Coaching Management 14.13 by Momentummedia

Coaching Management VOL. XIV NO. 13

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Speedline/NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year Northwestern University ■ Convention ■ ■

Schedule List of Exhibitors 2006 Award Winners

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CONTENTS

Coaching Management Softball Edition 2006 NFCA Convention Issue

Vol. XIV, No. 13

Convention Schedule . . . . . . 6 List of Exhibitors . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Products on Display . . . . . . . 31 New Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 More Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Advertisers Directory . . . . 38 Welcome to the 2006 NFCA Convention Issue of Coaching Management Softball, the first step in our partnership to improve the convention experience, promote the development of coaches, and enhance the profession.

Publisher Mark Goldberg Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel Associate Editor Dennis Read Assistant Editors R.J. Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Nate Dougherty, Abigail Funk, Greg Scholand, Laura Ulrich Art Director Pamela Crawford Photo Research Tobi Sznajderman Business Manager Pennie Small Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

Convention Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 NFCA hosts clinic sessions with top names in the profession … Developing leadership with Peak Performance Consultant Jeff Janssen … USA Today’s Christine Brennan shares her memoir of growing up … Hall of Fame inducts coaches Sue Enquist, Carol Hutchins, and Clyde Washburne … National Fastpitch Coaches’ College offers a unique opportunity for educational credits.

Cover Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The coaches of Northwestern University, winners of the Speedline/NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year award, talk about working together as a team, playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation, and learning from their World Series appearance.

Honoring Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Speedline/NFCA National Coaching Staffs of the Year … The Speedline/ NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year … The 2006 Easton Victory Club Award Winners. On the cover: Defying expectations, Kate Drohan and the Northwestern University coaching staff took the Wildcats to the finals of the 2006 Women’s College World Series. Here, offensive leader Tammy Williams helps take the team to victory against the University of Massachusetts in the NCAA Super Regional. Photo by Stephen J. Carrera.

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer

Advertising Sales Associates Marketing/Sales Assistant Danielle Catalano Diedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Rob Schoffel, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 Circulation Director Dave Dubin Ad Materials Coordinator Circulation Manager John Callaghan Mike Townsend, (607) 257-6970, ext. 13 Production Director Don Andersen Business and Editorial Offices Assistant Production Director Jim Harper 31 Dutch Mill Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 Production Assistant Jonni Campbell (607) 257-6970, Fax (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com Prepress Manager Miles Worthington IT Manager Julian Cook Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell

Mailing lists for Coaching Management Softball are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

The Coaching Management softball edition is published in October and November by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada. Copyright © 2006 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Coaching Management is printed by Banta Publications Group, Kansas City, MO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852. Printed in the U.S.A.

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NFCA CONVENTION PREVIEW Learn and Network in the Beauty of the Southwest The J.W. Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa in Tucson, Ariz., will host the 2006 NFCA National Convention Dec. 6-9. Cradled in the Tucson Mountains, the resort will provide a beautiful backdrop for the NFCA’s annual meeting. The location is close to the area’s most popular visitor sites and Tucson International Air-

Clinic sessions covering all the game’s aspects: Learn valuable drills and tips from some of the best speakers in softball today. Veteran coaches and national experts tell their secrets.

The latest innovations in softball equipment, and some excellent buys at the silent auction: More than 80 companies are expected for the Exhibitor Show, Dec. 7 and 8. Learn about the newest softball training technology and pick up great discounts at the silent auction, on display Thursday.

The J.W. Marriott Starr Pass Resort in Tucson, Ariz., is hosting the 2006 NFCA National Convention. Forums to discuss changes and the future of the sport: Thursday and Friday will feature caucus meetings for individual membership groups. It’s the perfect time to discuss key softball issues.

port, and it offers hiking, swimming, tennis, and golf, all on the resort property. In addition, the 88,000 square feet of meeting space will provide a convenient setting for the convention’s busy meeting schedule.

Besides offering great networking opportunities, the convention will include a two-anda-half day clinic, an exhibitor show, and caucus meetings to discuss issues affecting the sport. Here are some of the highlights:

n The National Fastpitch Coaches College: This program provides a unique opportunity to earn continuing education credits by learning from some of the greatest coaches in the game.

Pre-convention seminar: Jeff Janssen, Peak Performance Consultant, will conduct a fourhour pre-convention seminar on “How to Develop the Leaders You Need to Succeed.”

Developing Leadership As one of the nation’s premiere peak performance coaches, Jeff Janssen helps coaches and athletes develop the team chemistry, mental toughness, and leadership skills necessary to win championships. His work has contributed to numerous NCAA national championships and Final Four finishes across a variety of sports. Janssen has presented programs at Florida State University, Louisiana State University, North Carolina State University, Purdue University, Stanford University, the University of Alabama, the University of Arizona, the University of Florida, the University of Texas, and dozens of other NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA programs across the nation. He is the author of three groundbreaking books: Championship Team Building, The Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches, and The Team Captain’s Leadership Manual. Held on Tuesday, Dec. 5, from 1 to 5 p.m., Janssen’s pre-convention seminar, “How to Develop the Leaders You Need to Succeed,” will teach you how to best select, develop, and effectively partner with your team leaders to create a formidable leadership team. Attendees will also learn how to: Develop effective vocal leaders who take charge on the field

Create responsible leaders who prevent off-field problems like underage drinking and hazing

Coach leaders to maximize strengths and minimize shortcomings

Partner with leaders to consistently monitor and motivate their teams

For more information about the NFCA National Convention, go to: www.nfca.org/ convention, or call the NFCA office at: (662) 320-2155.

Create an ongoing leadership pipeline to avoid a dreaded leadership vacuum.

Janssen is the chief architect and lead instructor for the comprehensive and cutting edge Leadership Academies at North Carolina and Stanford, widely considered the top leadership development programs in collegiate athletics. He is a creator of a new online leadership development system called the TeamCaptainsNetwork.com. A popular speaker at conventions and NFCC courses, Janssen has shared his strategies with NFCA members over the last decade.

For more information about pre-convention seminar leader Jeff Janssen, see: www. jeffjanssen.com.

Best Seat in the House Award-winning journalist Christine Brennan—USA Today sports columnist, author of the best-selling figure skating book Inside Edge, and television sports analyst— delivers the convention’s keynote address on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 4:30 p.m. Brennan is a leading voice on the Olympics, international sports, women’s sports, and other sports issues. Brennan’s column in USA Today makes her the most widely-read female sports columnist in the nation. Her new memoir, Best Seat in the House: A Father, A Daughter, A Journey Through Sports, (Lisa Drew Books/ Scribner) is the first fatherdaughter memoir written by a sports writer. Brennan is an on-air commentator for ABC News and ESPN, reporting from the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Sydney, and Athens, and the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Salt Lake City, and Torino, as well as other sports venues. Brennan has appeared on a variety of network and cable shows over the past decade,

COACHING MANAGEMENT

NFCA CONVENTION PREVIEW including ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” “Nightline,” “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight,” and NBC’s “Today Show.” Brennan also is a commentator on NPR’s “Morning Edition” and is heard on Fox Sports Radio. Brennan broke the news of the pairs figure skating scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. Her USA Today column in April 2002 on Augusta National Golf Club triggered the debate on the club’s lack of female members. In December 2002, Sports Illustrated’s Golf Plus section named her one of golf’s 12 heroes of the year.

For more information about keynote speaker Christine Brennan, go to: christinebrennan.com.

Mike Candrea. In the last 19 years, Mike Candrea, Head Coach at the University of Arizona, has taken his team to the Women’s College World Series 17 times and won seven national titles. He helped propel Team USA to a perfect record and the gold medal in the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and continues to lead the national team as Head Coach. He recently brought home another gold medal from the XI ISF World Championships in Beijing.

Prior to joining the Post, Brennan was the first full-time woman sports writer at The Miami Herald, where she worked from 1981-84. The author of six books, Brennan has won the Women’s Sports Foundation’s journalism award four times. Her 1996

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Don Slaught. When it comes to baseball, Don Slaught is a passionate student of the game.

Other top speakers at the national convention will include:

Brennan became the first woman to cover the Washington Redskins in 1985 as a staff writer at The Washington Post. She wrote for the Post from 1984-96, reporting on the Olympics and international sports from many nations, including Cuba and the former Soviet Union. Brennan has covered 12 consecutive Olympic Games, starting with the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

In addition to being one of the leading independent hitting instructors and seminar speakers in the world, Epstein has continued his career in baseball as both a minor league manager and hitting instructor.

In 2001 and again in 2003, she was named one of the nation’s top 10 sports columnists by the Associated Press Sports Editors in the category of the nation’s largest newspapers.

Voices of Experience

Christine Brennan, USA Today columnist, is the convention’s keynote speaker.

the hitting development of countless players, resulting in nearly $30 million in signing bonuses and countless NCAA Division I softball and baseball scholarships.

book Inside Edge was named one of the top 100 sports books of all time by Sports Illustrated in 2002. Her 1998 book Edge of Glory won an Ohioana Library Association Book Award.

Candrea is sought out by softball and baseball coaches around the country and has delivered instructional clinics throughout the nation, including participating as an NFCC instructor. He is particularly known for his expertise in hitting techniques, team fielding drills, and squad motivational preparation. In recent years, he has consulted with Major League Baseball stars and other learned technicians to conduct national hitting clinics, and he participates

Mike Candrea, Head Coach at the University of Arizona, talks about “Putting Together a Championship Team.” in dozens of such sessions to help improve the way softball is taught and played. Candrea was inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame in 1996. n Mike Epstein. A former MLB player and coach, Mike Epstein is one of America’s top hitting analysts, instructors, and writers. His uncanny ability to simplify the complexities of the softball and baseball swings has thrust him to the forefront of America’s hitting coaches. The Collegiate Baseball News calls Epstein the “Hitting Guru of Amateur Baseball.”

Being personally mentored by Ted Williams during and after his nine-year Major League career, and receiving the only written letter of recommendation Williams ever gave out for hitting instruction, Epstein discovered early on the difference between a hitter’s style and technique, and the dramatic effect that it had on teaching hitting mechanics. Teaching this universal technique to players and coaches over the past 23 years, Epstein has been able to accelerate

As a student-athlete at UCLA, Slaught’s .428 career batting average established a school record that lasted 25 years. During his time with the Bruins, he was named team captain and went on to earn all-Pac 10, all-Coast, and academic allAmerican honors. Following his career at UCLA, Slaught was drafted in the seventh round and eventually made his Major League debut two years later with the Kansas City Royals. During his 16 years in the majors, Slaught also played for the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels, and San Diego Padres. As a professional baseball player, Slaught appeared in three consecutive National League Championship Series with the Pirates and played in the 1984 ALCS with the Royals. Currently, he serves as the President of RightView Pro, a training software company located in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., and is the hitting coach for MLB’s Detroit Tigers. Jessica Mendoza. Considered one of the most talented athletes in the history of Stanford University’s softball program, Jessica Mendoza made her third Olympic appearance as a member of the goldmedal-winning U.S. women’s team in 2004.

