrew Kipps
Secretary
Andrew Kipps first joined the Rebels in the summer of 2002 at the age of 10 as a bat-boy. Since then he has worked in the concession stand, assisted with field work, operated the scoreboard, and has worked as the official scorer for all Rebel home games since 2014. In 2015 Andrew joined the Rebels’ Board of Directors. In 2017 he took over running the team’s website. In November 2021 he was elected as Secretary of the Board.
Andrew’s passion for the game of baseball developed at a young age while chasing foul balls at Rebels games, playing in the New Market/Mt. Jackson Little League, and watching Chicago Cubs games on WGN with his grandparents. Andrew played baseball for Stonewall Jackson High School which also calls Rebel Park home. In 2010 Andrew was awarded the Unsung Hero Award for his work behind the scenes with Stonewall Jackson High School Athletics.
From 2012 to 2014 Andrew attended Longwood University in Farmville, VA. In August of 2014 he graduated with honors earning a B.S. in Kinesiology.
Clara Chambliss
TREASURER
Clara Chambliss was appointed to the Board in October 2018 as Treasurer. Clara worked with the board to restructure the finances beginning in January 2018. Her background includes 47+ years in the finance field and held a CPA certification until 2017 when she did not renew the license due to an upcoming retirement. Clara is currently CFO of WAEPA, a large non-profit in Falls Church VA. She assisted her husband Mitch manage a full-service travel business for 30+ years. Clara is also involved with The New Market American Legion as their bookkeeper and F I S H a non profit in Herndon Virginia where she handles the disbursements to utilities and leasing company’s for people that are in need. Clara is excited to be part of the New Market Rebel’s from hosting players to helping with the finances.
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Mitch Chambliss is the Assistant Treasurer for The New Market Rebels and was asked to be on the board in October 2018. Joanne Burns asked Mitch to host a player in the Spring of 2017 and Clara accepted the invitation for us as she thought it would be a great opportunity for Mitch – the non sports person - to meet new people in the community, learn about baseball and help the young college baseball players to meld into the new community for a summer and improve their baseball game. Although as owner of a full-service multiple location travel business for nearly 30 years and had been hosted in many parts of the world, hosting by Mitch in our home would be a new experience. It proved to be an unbelievable and very rewarding experience. As Joanne Burns would say The Rebels bug bit Mitch and Clara. Mitch is also involved in a Race Car Business where we race on dirt tracks, build race cars and fix them. Although a new Shenandoah Valley semi-retired resident starting in 2016, Mitch loves the valley, the valley’s wonderful pace and its people, and the many activities like Rotary, American Legion, and church he is involved in. The New Market Rebels is a great organization and Mitch is proud to be a part of them.
Mitch Chambliss
Cheryl Miller
Cheryl was elected to the New Market Rebels Board of Directors in October of 2018 and has accepted the position of Director of our Rebel Yell Souvenir Stand. Cheryl is a lifelong resident of Shenandoah County, growing up in nearby Mt. Jackson, Va. Dedicated to a life of providing care for others she started her career in nursing as a Candy Striper. She then moved to the position of Operating Room Nurse and for the last 47 years as an OB/GYN Nurse first for a private practice and now for Valley Health. She is an active member of Reformation Lutheran Church in New Market where she serves in several capacities including Communion Server, Communion Presenter and Nursery Assistant as well as organizing and planning special events dinners. She also assists church members once a month in providing entertainment in the form of Bingo games for the residents of Life Care, a nursing home facility located in New Market. She is the proud mother of four children and
four grandchildren that are the love of her life.
REBEL YELL SOUVENIR STAND DIRECTOR
FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR
Sis Blosser
Sis was born on May 13th, 1945 and married her husband and fellow board member John Blosser in 1973. Sis was a member of the New Market Fire and Rescue Service for 43 years, she served as Secretary of the Virginia State Firefighters Auxiliary for 23 years and was President of the same organization for 24 years. Sis enjoyed coaching girls youth basketball and is a member of the Reformation Lutheran Church in New Market.
John Blosser
FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR
John was born on September 11th, 1939 and married his wife and fellow board member Sis Blosser in 1973. He attended New Market High School, which now serves as the town Community Center which is adjacent to Rebel Park. John served in the Marines for three years and was a member of the New Market Fire and Rescue Service for 55 years. He was president of the Virginia State Firefighters for two years. He enjoyed working with youth and coached baseball and basketball and also served as Scoutmaster for 10 years.
Dennis Atwood
PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Dennis Atwood has been the Rebels’ lead play-by-play webcaster since 2014 and joined the team’s board of directors in 2016, adding public relations to his New Market portfolio.
Dennis has included pre- and post-game interviews with head coaches and players in his broadcasts, and added a very popular feature near the end of the 2017 season – Facebook Live video, from an ideal location - the outdoor web deck behind home plate.
“Seeing the Rebels’ home games from the greatest viewing spot in Rebel Park and helping our fans, and even our opponents’ fans, who can’t be in attendance, to enjoy the games, is such a rewarding pursuit that it doesn’t really seem like a job,” Dennis said.
