Coaching Staff

Coach MooreDave Moore enters his first season with the Carlisle coaching staff as the inaugural Head Middle School Track and Field Coach. Prior to joining the Thundering Herd, Coach Moore spent 5 years (2015-2019) mentoring athletes in the middle- and long-distance events as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s track & field and cross country teams at Penn State Harrisburg, working alongside then head coach Danielle Lynch to help take the track program off the ground through its inaugural NCAA seasons. While there, he was also a full-time faculty member in the college’s undergraduate Kinesiology program from 2016-2021. Many of his athletes achieved new personal bests, and his men’s squad continues to hold the top times for middle distance events in the program’s record books.  Notable accolades also include coaching 800-meter runner, Joe Phifer, to become the program’s first indoor and outdoor ECAC DIII track and field championships qualifier and outdoor ECAC DIII medalist, with a qualifying and personal-best time of 1:53.00.  

Before joining the PSU-Harrisburg coaching staff, Coach Moore served 4 years (2011-2014) as an assistant with the boys’ cross-country program at State College Area High School.  While at State College, he, alongside then head coach Dave Felice and fellow assistant coach Rusty McCrea, helped guide the Little Lions to two (2013, 2014) PIAA District VI team victories, a Mid-Penn Conference tournament team championship (2013), as well as 4th (2013) and 11th (2014) place boys AAA team finishes at the PIAA state cross country championships. 

Moore is a two-time graduate of Penn State University, earning his B.S. in Biology in 2007 and his Ph.D. in Physiology in 2014. While attending Penn State, he was member of the Triathlon Club before running his final 2 years with the cross country and track & field teams under the guidance and mentorship of the late, hall of fame coach, Harry Groves.

 BaitingerTyler Baitinger is entering his 5th year of coaching for the Thundering Herd Track and Field Program. Coach Baitinger volunteered his first two seasons and helped out mostly with the sprinters at the high school level. He has been on the coaching staff for the last 2 years. Originally from South Jersey, Baitinger was a part of Clearview Regional's High School Track and Field program for 4 years (graduated in 2016). He went to West Chester University where he studied Sociology and Youth Empowerment (graduated 2020). During his last two years of college, he coached Track & Field for West Chester East High School. He has lived and coached in Carlisle ever since. He was part of the inaugural Carlisle Middle School Track and Field coaching staff last year. He is excited to continue coaching Middle School as we develop a stronger middle school program while still helping when he can for the High School Program.

Coach Baitinger teaches math for Carlisle Area School District. He has been married to his wife, Jillian, for a little over 4 years. They have two kids (2-year-old boy & 3-month-old girl) and 2 dogs (Nala and Maisey).


 Matt ErkelMr. Matt Erkel has been teaching in Carlisle since 2016 and is currently an 8th-grade science teacher at Wilson Middle School. Originally from Pittsburgh, he remains a passionate fan of everything about the city. In addition to teaching, he has been actively involved in coaching. He previously served as the assistant coach for middle school cross country for three years and is now in his first year as an assistant coach for middle school track. He lives in Newville, PA, with his wife of five years. Outside of the classroom and coaching, he enjoys long-distance running, tackling home improvement projects, cooking, and learning about space.



Harold TravisHarold Travis has been coaching and working at Carlisle since 2007.  He has been the boys and girls Middle School Cross-Country Coach since 2010 in addition to running many intramurals at Carlisle. Coach Travis graduated from Carlisle in 1996 where he lettered in Cross-country, wrestling, and track. He went to Penn State University receiving his Bachelors degree in Kinesiology and a Masters degree in School Counseling.  He has been a middle school counselor at Wilson Middle School since 2007.