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NFCA CONVENTION PREVIEW Mendoza recently hit .500 in the World Championships with five home runs, 14 runs scored, and 16 RBIs. Many think she’s the ultimate complete player— not only can she hit, but she’s a smart baserunner and a phenomenal fielder. At the collegiate level, the centerfielder broke several Cardinal records, including

those for hits, home runs, runs scored, slugging percentage, and total bases. Mendoza was a 2002 International Softball Federation world champion and a member of the 2002 U.S. women’s world softball championship team. She was one of the top 25 selections for the 2002 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. The same

year, Mendoza was also named the Speedline Invitational Championship’s MVP.

accolades four times and led the Cardinal to its first Women’s College World Series berth.

In her final collegiate season, Mendoza earned her fourth Louisville Slugger/NFCA AllAmerican award and was one of three Stanford seniors named to the 2002 Division I All-Pacific Region squad. She garnered first-team all-Pac-10

NFCA to Induct Three into Hall of Fame Every year at the national convention, the NFCA inducts its most highly regarded members

2006 NFCA Convention Schedule Sunday, December 3 Noon NFCC Course 403, through noon Tuesday Noon NFCC Course 406, through noon Tuesday

2:30 or Division I Conference Meetings 6 p.m. 2:30 p.m. “Five Year Plan for Success” with Northwestern University Coaching Staff 3:25 p.m. Hall of Fame Panel; Q&A with the Veterans, featuring Sharron Backus, former UCLA Head Coach; Dianne Baker, former Texas Woman’s University Head Coach; Kathy Veroni, former Western Illinois University Head Coach; and Linda Wells, former Arizona State University Head Coach 4:20 p.m. “Advanced Topics in Pitching,” with Nancy Evans, Assistant Coach, University of Arizona 9 p.m. Diamond Sports Hospitality

6 p.m.

7 p.m.

The Game hosts Coaching Staff of the Year/Hall of Fame Reception for banquet attendees Speedline Coaching Staff of the Year/NFCA Hall of Fame Banquet

Saturday, December 9 7 a.m. Texas Woman’s University Master’s Degree Information Session 7:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast 9 a.m. NFCA Business Meeting (voting) 11 a.m. adidas Roundtable Lunch, with the Wednesday, December 6 following topics: n “Teaching Your Players to Hit 8 a.m. Wilson Golf Scramble Outside and Inside Pitches,” with 10 a.m. Tennis Tournament Michelle Venturella, Associate Head 2:45 p.m. Committee Meetings (Rules, AllCoach, University of Iowa American Chairs, Awards & Hall of n “Infield and Outfield Defensive Fame, Internet, Diversity) Friday, December 8 Drills,” with Team USA Olympians 2:45 p.m. Assistant Coaches Caucus Jessica Mendoza and Taria Mims 7 a.m. Schutt Sports Continental Breakfast 2:45 p.m. New Convention Attendee Flowers 8 a.m. Caucus Meetings by Group (High n “Focused for Softball... Focused Orientation School, Travel Ball; other caucus for Life,” with Scott Centala and 4:30 p.m. Opening Business Meeting, with meetings, if necessary) Pete Wilkinson, Evolution for Sports keynote speaker Christine Brennan, 9 a.m. Exhibit Hall Opens; until 3 p.m. n “Bring it On: Loving the Pressure!” Sports Columnist for USA Today 10:10 a.m.“Two Perspectives in the Hitting with Sue Enquist, Head Coach, 6:30 p.m. Louisville Slugger Reception Debate,” with Mike Epstein, hitting UCLA analyst and former MLB player and Texas Woman’s University Master’s Cohort coach; and Don Slaught, Hitting Thursday, December 7 Presentations Coach for the Detroit Tigers 7 a.m. Adams USA Continental Breakfast Noon Exhibit Hall Extravaganza - Mizuno 2:10 p.m. “Putting Together a Championship 8 a.m. Committee Meetings (All-American Team,” with Mike Candrea, Head Lunch in the Exhibit Hall Regional Chairs, Camps & Clinics, Coach, University of Arizona Education & Publications, Nominat- 2 p.m. “Helping Pitchers to Execute and 3:10 p.m.“Creating a Productive and Efficient Win,” with Cheri Kempf, owner and ing, Awards & Hall of Fame) Practice,” with Kelly Ford, Head pitching instructor at Club K 9 a.m. Caucus Meetings by Group (DiviCoach, Mt. San Antonio College sion I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, 3 p.m. “Vision Drills to Improve Hitting,” 4:10 p.m.“Catching Drills and Mechanics,” with Tony Abbatine, Frozen Ropes NJCAA, Cal JC, NWAACC) with Stacy Iveson, Head Coach, Training Center 11 a.m. Exhibit Hall Opens; until 6 p.m. Pima Community College 4 p.m. “Skills and Drills for the Outfield,” 12:15 p.m.Easton Victory Club Luncheon 6 p.m. NFCC Course 402, through 2 p.m. with Laura Berg, Team USA Olympic 2 p.m. Silent Auction Opens; until 6 p.m. Monday outfielder Tuesday, December 5 1 p.m. “How to Develop the Leaders You Need to Succeed,” pre-convention seminar led by Jeff Janssen, Peak Performance Coach

COACHING MANAGEMENT

especially one who early on had no desire to pursue a career as a softball coach.

into the Hall of Fame, the most prestigious award given by the organization. In 2006, that honor goes to legendary coaches Sue Enquist, Carol Hutchins, and Clyde Washburne.

up becoming co-Head Coach with Backus in 1989. She then became the sole Head Coach eight years later, prior to the 1997 season. Many might be nervous taking over for a Hall of Famer, but Enquist was confident in the lessons she learned from her mentor.

Enquist was a standout player for Sharron Backus, earning Most Outstanding Player honors after helping lead the Bruins to the 1978 AIAW Championship. The first softball player inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame, Enquist had her heart set on becoming a respiratory therapist.

n Sue Enquist. The last month of the 2006 calendar will be an emotional one for UCLA Head Coach Sue Enquist. On Dec. 8, she will be inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame, and then, at the end of the year, she will retire from a UCLA softball program she has guided for 27 years.

“Becoming a softball coach caught me completely off guard,” Enquist says. “I was 10 weeks away from graduating from UCLA. Sharron Backus asked me if I’d stay on and help coach, and I said that I would for 10 weeks. The light switched on and I realized that I was enjoying teaching and mentoring student-athletes, so I never left UCLA.”

During her career at UCLA, Enquist has helped build the Bruins into one of the country’s most prestigious softball programs, winning three national titles and making seven Women’s College World Series championship game appearances. That’s an outstanding run for any coach,

“I felt that Sharron did a great job making me feel that I had an equal part in developing the program,” Enquist says. “I felt like I had established that foundation as well. I never had any fear about taking over, and the pure excitement of coaching UCLA softball helped me push the program to the next level.”

Sue Enquist, Head Coach at UCLA, is a 2006 Hall of Fame inductee. With a new career path in front of her, Enquist committed herself to being the best coach she could be and ended

In 10 years, she has compiled an 887-175-1 record and an .835 winning percentage that ranks in the top five among NCAA coaches. However, Enquist says, the tremendous record and all of the coaching

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NFCA CONVENTION PREVIEW accomplishments take a back seat to the thrill of seeing her players succeed on and off the field. “When you look inside at UCLA softball, you see it’s all about family and the simple things in life,” Enquist says. “Take care of family, work hard in class, and have fun between the white lines—that’s the foundation we work for every day. UCLA softball is a simple group that grinds every day and enjoys challenges. I’m proud that every Bruin has a championship ring, but I’m more proud of what they’re doing in their communities and in this country.”

It would seem that handing over the head coaching duties would be difficult for someone who has accomplished so much for UCLA and the sport, but Enquist says there is no anxiety whatsoever because she has been merely keeping the program going.

Growing up a Michigan State fan and donning the Green and White as a player, Carol Hutchins never imagined she would win a national championship and be inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame as Head Coach of MSU’s in-state rival, the University of Michigan.

“I have no anxiety at all about retiring because I’m a steward of the program,” Enquist says. “I’m serving this program. I’ve never felt like I owned it, so

“I’m a Spartan—grew up one all my life,” Hutchins, a Lansing native, says. “I lived a mile and a half from Michigan State, and I grew up wanting to go there. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Michigan was low on the radar in most women’s sports. I don’t guess I ever aspired to be the coach there.” Hutchins loved any sport she came across, as she gained most of her early experience playing in the schoolyard with her brothers. As a teenager, she was asked by the father of one of her friends to play on the local church league softball team.

All that Enquist has learned and helped nurture at UCLA will not be lost when she steps down at UCLA, as the school stayed in-house during its search and promoted longtime assistant Kelly Inoye-Perez as the school’s third softball Head Coach. Many have asked why someone would elect to step down when they seem to be on top of their game and constantly reaching new coaching milestones. For Enquist, however, it has never been about wins and losses. “I hear my own music. I’ve never really defined who I was by a win/loss record or what school I’m coaching at,” Enquist says. “That’s what it looks like on the outside, but the toughest thing for me to do was walk away from the 2006-07 class. To walk away from that relationship was the hardest thing for me.” Before the 2007 season, Enquist will hand over the reins, much the same way they were handed to her a decade earlier. Enquist will still be an integral part of the UCLA family, however, as she steps into the role of Director of Major Gifts for the athletic department.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Carol Hutchins, Head Coach at the University of Michigan, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. it’s easy to pass it along. I’ve never defined myself by the position I hold; I’ve serviced UCLA softball and made sure it stayed on top. “I look forward to watching them be great,” she adds. “I’ll bet my life salary that UCLA will remain strong and competitive every year because the talent is the most important part of the UCLA softball train. Our focus has been the players that get it done on the field and in the classroom.” Carol Hutchins. “Expect the Unexpected,” would be a fitting title to Carol Hutchins’s autobiography.

Little did Hutchins realize that experience, coupled with her admiration for Lansing’s women’s major fastpitch team, would lead her on a different career path than she had envisioned. “I was fortunate because I got to go watch Lansing play almost every Friday night,” Hutchins says. “Those were the people I wanted to be like. I tried out at age 16 for their local farm team and made it. The next year they moved me up to the actual team and I was part of an organized team.”