“Being a part of the New Market Rebels family, as club President and General Manager Bruce Alger calls everyone involved with the team; getting to know the coaches, players, and their families; watching the players further develop their baseball skills during the season; and working with our staff interns, all make it a distinct pleasure to support the enterprise,” Dennis added.
Baseball and basketball were Dennis’ favorite sports at Francis C. Hammond High School, Alexandria Virginia. While living in Maryland in the late 1950s, before becoming a teenager, Dennis would ride the streetcar from Silver Spring to Griffith Stadium to watch the Washington Senators play (Eddie Yost, Clint “Scrap-Iron” Courtney, Roy Sievers, Herb Plews, Camillo Pasqual , and their teammates). He has been a life-long fan of the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. Proud to be a “Terrapin,” Dennis is a 1972 alum of the University of Maryland, College Park.
Dennis served 25 years in the Naval Reserve (1966-1991, retiring as a Master Chief Petty Officer), while working for 40-years in the Federal civil service, the major portion being in emergency management preparedness with FEMA. After retiring from his day job, in January 2007, Dennis was a sportswriter with the Northern Virginia Daily (2008-13), followed by a one-year stint with the weekly Free Press, as well as volunteering with several community organizations, including Shenandoah County government committees, and the Shenandoah County Historical Society.
Dennis and his wife Rose, with three young children, moved from Columbia, Maryland to a small farm in Maurertown, Virginia, in 1978. They were blessed with a fourth child in 1980 and now have six grandchildren.
Anna Kipps Lawrence is a lifelong Rebel fan, having grown up just down the street from Rebel park in New Market. She has been an involved fan since her teen years, and joined the board of directors in 2011. She currently acts as the social media director, team photographer and alumni coordinator as well as sitting on several board committees.
Anna is a graduate of Purdue at Fort Wayne and holds a B.A. in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications. She has worked at Lowe's Home Improvements since 2010, and is currently the Supervisor of Home Decor and Flooring. Anna has many hobbies outside of work and baseball including reading, baking, blogging and disc golf!
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
Anna Lawrence
Liza was born and raised in Winchester. She currently lives in Quicksburg with her husband and children. Her children can often be seen chasing foul balls and homeruns here at Rebel Park. She has been a middle and high school teacher and now serves as an assistant principal at a local high school. She enjoys spending time on the river and summer afternoons in her hammock.
HOST FAMILY COORDINATOR
Liza Coffman
Will Gangwer
HOST FAMILY COORDINATOR
Will currently serves on the New Market Rebels’ Board of Directors as a Co-Host Family Coordinator. Born and raised in the Mt. Jackson-New Market, VA area, Will returned to the Valley following graduation from Virginia Tech. Will has spent the majority of his life connected to the New Market Rebels’ organization in some capacity. Will grew up around Rebel Park chasing foul balls, serving as a bat boy, assisting with field maintenance work days, grilling out in the Left Field Lounge, and sneaking through the Algers’ backyard for Pack’s ice cream. Will played baseball for Stonewall Jackson High School and the Rockingham County Baseball League, both of whom use Rebel Park as their home field. Growing up, Will’s family served as a Rebel host family for many summers and now, Will’s own, young family serves as a second generation Rebel host family. Will and his wife Keisha are parents to four children – Reice, Harper, Finleigh, and Kaise. Will works as a government contractor for BridgePhase, LLC. Through a variety of community organizations, Will and his family are very active in the local community and are proud to call the Valley home!
Austin Gisriel
Director
Austin Gisriel would have replaced Brooks Robinson at third base for the Baltimore Orioles, and it was only a lack of talent that kept him from doing so. “When I was eight, I saw Brooks win a game for the Orioles with a single in the bottom of the ninth, so the magic worked its spell on me early on,” says Gisriel. He began writing about baseball in 1979 and his work has appeared in a variety of publications. A contributor to the SABR biography project as well, Gisriel is the author Safe at Home: A Season in the Valley, Their Glorious Summer, Fathers, Sons, & Holy Ghosts: Baseball as a Spiritual Experience, and Boots Poffenberger: Hurler, Hero, Hell-Raiser. All are available through Amazon.
Gisriel was a member of the Rebels Board of Directors from 2011-2016. He has also as webcaster and Director of Public Relations.
Austin and his wife, Martha, have two grown daughters, Rebecca and Sarah, either one of whom would have been named “Brooks” had either one been boys. The Gisriels live in Stephenson, VA and Austin invites you to follow his blog at www.austingisriel.com
Greg Alger
Director
Born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley with Rebel Park as his very own backyard, Greg spent his summers playing baseball at Rebel either with the SJHS Generals or the New Market Shockers, Greg studied the game and helping his Dad, Bruce with all things Rebel Park. From constantly working on the field, the concession stand, selling tickets or giving hot dogs and bubble gum to kids who chased down foul balls, and all the way to being invited to join the Board Of Directors of the New Market Rebels. Greg considers the Rebels as the quintessential “coming home”.
Today, Greg travels extensively all throughout the North East while serving on numerous Boards in the telecommunications and cable TV field. Greg spends his free time with his wife and three sons. He is very excited to come back to his baseball roots and play an expansive part of the Rebels Organization, the very place that helped to shape him into the person, husband and father he is today.