University, and she left that position. I decided to apply and that started a long mentorship with Gayle Blevins, the coach at the time.” Hutchins coached at Indiana for the 1981 season, and the following year took what she had learned from Blevins to Ferris State University, where she led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Division II national tournament and earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors. After the successful season at Ferris State, Hutchins put her name into the running for an assistant coach position at Michigan. Not the first choice for the job, Hutchins was offered the position in 1983 and has called Ann Arbor home ever since. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to be involved with a good program,” says Hutchins. “Bob De Carolis hired me to become the Head Coach when he became an administrator. It was a great opportunity to be the Head Coach of a program and be close to home.” Over the last 11 seasons, the Wolverines have advanced to the Women’s College World Series eight times. They have also captured 10 Big Ten regular-season titles, eight NCAA regional crowns, and seven Big Ten Tournament championships.

That early experience earned her a spot on the basketball and softball squads at Michigan State. While at MSU she helped the Spartans to the 1976 AIAW softball national championship.

Her 2005 team reached the pinnacle as it knocked off UCLA to become the first softball national champion located east of the Mississippi River. That squad won 65 games and posted a program-best 32 straight victories. They earned the program its first No. 1 ranking and the first win over a top-ranked foe.

“I realized I was more talented in softball, and it was the path I took,” Hutchins says. “A friend of mine was the graduate assistant at Indiana

“I said after we won the title in 2005 that we may be the first team east of the Mississippi River to win the title, but we won’t be the last,”

Hutchins says. “It’s a reflection of college softball and where it is continuing to go. There’s a lot of parity out there and institutions are staring to put a lot of money into programs and stadiums. Michigan’s home field is undergoing a $5.5 million renovation, thanks to the hard work and success of the Michigan softball program. For Hutchins, the success has been a culmination of many lessons learned from her mentors and fellow Hall of Famers. “The best lessons I learned were when Gayle Blevins and Margo Jonker beat my teams year after year,” she continues. “I aspired to have the kind of teams they had. You learn a lot from mentors. When I have to make a difficult decision in a game, I go back and ask myself what Gayle and Margo would do.”

After learning so much from the two coaches, Hutchins will join them on Dec. 8 in Tucson, Ariz., as an inductee into the NFCA Hall of Fame.

ing the respect of coaches across the country. Starting his career as a Division III basketball coach, the trials he encountered trying to build his program forced him to reevaluate and get away from being a head coach and instead assist his friend Robert Fisk.

“I really can’t feel worthy of that kind of honor,” Hutchins says. “It’s hard to envision myself being inducted among the greats of the game. I feel humbled and don’t really know how to react. There are lots of worthy people out there. It’s hard to see myself in that kind of light; maybe one day when I look back at my career, but I’m still in my career and loving what I’m doing.” n Clyde Washburne. Most coaches who experience burnout look for ventures outside of coaching. Had Clyde Washburne followed that path, the fastpitch community would have never been privileged to know an NFCA Hall of Famer who put together

Clyde Washburne, former Head Coach at Eastern Connecticut State University, joins the Hall. one of NCAA Division III’s top softball programs while earn-

ective t o r P ll a b t f o Your S ineup L l™ e r a p p A Performance from

That club team existed for one season before the team became formalized for AIAW competition in 1979, and it didn’t take long for Washburne to begin a stellar run

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Circle No. 104 COACHING MANAGEMENT Untitled-3 1

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NFCA CONVENTION PREVIEW of championships. Just two years from its inaugural season of formal competition, his squad won the 1981 AIAW championship. Washburne and his staff complemented the team with a pair of pitchers that, according to the veteran coach, approached the game differently than most teams at the time. “They weren’t overpowering pitchers, but we made them smart pitchers who utilized location and change of speed,” Washburne says. “I believe it was effective because most schools at the time were trying to overpower hitters. We approached pitching much like a Greg Maddox or Tom Glavine, teasing with garbage.” The hard work made the adventure pay off as the school not only won the AIAW title in 1981, but also came back the next year and won another national title in its first year of NCAA competition. Washburne quickly attributed his team’s championship attitude to being placed in pressure situations during its spring training. “We would venture down south every year,” he says. “We played over our heads in training, and that really made Division III ball less intimidating. I took our players into the pressure cooker, and they responded well and refused to quiver. They believed in improving every day, and most importantly, they had fun every single day. Winning and losing wasn’t a factor for them.” His teams didn’t have to worry much about losing, and the success the Warriors found in the AIAW made them that much more competitive at the Division III level. His Eastern Connecticut State teams didn’t let the move to Division III hinder their winning ways, as the program’s first year of NCAA competition saw a second straight national title.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

“Our team won the last AIAW title and the first NCAA Division III tournament title. I consider that to be more significant than our back-to-back titles in 1985 and 1986 because the competition was just as good if not better,” he says. “I consider that we had two back-to-back championships. Take nothing away from the 1985-86 team. It was very talented with good speed and the best competitive pitcher to ever come through the program.” Those back-to-back national titles in 1985 and 1986 marked an accomplishment that no Division III team matched until nearly 10 years later when St. Thomas hoisted the trophy in 2004 and 2005. Washburne’s teams also played in NCAA regionals 14 times, including 13 straight from 1982 to 1994. The NFCA Coach of the Year in 1986, he guided Eastern Connecticut State to national runner-up showings in 1989 and 1991. After an outstanding tenure at Eastern Connecticut State, Washburne tried to hand the reins to Jeff Anderson, but wound up staying an additional year at Anderson’s request. “He said, ‘Coach, you have to take over the team again because there’s not a good attitude toward the softball team,’” Washburne says. “Jeff was trying to get me back in the battle, so I got back in for one season and fulfilled that commitment.” After fulfilling the promise to his long-time friend, Washburne stepped down for good. Now he enjoys the retired life with a home on a plantation with his wife who works as an athletic director. “Normally you put your hand in a bucket of water, and ripples start when you pull it out,” Washburne says. “Something kept those ripples going, and they started bub-

bling and out popped a Hall of Fame nomination for some old guy who was dead and buried years ago in the softball world. “It’s really nice to know history will come back and honor you if you’re lucky,” he continues. “I was overjoyed when asked if I would accept it, and I am very excited about this honor of being inducted with a couple of the ‘big dogs’ in coaching.”

Convention Hosts Coaching College For the fifth year, the National Fastpitch Coaches College (NFCC) sessions are being held in conjunction with the national convention. Providing softball instruction unlike any other in the country, the NFCC takes a single aspect of the game and covers it thoroughly over a threeday span. Perfect for coaches who are seasoned veterans or those new to the sport, the NFCC’s in-depth presentations from some of the top names in the game immediately hook those who step into their first class. “I have been coaching for 12 years and feel like I’m a good coach,” says Robert Wiebort, Head Coach at Irvine (Calif.) High School. “Then I attended the NFCC and was blown away by what I still don’t know!” Not only will the quality of information blow away course attendees, but the educational opportunities are tremendous as well. The program offers credit that can be applied to Continuing Education Units, a Master Coach program recognized by the NFCA, and a master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in coaching from Texas Woman’s University (TWU). Coaches can pursue one or more of these routes to

becoming a more well-rounded coach, or take the courses simply for the fun of furthering their knowledge of the sport. Two Continuing Education Units are offered per course through Mississippi State University. The Master Coach program and the master’s degree opportunity are two options unique to the NFCC. The completion of every two courses earns participants a star certificate toward the unique billing of a FourStar Master Coach, which is obtained upon the completion of all eight courses. The NFCC graduated its first class of Four-Star Master Coaches during the 2005 NFCA National Convention. Several of the coaches who graduated in the inaugural class of Four-Star Master Coaches are also furthering their collegiate education through the master’s degree opportunity that has arisen through a relationship between the NFCC and TWU. The NFCC also helps coaches improve the way they teach the game and communicate with players while putting more W’s in the win column and staying passionate about the game. There is no one better to help coaches with this than some of the top names in the game who conduct NFCC courses around the country. The list of NFCC instructors for the 2006-07 academic year is once again impressive, including Head Coach of defending national champion University of Arizona and the United States Women’s National Team Mike Candrea, former Arizona State University Head Coach Linda Wells, Oregon State University Head Coach Kirk Walker, University of Alabama Head Coach Patrick Murphy, University of Texas Head Coach Connie Clark, Louisiana State University Head Coach Yvettte Gir-

“The NFCC gives coaches at all levels an increased opportunity for success,” says University of Georgia Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer. “The courses explore concepts on an in-depth basis while allowing room for differing opinions so you can develop your individual coaching style. “These courses are a must if you want to learn from proven leaders in the sport of softball and be inspired to be the best coach you can be for your players.”

Rhonda Revelle, Head Coach at the University of Nebraska, is on the faculty of the National Fastpitch Coaches’ College.

Two courses, Course 408: Coaching Observation and

Practice and Course 404: Teaching Solid Team Defense and Strategy, will once again be held in conjunction with the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla. Other locations for courses during the 2006-07 academic year include Lake Forest, Ill.; Medford, Mass.; Columbus, Ohio; Portland, Ore.; St. Paul, Minn.; and Denton, Texas. “The University of Alabama was privileged to host an NFCC course last year, and the entire Ala-

bama coaching staff was amazed at the depth of the topics covered,” says Murphy. “We were skeptical going into the weekend, but came away believers in the amount of information gathered. I highly recommend these courses to any coach at any level.” For more information on the National Fastpitch Coaches College, go to: nfca.org/college or call (662) 320-2155 for a detailed NFCC brochure.

ouard, University of Michigan Head Coach Carol Hutchins, University of Massachusetts Head Coach Elaine Sortino, University of Nebraska Head Coach Rhonda Revelle, and many more. “I had a great experience working as an instructor for the NFCA Coaches College,” says University of Oklahoma Head Coach and NFCC instructor Patty Gasso. “The information presented is very thorough and innovative. “I learned more as an instructor than I have at any coaching clinic or convention. If you want to get the most out of your coaching career, I strongly recommend getting into the NFCA Coaches College.” This year’s schedule includes eight courses offered in 11 different locations. The NFCC will offer Course 406: Team Management/GameDay Coaching and Course 403: Position Play and Practice prior to the start of the convention, and Course 402: Advanced Analysis of Fundamental Individual Skills closes out a full week of convention activities at the J.W. Marriott Starr Pass Resort in Tucson, Ariz. Circle No. 105

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NFCA CONVENTION EXHIBITORS Adams USA, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . 500, 502 610 S. Jefferson Cookeville, TN 38501 800-251-6857 www.adams.com Gary Montgomery Adams USA is a leading manufacturer of quality sports equipment, supplying products for all your athletic needs, youth through professional. See ad on inside front cover adidas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303, 305, 307 www.adidas.com Michelle Delloso michelle.delloso@adidasus.com Akadema. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 317 Midland Avenue Garfield, NJ 07026 973-772-7669 www.akademapro.com David Winder American International Sports Tours, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614 511 West 86th Terrace Kansas City , MO 64114 816-361-0873 www.americanint.com Chad Wilkinson ARK Digital Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . 109 2515 Brant San Diego, CA 92102 503-742-0900 www.arkdigitalsystems.com Don Powers fastpitch@arkdigitalsystems.com Athletic Training Equipment Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601, 603 655 Spice Island Drive Sparks, NV 89431 800-245-5454 www.atecsports.com Larry Leukhardt Betlin Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511, 513 320 Cottage Grove Circle Pataskala, OH 43125 800-844-8326 www.betlin.com Teresa Ralston BMI Sales Group, Inc (Zingbat). . . . 616 7750 Archer Road Justice, IL 60458 866-946-4228 www.b-m-i-inc.com Jim Driscoll BMI Sales Group designs, produces, and sells the Zingbat swing trainer. The Zingbat teaches batters to stay “inside the ball.” See ad on page 15

COACHING MANAGEMENT

BSN Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 702 1901 Diplomat Drive Farmers Branch, TX 75234 972-884-7445 www.sportssupplygroup.com Kim Smith

Decker Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 6912 North 97th Circle Omaha, NE 68122 800-431-5128 www.deckersports.com Brian O’Brien

Buster’s Design Team . . . . . . . . . . . 315 303 East Geneseo Street Lafayette, CO 80026 303-666-7415 www.bustersdesignteam.com Ruth Crowe awards@bustersdesignteam.com

Diamond Sports, Inc.. . . . 300, 302, 304 11130 Warland Drive Cypress, CA 90630 800-366-2999 www.diamond-sports.com Andrea Gordon info@diamond-sports.com

Clell Wade Coaches Directory. . . . . 800 P.O. Box 177 Cassville, MO 65625 417-847-2783 www.coachesdirectory.com Karan Wade

Disney Sports Attractions. . . . . . . . 805 P.O. Box 10000 Orlando, FL 34747 407-938-3594 www.disney.com Beth Porreca

Club K & Co. Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 801 12630 Old Hickory Boulevard Antioch, IN 37013 615-641-5898 www.clubk.com Cheri Kempf

Dynamic Team Sports . . . . . . . 113, 115 419 Boot Road Downington, PA 19335 800-437-6223 www.dynamicteamsports.com Steve RaKoczy

CoachesLocker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704 108 Esplanade, Suite 240 Lexington, KY 40507 888-748-5525 www.coacheslocker.com Brooke Mills info@coacheslocker.com

Easton Sports . . . . . . . . . 309, 311, 313 4066 N. Redwood Avenue Rialto, CA 92377 909-854-4940 www.eastonsports.com Pam Newton

Collegiate Pacific. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 P.O. Box 7087 Dallas, TX 75209 800-881-6536 www.colpac.com Rachael Leviner Columbus, GA Sports Council. . . . . 804 P.O. Box 1519 Columbus, GA 31902 706-660-1996 www.columbusga.org Janice Davis Cutters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 2650 South 46th Street, #105 Phoenix, AZ 85034 800-821-0231 www.cuttersgloves.com Gary Bethea Dartfish USA. . . . . . 409, 411, 508, 510 3650 Brookside Parkway, Suite 300 Alpharetta, GA 30022 800-655-3850 www.dartfish.com Chuck Wilmot

Fellowship of Christian Athletes. . . 803 8701 Leeds Road Kansas City , MO 64129 816-892-1192 www.fca.org Donna Noonan Finch Windmill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 15770 Lomela Court La Miranda, CA 90638 866-258-2727 www.finchwindmill.com Doug Finch The Finch Windmill is a training device that promotes muscle strength, endurance, and balance. It can help pitchers improve power, control, and velocity. See ad on page 17 Frozen Ropes Training Center. . . . . 808 12 Elkay Drive Chester, NY 10918 845-469-7331 www.frozenropes.com Anthony Abbatine info@frozenropes.com Gamemaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402 1624 Dolwick Drive Erlanger, KY 41018 800-646-4225 www.gamemasterathletic.com Steve Bates

HOME TEAM ADVANTAGE

B-BP-4 BALLPARK-4 GROOMER

When the safety of your players comes first, look to Bannerman, the leading Groomer manufacturer for over 24 years, to shape, level, and care for your baseball diamonds, warning tracks, and walking/bike trails. The B-BP-4 Ballpark-4® (shown) and the B-BP-6 Ballpark-6®, B-DM-6 Diamond Master® (shown) models have five standard tools, including: Ripper Blade, Rake, Leveler, Roller, and Brush. Accessories available include: Wing Brush Kit, Top Link Kit, 50-gallon Water Tank Kit with spray nozzle, and NEW Highway Transport Kit. Restore your diamond’s luster in 20 minutes or less with one of the industry’s leading groomers.

B-DM-6 DIAMOND MASTER ®

New to the Bannerman family of groomers is the B-MG-6 Master Groomer. This brush unit is the “Quick and Slick” answer to working in light to heavy topdressing and other turf building materials down to the base of the grasses, that you’ve only dreamed of, until now. For use on greens, tees, fairways, and all types of sportsturf surfaces both synthetic and natural.

B-MG-6 MASTER GROOMER

THE HOME OF SPORTSTURF MAGIC Circle No. 106

41 Kelfield Street, Rexdale, Ontario, Canada M9W 5A3 CANADA 1-800-325-4871 USA 1-800-665-2696 www.sportsturfmagic.com

NFCA CONVENTION EXHIBITORS GM Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 73 Corsica Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660 800-660-2071 www.gmsports.us Gerry Mauro

JKP Sports/Jugs . . . . . . . . . . . 707, 709 19333 S.W. 118th Avenue Tualatin, OR 97062 800-547-6843 www.jkpsports.com Julie McGraw

H&B Louisville Slugger . . . . . . 301, 400 800 West Main Street Louisville, KY 40202 800-282-2287 www.slugger.com Rob Partin Since 1884, when John A. “Bud” Hillerich hand-turned a white ash bat for Pete “The Gladiator” Browning, the finest hitter of his day, the name Louisville Slugger has been synonymous with the game’s greatest players and teams. See ad on page 5

Longstreth Women’s Sports . . . . . . 708 28 Wells Road Parkerford, PA 19457 800-545-1329 www.longstreth.com Ronnie Maurek

Inside Edge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317 4235 Stone Mountain Drive Chino Hills, CA 91709 800-858-3343 www.inside-edge.com Kenny Kendrena

Majestic Athletic/National Pro Fastpitch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104, 106 9 McFadden Road Easton, PA 18042 610-330-9550 www.majesticathletic.com Michael Riha Markwort Sporting Goods . . . . . . . 404 1101 Research Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63132 800-669-6626 www.markwort.com Herb Markwort sales@markwort.com

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National Collegiate Scouting Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408 1415 North Dayton, Suite 4M Chicago, IL 60622 888-333-6846 www.ncsasports.org Amanda Rawson

The ONLY system with the “Floating” handle. Our unique handle system allows your crew to position, or “float” the handle to the most convenient location for deployment.

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SPORTS SENSORS, INC., P.O. BOX 46198, CINCINNATI, OH 45246-0198

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Mizuno USA. . . . . . . . . . . 201, 203, 205 4925 Avalon Ridge Parkway Norcross, GA 30071 916-652-2257 www.mizunousa.com Larry Brushett

The #1 Field Cover in quality and customer satisifaction

– Ken Griffey, Jr. All-Century Centerfielder

NFCA Booth No. 705

Mike Epstein Hitting. . . . . . . . . . . . 807 P.O. Box 3034 Greenwood Village, CO 80155 303-694-7700 www.mikeepsteinhitting.com Mike Epstein info@mikeepsteinhitting.com

Field Covers

Take it from Ken Griffey Jr. — The GLOVE RADAR ® is the ideal aid for developing the throwing skills of infielders, outfielders, pitchers and catchers. Tie it on any baseball/softball glove and read the speed of the approaching ball thrown from any distance. No need for a third person to hold a measuring device. The GLOVE RADAR ® offers remarkable ball speed accuracy and convenience at an affordable price!! Use it for training, tossing or just having fun!!

Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau. . . . . . . . . . . . . 811 100 South Church Avenue Tucson, AZ 85701 800-638-8350 www.visittucson.org Vince Trinidad

Circle No. 107

Western Industries Inc. 800-488-3592 www.westernindustries.com Circle No. 108

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Diamond Pro速 welcomes Tom Burns to its sales team. Nemo Speed Bat Training Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703 P.O. Box 402 Lincoln City, OR 97367 541-764-3313 www.speedbat.com Dennis Tessicini Nokona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314 9001 East Highway 82, P.O. Box 329 Nocona, TX 76255 800-433-0957 www.nokona.com Rob Storey

Red Infield Conditioner

Mound/Home Plate Clay

Bulk Red Infield Conditioner

Mound/Home Plate Clay Bricks

Gray Infield Conditioner

Calcined Clay Top Dressing

Professional Vitrified Infield Conditioner

Calcined Clay Drying Agent

Athletic Field Marking Dust

Calcined Clay Professional

Tom will inject real-world experience and knowledge into all aspects of the Diamond Pro business. Tom comes to Diamond Pro from the Texas Rangers. Tom served as Head Groundskeeper for the Rangers at Ameriquest Field in Arlington since October, 1996.

Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. . . . . . . . . . . . . 812 P.O. Box 9473 Panama City Beach, FL 32417 800-327-8352 www.800pcbeach.com Ann Gager Perform Better . . . . . . . . . . . . 607, 609 11 Amflex Drive Cranston, RI 02920 401-942-9363 www.performbetter.com John Brock

Circle No. 109

PIK Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711, 713 P.O. Box 2108 Norwalk, CT 06852 800-472-6375 www.swiftstik.com Louis Seeley PIK Products is a baseball training aid company offering reasonably priced products proven to get results at every level. See ad on back cover Pitching Essentials LLC. . . . . . 514, 516 16772 West Bell Road, #110, Box 405 Surprise, AZ 85374 602-751-5887 www.pitchingessentials.com Mike Kenneth Power Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 407 P.O. Box 31709 Knoxville, TN 37930 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com fitness@power-systems.com, jbales@power-systems.com Pro Look Sports. . . . . . . . 412, 414, 416 37 East Center Street, Suite 304 Provo, UT 84606 800-PRO-LOOK www.prolooksports.com Dustin Rhodes Pro Performance Sports . . . . . 610, 612 12375 World Trade Drive, Suite 101 San Diego, CA 92128 877-225-7275 www.properformancesports.com Lisa Pullig

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NFCA Booth No. 616 COACHING MANAGEMENT 11/2/06 15 3:26:27 PM

NFCA CONVENTION EXHIBITORS Promats, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700 P.O. Box 508 Fort Collins, CO 80522 800-678-6287 www.promats.com Ken John

Ringor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507, 509 7929 S.W. Burns Way, Suite C Wilsonville, OR 97070-7678 800-746-4670 www.ringor.com Gary Killingsworth

Rawlings Sporting Goods. . . . . . . . 706 510 Maryville University Drive, Suite 110 St. Louis, MO 63141 800-729-7770 www.rawlings.com Dave Bracci

Rip-It Elite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 9035 S.W. 96th Street Miami, FL 33176 305-271-0864 www.rip-it-elite.com Matthew Polstein

RevFire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417 2143 Willow Creek Drive Boulder, CO 80301 866-414-3040 www.revfire.com Dave Marinelli revfire@revfire.com

Russell/Spalding Team Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504, 506 3330 Cumberland Boulevard Atlanta, GA 30339 678-742-8696 www.russellcorp.com Lauren Greenfield

Rightview Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101, 105 27 Middleridge Lane South Rolling Hills, CA 90274 310-377-9221 www.rightviewpro.com Don Slaught

Schutt Sports. . . . . . . . . . 200, 202, 204 1200 E. Union Litchfield, IL 62056 800-426-9784 www.schutt-sports.com Dianne Baker

Slow the Game Down - Vision Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406 1110 South Coast Highway, #203 Laguna Beach, CA 92651 866-627-5400 www.slowthegamedown.com Ryan Harrison Softball Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306, 308 1051 East Nakoma San Antonio, TX 78216 210-348-7000 www.baseballexpress.com Joey Squilla Southwest Host Services. . . . . . . . . 809 P.O. Box 13808 Scottsdale, AZ 85267 480-481-9852 www.southwesthost.com Linda Hitchens Speedline Athletic Wear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401, 403, 405 1804 N. Habana Tampa, FL 33607 813-876-1375 www.speedlineathletic.com Dave Aubuchon

Circle No. 111

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Circle No. 112

NFCA Booth No. 119

NFCA CONVENTION EXHIBITORS Sports Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515, 517 P.O. Box 1529 Verdi, NV 89439 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com Kurt Brenner info@sportsattack.com Sports Attack manufactures quality sports training equipment. With 35 years of experience designing machines, the company offers softball, baseball, volleyball, and tennis training devices. See ad on page 2 Sports Sensors, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705 11351 Embassy Drive Cincinnati, OH 45240 888-542-9246 www.swingspeedradar.com Al Dilz Sports Sensors creates affordable Doppler radar speed sensors for various training applications, including the Glove Radar®, the Paintball Radarchron®, the Arrowspeed Radarchron®, the Swing Speed Radar®, and the new Swing Speed Radar® with Tempo Timer. See ad on page 14

Sports Tutor. . . . . . . 108, 110, 112, 114 3300 Winona Ave. Burbank, CA 91504 800-448-8867 www.sportsmachines.info John Henderson Sports USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 26072 Merit Circle, Suite 112 Laguna Hills, CA 92653 800-613-8002 www.sportsusaelite.com Kim Cass SportsDiamond.com . . . . 215, 217, 316 14270 42nd Street N.E. St. Michael, MN 55376 888-216-2166 www.sportsdiamond.com Darren Hansen St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission. . . . . . . . . . . . 605 13805 58th Street North, Suite 2-200 Clearwater, FL 33760 877-352-2473 www.floridasbeachsports.com Kevin Smith

Stabilizer Solutions, Inc. . . . . . . . . . 512 33 S. 28th Street Phoenix, AZ 85034 800-336-2468 www.stabilizersolutions.com Sandy Fischer sales@stabilizersolutions.com; info@stabilizersolutions.com Stabilizer Solutions specializes in natural and fiber-reinforced surfaces for sports, recreation, and landscaping. The company manufactures a line of quality products for baseball and softball fields. See ad on page 18 Summit America Insurance . . . . . . . 410 7400 College Boulevard, Suite 100 Overland Park, KS 66210 800-955-1991 www.summitamerica-ins.com Janice Briggs Super-Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 3209 Air Park Road Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 800-955-6387 www.supernetsusa.com Jim Krayeske

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Circle No. 113

800-251-2656

In TN: 615-244-3007 Fax: 615-244-5937 www.goldnerassociates.com kbond@goldnerassociates.com Circle No. 114

231 Venture Circle Nashville, TN 37228

The Game . . . . . . . . . . . . 501, 503, 505 16 Downing Drive Phenix City, AL 36869 877-840-4547 www.thegamellc.com Troy Corbin

Triple Crown Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . 802 3930 Automation Way Ft. Collins, CO 80525 970-223-6644 www.triplecrownsports.com Bill Pilcher

The Swing Zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715 1160 Monroe Avenue Rochester, NY 14620 585-244-3180 www.unifiedsol.com Sam Cromwell

Tucson Invitational Games. . . . . . . . 810 3228 North Surging Waters Place Tucson, AZ 85712 520-777-7680 www.tucsonsoftball.com Kandice Tiggas

TPX Top 96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 23 Bald Rick Drive Wayland, MA 01778 508-545-2660 www.top96.com Ken Hill

TurboSlot Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 131 East Lexington Road Mocksville, NC 27028 800-726-3568 www.turboslot.com Fred Willett

TranSports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 10 Islanders’ Retreat Savannah, GA 31411 877-754-8726 www.gotransports.com Dale Brannan

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NFHS Booth No. 212

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Circle No. 116

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COVER STORY

Speedline/NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY BY Kenny Berkowitz In 2006, for the first time in program history, Northwestern University softball began the season with a top-25 ranking. USA Today ranked the Wildcats 16th in the country and ESPN pegged them at number 15. But Head Coach Kate Drohan and her staff—Associate Head Coach Caryl Drohan, Assistant Coach Tori Nyberg, and Volunteer Assistant Coach Amanda Rivera—knew the 2006 Wildcats were much, much better than that. They started the season by beating 15th-ranked Oregon State University and continued with wins over the University of California (8th), UCLA (2nd), the University of Michigan (1st), and DePaul University (14th). They won their first Big Ten title in 20 years and earned their fourth NCAA Division I Women’s College World Series berth in program history, losing to the University of Arizona in the title game but finishing the year ranked second in the nation. Along the way to a school-record 50 wins, the Wildcats offense broke single-season marks for hits (473), doubles (85), and walks (211), while the pitching staff set records for strikeouts (626) and complete games (51). The team had more than its share of stars, with five players named to the All-Big Ten first team, including Eileen Canney, who posted the lowest ERA in Big Ten competition (0.50), Garland Cooper, who won the batting title with a .471 average in conference games, and Tammy Williams, who led the conference in regular season home runs (8), runs scored (20), and total bases (53). For Kate Drohan, there’s ample proof that Northwestern has joined the country’s elite softball programs. Named the Speedline/NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year, Kate and twin sister Caryl Drohan, Nyberg, and Rivera talk about working as a team, playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation, and recovering from their College World Series loss.

KATE DROHAN, HEAD Coach

After graduating from Providence College in 1995, Kate Drohan served two years as Assistant Coach at Boston College and three years as Assistant Coach at Northwestern. In 2000, she became Associate Head Coach and in 2002, after the departure of Sharon Drysdale, Drohan became Head Coach, posting a 186-90-1 record (.674) over the last five seasons at Northwestern. CM: At the start of the 2006 season, how good did you think your team was going to be? Kate Drohan: I knew our dynamic and chemistry were going to be great. There were five seniors from our first recruiting class who’d made huge steps over the years, and they gave the team tremendous leadership. We also had two experienced starting pitchers working in combination. They pushed each other, supported each other, and made each other better. How far did you think the team could go? As far as we wanted. What did you tell the team about your expectations? We don’t talk about expectations. We talk about individual goals, team goals, and daily commitments. We divide each year into a series of phases, and focus on each phase as we experience it. For example, Phase One is the first four weeks of our fall semester, when our team comes together, trains outdoors, and plays a couple of exhibition games. Phase Two runs through October, and that’s when we really get to work in the weightroom, and do our fitness training, agility training, and speed training. In any given year, we have between seven and nine phases. For each phase,

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Assistant Coach Tori Nyberg, Head Coach Kate Drohan, Associate Head Coach Caryl Drohan, and Volunteer Assistant Coach Amanda Rivera

we meet as a group, introduce the concept, name it, and give it a symbol. Each player gets a T-shirt with the name of the phase so they can really focus on what we need to do for those four or five or six weeks.

mean to Northwestern softball, and how they apply to the way we train and compete. They apply to academic life, social life—the applications are endless. And we never budge on any of them.

What part did your assistants play in last year’s success? Every part. What happened last year was no coincidence. Everybody stepped up, took ownership of the program, and did great things.

How did you come up with that concept? When I took over the program, I spent the summer before my first season working closely with Foster Mobley, who’s a management consultant, and Don Prentice, who teaches leadership classes here at Northwestern. The work I did with each of them really helped me think about how I wanted to approach this challenge, and through those conversations, we came up with this idea of breaking up the year into specific segments with specific goals. They really helped me pound out a vision for the program and articulate the standards we were going to use here, my “non-negotiables.”

What did you learn by working under Sharon Drysdale? Everything. Sharon Drysdale is one of the most generous people I’ve ever met, and she created a great learning environment for me. She enabled me to experience the challenges of coaching and to really develop that compass we all work by. She taught me how to manage a game, make personnel decisions, recruit, plan, and keep making adjustments over the course of the year. Every aspect of how I run my program from a softball perspective I learned from Sharon Drysdale.

What are some great things they did? Caryl’s knowledge of the game adds a lot to the program. She is an excellent hitting instructor, has a great camaraderie with the athletes, and is a great teacher of the game. Tori Nyberg is an excellent pitching instructor who really knows the fundamentals of pitching. She calls an excellent game, and since she came to Northwestern, our pitchers have added velocity, spins, and stamina. And Amanda Rivera is involved in pretty much everything we do. She’s a great thinker, who has a lot of contact with kids during the game and really helps them make adjustments both on the field and in the batter’s box.

What was non-negotiable? Integrity. Intensity. Personal responsibility. Teamwork. Pride. When we talk with the team about those five ideas, we’re really clear about what they

How do you describe your philosophy? I don’t. Each year we focus on our strengths and mold our philosophy to the strengths of our athletes. If we’re not fast in a particular year, then we’re not going to be a big running team.

How much impact can a volunteer assistant coach have? A tremendous impact. Really, she is just as invested as I am. She’s made this program a priority in her life.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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COVER STORY

What was your biggest challenge this year as a coach? Staying focused on playing our game and not letting the idea of the World Series get too big. We don’t use fear to motivate our athletes—I have no interest in teaching young women how to be afraid. What we do on the field is prepare them for life. We just happen to teach life skills in this venue called softball. Our goal is to be the best softball team we can be, and I don’t want to scare anyone into that. We talk freely about our strengths and encourage the players to ask hard questions. Hopefully, that way we can minimize the fear factor. Our idea is getting players who are comfortable with themselves and with their team to focus on playing the game hard. What were the hardest questions you had to answer this year? We see our team as a learning organization. So in those moments when things get hard, we ask our players, “What’s this really about? How are we going to approach this as a group, and what are we going to do about it?” Every year has its challenges—personnel decisions, someone has a tough day at school, you name it. And that kind of communication is key. You know when a player is unhappy with her role, and you can’t shy away from that conversation. What do you do? You talk to her about it. It’s not about minimizing conflict, it’s about having honest communication.

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Now that you’ve seen your first class of recruits through graduation, what have you learned about recruiting? It’s all about character. When we’re recruiting a kid, we ask ourselves two questions: Do they have the skills to help us win a national championship? And am I going to be friends with them after they graduate? I had more joy watching graduation than any game of the World Series, because it was about their whole experience here at Northwestern. How did you prepare for the World Series? The day after we graduated from college—this was in ’95—Caryl and I drove to Oklahoma City, watched the World Series and said, “We’re not coming back here until we have our own team.” So we wanted to approach this year’s series just as we had every other road trip. I think the big reason we were successful

is our strength of schedule. From the minute we took over the program, we scheduled the toughest opponents we could find. The first couple of years, that was tough, but eventually, it became the norm for us. What was the feeling of the team going into the World Series? It was a very relaxed, very excited vibe. My biggest advice for them was to just be themselves. What did you tell them after the loss? It was tough, because getting to the World Series was a very good step for our program. And yet, when you get so close, it’s difficult to not win. I was very proud of the way we competed, and the biggest thing we learned was we need to be better at staying focused on the task at hand. What did you do to recover? Three days later, I went back on the road and started recruiting. Caryl Drohan, Associate Head Coach Before being hired as Northwestern’s Assistant Coach in 2001, Caryl spent a year as Assistant Coach at Providence College, four years as Assistant Coach at Hofstra University, and one year as Associate Head Coach at Hofstra. Prior to the 2005 season, she was promoted to Associate Head Coach at Northwestern, where she is primarily responsible for hitting. CM: What is it like to work with your twin sister? Caryl Drohan: It’s great. The advantage is that Kate and I have a built-in trust that we’ve established over our entire lives, so we’ve never had to create that as a staff. Trust is what makes this staff so successful. Is that a challenge for the other two coaches? I think so, but Tori and Amanda have done a remarkable job of understanding the relationship Kate and I have and the way we communicate with each other. Kate and I know each other so well that we can anticipate the other’s next move. That eliminates the need for a lot of spoken communication, and I think Tori and Amanda have handled that really well. How is your approach different from Kate’s? Kate is more of a macro-manager and I’m more of a micro-manager. She’s

continually focused on the whole group, while I take more one-on-one time with individuals to work on specific skills. How did you improve the team’s hitting? We gave the kids a lot of confidence. Each hitter is different and has a different game plan, and they all did a really good job of understanding their offensive roles. For example, our number nine batter made opposing teams throw a lot of pitches, and even if the end result was a strikeout, she’d see 12 or 13 pitches during the course of an at bat. Our players always put the team first. They get really great support from one another, and our offensive success directly relates to the confidence each individual has. When you feel you’re on the field with 18 other people, it’s very easy to be confident, and I don’t think anyone ever felt alone in the batter’s box last year. How do you describe Kate’s approach as a manager? Obviously I believe in it, and everyone who has ever played for Kate believes in it. Once you have that common ground with a group of people, what you can achieve is limitless. She’s got qualities that make her a great leader. She’s a great listener. She feels the pulse of the group. She’s disciplined in her beliefs. And she’s very, very consistent. Do you think about becoming a head coach? All the time. But I really like where I am. Is there something you wish you’d done differently at the World Series? Win those last two games. Tori Nyberg, Assistant Coach After graduating from Stanford University, Assistant Coach Tori Nyberg worked for a year as Assistant Coach at the University of Illinois-Chicago before arriving at Northwestern for the 2005 season. In her two years with the Wildcats, Nyberg has coached all three members of the pitching staff to career-high performances. CM: What’s it like to work on a team where the Head Coach and the Associate Head Coach are identical twin sisters? Nyberg: It’s great, because despite the fact that Kate and Caryl are twins, they’re polar opposites. They’re totally different, and they complement each other perfectly.

How are they opposites? Kate is definitely the manager. She’s great at motivating people, setting goals, and getting everyone to work really hard for what they want to achieve. She is more laid-back and even-tempered, whereas Caryl is more emotional. The four of us work really well together, because we’re all very different, with different strengths. I have control over the pitching, but at the same time, I’m confident I can always get good advice from Kate or Caryl or Amanda. And I think they feel the same way. We all trust each other’s abilities, and that allows us to get everything accomplished without anyone feeling overwhelmed or stepping on someone else’s toes. When disagreements come up, how do you handle them? Because we trust each other so much, we’re able to hear each other’s points of view, learn something from them, and change our minds. If it’s a question about hitting or pitching, Caryl or I will usually make the call. But ultimately Kate is in charge, and when she makes a decision, we trust it. What did you do to make the pitching staff stronger? I was extremely lucky to have Eileen Canney and Courtnay Foster on staff. They were already very good, so my challenge was to make them a little better and keep them consistent throughout the year. We were able to help Eileen pick up a little bit of speed and add a pitch or two. With Courtnay, she already had an amazing riseball, and we were able to develop a changeup that would keep batters guessing. How did you prepare them for the World Series? We maintained the same intensity we’d had all season. We wanted the team to believe these games weren’t going to be any different than the ones they’d played all year long. We wanted them to go in with a lot of confidence, and it definitely worked. They weren’t intimidated—they were excited. They were eager for the challenge, and that helped them to be successful.

Amanda Rivera, Volunteer Assistant Coach

A former Horizon League Player of the Year, Amanda Rivera set a school career record for home runs (52) as a student-athlete at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Along with working as a

Volunteer Assistant Coach, Rivera gives private lessons and has taught at Diamond Sports Academy and Northwestern’s summer camp. CM: What did you learn from last season? Rivera: What a year! This was my first season on staff, and I found out what it’s like to go home every day knowing you’ve learned something new. Caryl is one of the best clinicians I’ve ever seen, and one of the best hitting coaches in the nation. And Kate is an unbelievable leader, a big thinker. She’s an excellent communicator, so the girls know the reasons behind the hard work they do. It’s been great watching her get our athletes to work together, trust her, and trust each other. How does she accomplish that? By helping them believe in themselves. Our program is all about trust. The kids have to trust that we’re doing the right thing, and I think they can see that. They don’t give up, and when I watch the tapes of the World Series, I can see how much fight they really have. What did you learn by going to the World Series? After the finals, all these people came up to me and said, “You guys were fun to watch.” At the time, I didn’t know what they meant, but now that I can sit back and watch the games on tape, I see what they saw: the determination of our athletes, and how the girls were having fun, loving every second they were there. As a volunteer coach, how do you fit this job into the rest of your life? This is my life. I will do anything for this program, and I’ve never been so proud to be a part of something. Northwestern softball has my heart and soul. It’s an amazing sport, and I love teaching it and talking about how it’s made me the person I am today. It’s helped me in a million ways. I’m a fighter now, because of it. Outside the program, people think I’m crazy for staying here and not getting paid, but you can’t put a price on experience. I love what I’m doing. Here I am every morning, excited to come to work, knowing I have a purpose. It’s the happiest place on earth for me. Kenny Berkowitz is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. He can be reached at: kb@MomentumMedia.com.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

HONORING EXCELLENCE

Speedline/NFCA National Coaching Staffs of the Year Division I

Northwestern University Head Coach Kate Drohan, Associate Head Coach Caryl Drohan and Assistant Coaches Tori Nyberg and Amanda Rivera have been named the Speedline/NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to a national runner-up finish at the 2006 Women’s College World Series, the team’s first appearance in the final eight since 1986. Northwestern’s run in Oklahoma City earned the squad a No. 2 ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Final Poll, the best rating in the team’s history. The Wildcats also finished the season with a 50-15 mark, a program best, and claimed its first Big Ten title in 20 years.

Division II

Lock Haven University Head Coach Kelley Green and Assistant Coaches Kelly Shannon and Lynn Spiezio will be honored as the 2006 Speedline/ NFCA Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year following a 56-4 2006 campaign that resulted in the program’s first softball national Kelley Green championship. The Lady Eagles posted a 4-0 record en route to the national title, outscoring opponents 20-2. Under the guidance of Green, Shannon, and Spiezio, Lock Haven won the program’s first Mid-Atlantic regional title since 1988 and the first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crown since 1982.

Division III

Rutgers University-Camden Head Coach Carl Taylor and Assistant Coaches Celeste Chinappi, Megan Johnston, and Brian Wolverton earned Speedline/NFCA Division III National Coaching Staff of the Year honors after guiding the Scarlet Raptors to a schoolrecord 47-5 record. The season culminated with the program’s first national title in Raleigh, N.C., in its first finals appearance. Taylor’s team won 37 of its last 38 games, including a program-best 29 consecutive victories, and rolled to the national title with a 4-0 mark in Raleigh that included a pair of wins over two-time defending champion University of St. Thomas. The team finished 18-0 in the NJAC conference to claim a second conference championship in the last three seasons.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

NAIA

Cal JC

The NFCA NAIA Leadoff Classic champion, Mobile worked its way to a school-record 50-2 mark.

The squad finished second among Nor-Cal teams, but was the last team from the division standing as it finished fourth at the state tournament.

NJCAA Division I

NWAACC

University of Mobile Head Coach Vincent Dima and Assistant Coach Maria Soto earned 2006 Speedline/NFCA NAIA Coaching Staff of the Year accolades after Dima, in his first season guiding the program, led the Rams to the school’s first softball national championship with a win over California Baptist University in the title game.

Pima Community College Head Coach Stacy Iveson and Assistant Coaches Candace Abrams, Jenifer Martinez, Denise Ortiz, and Rebekah Quiroz claimed the 2006 Speedline/NFCA NJCAA Division I Coaching Staff of the Year honors after they led the squad to a second national title in three years. Pima, which finished the year 60-10, knocked off Gulf Coast Community College 3-2 in the national title game after advancing to the tournament with a regional championship victory over Central Arizona College, the 2005 National Coaching Staff of the Year award winner.

NJCAA Division II

Phoenix College Head Coach Heinz Mueller and Assistant Coaches Dallas Kuhlman, Christa Pfeninger, and Hank Schrader claimed their second consecutive 2006 Speedline/ NFCA NJCAA Division II Coaching Staff of the Year award after leading the Bears to a thirdstraight NJCAA Division II national Heinz Mueller title in 2006. The title win was the fifth in seven years for Phoenix College, which finished the season 54-9-1.

NJCAA Division III

Anne Arundel Community College Head Coach Don Bishoff, along with Assistant Coaches Kristen Bishoff, Bill Henderson, and Ken Stoll claimed 2006 Speedline/ NFCA NJCAA Division III Coaching Staff of the Year honor after guiding the Pioneers to a 37-10 record and a third-place finish at the NJCAA Division III National Tournament. The staff also led Anne Arundel to the Region XX and Maryland Junior College Conference titles.

Sacramento City College Head Coach Robert Maglione and Assistant Coaches Robert Cameron, Don Deatherage, Bob Newman, and Melissa Wilson earned Speedline/NFCA Cal JC Coaching Staff of the Year honors after leading SCC to a 47-7 record and a No. 3 final state ranking.

Wenatchee Valley College Head Coach Shelly Pflugrath and Assistant Coaches Larry Fulbright, Jessie Holman, Shauna Juarez, and Jim Shaw claimed the school’s second Speedline/NFCA NWAACC Coaching Staff of the Year Award in four years. Pflugrath and her staff guided the Shelly Pflugrath Knights to a fourthplace finish at the NWAACC Championship Tournament after tying for the top spot in the Eastern Region.

High School

Cactus (Ariz.) High School Head Coach Jeff Griffith, along with Assistant Coaches Lori Helmer and Pete Lara, guided Cactus to the No. 1 spot in the USA Today/NFCA High School Top 25 final poll, and, as a result, earned Speedline/NFCA High School National Coaching Staff of the Year honors. The Lady Cobras won the Arizona 4A Division I championship and finished the 2006 season with a 32-3 record.

Travel Ball

Louisville Lady Sluggers Head Coach Don Dobina and Assistant Coaches Becky Bishop and Ricki Rothbauer were named the Speedline/NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year for Travel Ball after guiding the team to a fifth-place showing at the ASA 18A National Championship. The Lady Sluggers claimed the fifth-place finish after winning the national title in 2005 and claiming second at the 2004 tournament. Dobina’s Lady Sluggers had a strong showing at the Team NJ Invitational against some of the nation’s top Gold teams, and it finished fourth out of 150 teams in Westminster, Colo., before winning tournaments in Columbus, Ind., and Toledo, Ohio.

HONORING EXCELLENCE

Speedline/NFCA REGional Coaching Staffs of the Year Division I

Great Lakes Region: Illinois State University Head Coach: Melinda Fischer Assistant Coaches: Bill Kennedy, Tina Kramos, and Bill Dickson (Vol. Asst.) Mid-Atlantic Region: Lehigh University Head Coach: Fran Troyan Assistant Coaches: Dave Bender and Stephanie Covelle Midwest Region: University of Texas Head Coach: Connie Clark Assistant Coaches: Corrie Hill and Marla Looper Northeast Region: University of Massachusetts Head Coach: Elaine Sortino Assistant Coaches: Kaila Holtz and Barb LaFogg Pacific Region: Arizona State University Head Coach: Clint Myers Assistant Coaches: Casey Myers (Vol. Asst.), Kirsten Voak, Robert Wagner, and Jim Beitia (Dir. of SB Operations) South Region: University of Alabama Head Coach: Patrick Murphy Assistant Coaches: Alyson Habetz and Vann Stuedeman Southeast Region: North Carolina State University Head Coach: Lisa Navas Assistant Coaches: Michelle Green and Jay Pyron West Region: California State University, Fullerton Head Coach: Michelle Gromacki Assistant Coaches: Dee Dee WeimanKingsbury, Gina Oaks, Michelle Anunciation (Vol. Asst.), and Monica Tantlinger (Stud. Asst.)

Division II

Great Lakes Region: Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville Head Coach: Sandy Montgomery Assistant Coaches: Shannon Evans and Valerie McCoy (Stud. Assts.) North Central Region: Emporia State University Head Coach: Kristi Bredbenner Assistant Coaches: Kate Gilner (Grad. Asst.), Jan Farwell (Grad. Asst.), and Lauren Loucks (Vol. Asst.) Northeast Region: LIU-C.W. Post Head Coach: Jamie Apicella Associate Head Coach: Michelle Bettles Stud. Asst. Coach: Katie Houst South Region: Florida Southern College Head Coach: Chris Bellotto

Assistant Coaches: Julianne Coleman-Dunham, Jeff Lang, Stephanie Huber (Grad. Asst.), and Todd Skrzyniarz (Stud. Asst.) South Atlantic Region: Georgia College and State University Head Coach: Ginger Miller Assistant Coaches: Mandy Harris and Kristin Hughes (Grad. Asst.) South Central Region: Midwestern State University Head Coach: Brady Tigert Assistant Coaches: April Hill (Grad. Asst.) and Alisha Zabel (Vol. Asst.) West Region: California State University, Bakersfield Head Coach: Kathy Welter Assistant Coaches: Kristine Karr-Jacobson and Tara Licuanan

Division III

Atlantic Region: Emory University Head Coach: Penny Siqueiros Assistant Coaches: Gary Anderson, Tamara Boggs, and Stacy Tamborra Central Region: Muskingum College Head Coach: Donna Newberry Assistant Coaches: Jen Segner-Filtz and Erin Zupko Great Lakes Region: University of WisconsinEau Claire Head Coach: Leslie Huntington Assistant Coaches: Robin Baker, Billie Buss, and Nicole Pederson Midwest Region: University of St. Thomas Head Coach: John Tschida Assistant Coaches: Tim Gormley, Brad Horstman, Marcus Smith, and Andrea Sweeney New England Region: Williams College Head Coach: Kris Herman Assistant Coach: Sue Leclair Northeast Region: SUNY-Plattsburgh Head Coach: Sean Cotter Assistant Coaches: Scott Hildreth, Randy Lozier, Collette Mayer, and Jamie Trudeau West Region: Linfield College Head Coach: Jackson Vaughan Assistant Coaches: Greg Herman and Lindsay Manitsas

NAIA

West: California Baptist University Head Coach: Mike Smith Assistant Coaches: Bill Baber, Shelly Carter, Sarah Hughes, Anne Marie Miller Midwest: Grand View College Head Coach: Lou Yacinich Assistant Coaches: Alexis Angier and Jeff Cup

Great Lakes: Cornerstone University Head Coach: Jim Farrell Assistant Coaches: Amber Jost, Mary Mauro, and Mindy Rader Southwest: Dickinson State University Head Coach: Guy Fridley Assistant Coach: Chelsea Rathie

NJCAA Division I

Midwest Region: Temple College Head Coach: Larry Hennig Assistant Coaches: Jim Eanes South Region: Indian River Community College Head Coach: Dale Atkinson Assistant Coaches: Kristen Atkinson and Joe DellaRocca and

NJCAA Division II

Midwest Region: Iowa Lakes Community College Head Coach: Michael Bosch Assistant Coach: Megan Anderson East Region: Mercyhurst North East Head Coach: Brian Dewey Assistant Coaches: Mike Lyons

NJCAA Division III

East Region: Gloucester County College Head Coach: Stephen DePasquale Assistant Coach: Mark Enders North Region: Rochester Comm. & Tech College Head Coach: Jean Musgjerd Assistant Coaches: Don Baldus and Shelley Boettcher

High School

East Region: Susquehanna Valley High School (New York) Head Coach: Dale Cook Assistant Coaches: Melissa LaBarre and Bernie Mott North Region: Keystone High School (Ohio) Head Coach: Jim Piazza Assistant Coaches: Marlon Ford, Gina Grams, Ann Green, Gary Saunders, and Larry Shaw South Region: St. Amant High School (Louisiana) Head Coach: Scott Nielson Assistant Coaches: Jay Brignac, Ashley Landry, and Micah Vicknair South Central: Keller High School (Texas) Head Coach: Moe Fritz Assistant Coaches: Heather Campbell, Cathy Freeman, David Phillips, Kim Reed, and Lesley Weaver

COACHING MANAGEMENT

HONORING EXCELLENCE

2006 Easton Victory Club award winners NCAA Division I Coach School Record Years Margie Wright, Fresno State University 1206-428-3 27 Elaine Sortino, University of Massachusetts 936-404-4 27 Melinda Fischer, Illinois State University 712-483-3 23 Lana Richmond, Southeast Missouri State University 712-474 24 Michael R. Rappl, Canisius College 625-341-2 27 Mary Yori, Colorado State University 621-305 17 Robert L. Coolen, University of Hawaii 619-446-1 20 Jess Dannelly, Coastal Carolina University 612-432 19 Tory Acheson, Tennessee Tech University 611-266-1 14 Bill Edwards, Hofstra University 609-302-3 17 Clint Myers, Arizona State University 534-58 10 Karen Linder, Kent State University 526-440-1 21 Lu Harris-Champer, University of Georgia 522-168 10 Julie Brzezinski, Fairfield University 515-440-4 17 Lisa Bernstein, University of Minnesota 505-377-3 15 Tiny L. Laster, Jr., Hampton University 501-290 18 Lisa Navas, North Carolina State University 448 15 Jana McGinnis, Jacksonville State University 438-246 13 John Rittman, Stanford University 430-199-1 10 Carol Bruggeman, University of Louisville 425-315-2 13 Kirk Walker, Oregon State University 421-324-3 12 Kim Gwydir, Florida International University 420-329-1 13 Gary Ferrin, Loyola Marymount University 420-318-1 12 Patrick Murphy, University of Alabama 412-139 9 Tracy Bunge, University of Kansas 410-338-1 13 Connie Clark, University of Texas 405-182-1 10 Connie F. Miner, University of California, Riverside 402-529-2 16 Joe French, University of Maryland, Baltimore County 400-237-1 13 Jane Worthington, Eastern Kentucky University 400-356 14 Roy Kortmann, Long Island University 333-261 12 Kathy Van Wyk, San Diego State University 332-252 10 Melissa Jarrell, University of North Carolina, Wilmington 318-412-2 14 Robin Petrini, Pennsylvania State University 316-251-1 10 Terry DeTuro, Drexel University 309-248-3 12 Stefni Lotief, University of Louisiana at Lafayette 309-64 7 Chandelle Schulte, University of Wisconsin 304-235 12 Karen Johns, University of Virginia 221-157 6 Deanna Gumpf, University of Notre Dame 219-90 5 Karen Matteson-Yoder, University of California, Davis 213-239-2 9 Michael Lotief, University of Louisiana at Lafayette 208-41 7 Jeff Savage, Delaware State University 203-168 7 Amy Kvilhaug, St. John’s University 128-113 4 Megan Smith, Western Carolina University 120-61 3 Lee Smith, Mississippi Valley State University 118-132 5 Kary Kankey, Norfolk State University 116-148-2 6 Germaine Fairchild, Quinnipiac University 111-135-1 5 Carol Sullivan, Monmouth University 103-118 5 Eileen Schmidt, University of Kentucky 103-138 4 NCAA Division II Kathy Welter, California State University, Bakersfield Rhesa Sumrell, Central Missouri State University Gary L. Bryce, Wayne State University Sandy Montgomery, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville Doug Woods, Grand Valley State University Les Stuedeman, University of Alabama-Huntsville Steve Warner, West Virginia Wesleyan Callen Perreira, University of Hawaii at Hilo

COACHING MANAGEMENT

1009-429-6 27 822-527 31 809 25 633-305 609-267-3 521-182 520-189-1 504-292-2

17 16 11 14 17

Judith O’Connell-Lawes, Kutztown University Michelle Frew, Rollins College Ron Faubion, Southeastern Oklahoma State University Chris Hawkins, University of South Carolina, Upstate Donna Fields, St. Mary’s University Janet Montgomery, University of West Alabama Michelle Caddigan, Wingate University Dean Johnson, Caldwell College Herb Minch, West Liberty State College Shena Hollar, Lenoir-Rhyne College Kim Zarling, University of South Dakota Harry Sauter, University of Massachusetts, Lowell Thomas Macera, Valdosta State University Greg Jones, Winona State University Bob Brookens, Shippensburg University Travis Scott, Angelo State University Lisa-Ann Wallace, Bryant University Jeremy Reece, University of North Alabama Kevin Jannusch, University of the Incarnate Word Tracy Marback, University of North Dakota Rick Krasny, Dominican College (N.Y.)

504-33 439-270 423-168 407-200 406-149 401-474-1 336-160-2 334-161 316-288 310-167-2 306-362 303-252-3 301-98 234-94-4 231-85 225-103-2 215-217-2 139-138 123-98 111-186 105-112

19 14 25 12 9 17 10 12 12 9 11 12 7 6 6 6 10 5 4 6 5

NCAA Division III Jan Forsty, Bethany College 508-296-3 Anita Kubicka, Montclair State University 506-192-2 Kris Herman, Williams College 429-196-3 Sandra Hollander, Buffalo State College 428-255-2 Alicia O’Brien, Western Connecticut State University 423-213 Robin Hamilton, University of Puget Sound 421-263-3 John Byrne, Moravian College 407-134 Kathy Mangano, Springfield College 404-339-1 Jeanne Arbuckle, Marietta College 328-326 Jim Mills, Millikin University 315-237-1 Val Julien, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey 312-370-2 Mark Veilleux, Endicott College 310-127-9 Carol Enke, Augsburg College 302-426-3 Ben Allen, Ramapo College of New Jersey 226-108 Carl Taylor, Rutgers University, Camden 218-115-2 Kristina Kistler, Augustana College (Ill.) 217-105-2 Joe Yocabet, Baldwin-Wallace College 216-189 Donna Koczajowski, U.S. Coast Guard Academy 215-136 Dawn Simmons, Lynchburg College 207-104-1 Susan Musselwhite, Mississippi College 205-152 Nan Payne, Capital University 204-123-3 Sean Cotter, Plattsburgh State University 201-140 Jen Walter, College of St. Scholastica 200-102 Leslie Huntington, Wisconsin-Eau Claire 131-71 Dale Martin, Manhattanville College 119-65-1 John Conway, Fontbonne University 117-51 Charlie Dobbins, Peace College 116-126-2 Tina Johnson, Colorado College 115-191-4 Tina Phillips, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford 115-117-1 Holly Bruder, Denison University 115-90 Margie Acker, Kean University 113-146-1 Heather Stone, United States Merchant Marine Academy 109-121-1 Cara Clark, Clarke College 108-108 Renae Hartl, Luther College 106-84 Steve Crook, Concordia University (Wis.) 105-129 Becky Bliss, York College of Pennsylvania 104-97 Tim Hill, Pacific University 100-105

24 16 19 18 17 20 13 17 19 15 24 12 21 8 11 8 11 9 8 11 8 8 7 5 6 4 7 8 7 6 7 6 5 5 7 5 6

HONORING EXCELLENCE

NAIA Phil McSpadden, Oklahoma City University Michelle Krassinger, Culver Stockton College Mary-Ellen Hall, Houston Baptist University Wes Holly, Milligan College Ritchie Richardson, Olivet Nazarene University Deb Thompson, Spring Arbor University Tracy Gastineau, William Woods University Mike Smith, California Baptist University Pat Reardon, Central Methodist University Brian Campbell, Tiffin University Mike Christner, Wiilliam Penn University Rick Sanders, Emmanuel College Lou Yacinich, Grand View College Larry Binney, Southern Oregon University Kelly Jones, Brevard College Guy Fridley, Dickinson State University

1022-252 529-289 528-218 508-303 505-188 504-441 340-187 326-146 311-330 221-104 201-101 200-199 109-111 109-51 108-161 107-62

19 14 15 18 11 20 9 8 14 6 5 7 4 3 6 4

NJCAA Division I Dr. Lance Lamport, St Petersburg College Courtney Miller, Seminole Community College Eric Geldart, Young Harris College John Blair II, Vernon College Jeffrey Roberts, Manatee Community College Mark Redburn, Jefferson College Richie Nye, Carl Albert State College

802-409 513-336-1 420-259 405-263 328-108 124-75 123-62-1

20 15 22 14 8 4 3

NJCAA Division II Heinz Mueller, Phoenix College Scott Beatty, Muscatine Community College Susan Garcia, College of Lake County Mike Bosch, Iowa Lakes Community College

705-308 432-132 402-414 314-186-2

16 9 20 9

NJCAA Division III Stacy Johnson, Corning Community College

213-74

Cal JC Les Hearn,West Valley College Ray Whitten, College of the Canyons Allison Merzon, Cuesta College Kelly Ford, Mt. San Antonio College Cindy Vargas, Antelope Valley College

1044-337 425-295-1 309-218-2 216-34-1 101-64-1

32 20 12 5 4

NWAACC Tim Mackin, Lower Columbia College Cassie Belmodis, Chemeketa Community College

505-109 205-100

14 7

High School Tony Scarbrough, Baker High School Diane Laffey, Regina High School Howard Stuart, Richmond High School Michael Boyd, Our Lady of the Lakes Joe Given, Notre Dame High School Robert Iamurri, Naples High School Jeff Griffith, Cactus High School Dave Marr, Troy Athens High School Perry Peterson, Barrington High School Frank J. Podkul, Andrean High School Bob Ligouri, Des Moines East High School Julie Folliard, Richards High School Ron Havelka, Downers Grove South High School

1009-307 907-309-3 717-175 703-225 625-132 613-70 512-164-7 500-464-10 429-110 425-102 418-97 417-175 415-100-1

20 44 28 26 26 22 23 31 15 19 10 18 14

Greg Blakey, Mt. Zion High School Tom Walsh, Eastchester High School Tom Bakey, Valley High School Jim Gonder, Philipsburg Osceola High School Dick Bruich, Kaiser High School Ed Foulk, Kenton Ridge High School Jimmy Durham, North Laurel High School Cindy Mosteller, Garland High School Mark J. Anderson, Bloom Township High School Jeannie Fisher, Lake Mary High School Angelo Forte, Hilliard Davidson High School Cindy Bostelman, Afton Central School Jerry Tivey, Cajon High School Dale W. Cook, Susquehanna Valley High School Rick Armstrong, Kettering Fairmont High School Mike McCrobie, Oswego High School Molly Feesler, Pickerington High School North Bob Hammitt, Marist High School Ann Marie Rich, St. Francis Preparatory School Bobby Jones, South Florence High School DJ Gemmill, Bishop Miege High School Debbie Klemt, Sycamore High School Dave Serafini, Petoskey High School Jim Piazza, Keystone High School Andria Waguespack, St. Thomas More Charles Pikas, Merrill West High School Tim Smith, Pineville High School Beth Mast, Cave Spring High School Lou Santos, Archbishop Molloy High School Lori Salvia, Franklin High School Cathy McBridem, San Marcos High School Mike Beasley, Blackville-Hilda High School Kathleen Brophy, Medfield High School John Eyer, Emmaus High School Scott Nielson, St. Amant High School Michael Thompson, Frankfort High School Shad Housley, Benson High School Gary D. Ivy, Oak Grove High School John Stegmaier, Marana High School Douglas Burley, Union High School Dr. Joe Coroso, Elk County Catholic High School Bill Herr, Saint Peter High School Mark Balderston, Shawnee Mission Northwest Richard Fidelman, Austin-McCallum High School Richard Gigliotti, St. Patrick/St. Vincent High School

407-195 406-217 406-106 404-108 400-178-1 400-127 323-72 315-82-4 314-337-4 311-134 309-196 308-120 302-133 301-55 300-115 300-129 300-134 219-51 218-58 210-70 209-154 203-108 121-61-2 119-12 118-27 118-32 118-34-5 116-35-1 112-44 112-42 110-119 109-56 109-84 109-52 107-8-4 106-34 106-31-2 105-16-7 104-126 104-60 104-30 103-34 102-17 101-65 101-50

15 28 10 24 25 20 10 13 23 16 19 18 16 13 16 18 16 10 20 10 17 13 5 4 4 5 4 6 6 7 8 9 9 6 3 4 5 6 15 7 6 6 5 6 6

Travel Ball Robert B. Wenk, Case Batbusters Tommy Orndorff, Shamrocks Ken Bailey, SC Bandits 18U Curtis A. Ford, Lady Colt 45’s Scott A. Smith, 92 Bombers/Tanel Fastpitch Tony Larry, NE Echoes Renegades Dan Adkins, Texas Glory Carol M. Nolan, G-Force Fastpitch Troy Tidwell, Dallas Mustangs Lewis Boehm, Texas Comets 91 Jeff Hockman, Fire and Ice Rick Anderson, Rip City Softball Ira “Bubba” Hill III, Panama City Lady Lightning Michael Pagliaro, Bees Softball

1504-30 1419-293 810-380 731-244 571-181-18 522-151-8 519-78-11 482-101 402-199 257-99 212-110 140-140-6 104-91 102-57

33 33 17 13 5 10 7 7 11 5 8 5 5 5

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Mike Candrea Head Coach, University of Arizona NCAA National Champions 2006

The National Fastpitch Coaches College takes softball instruction from some of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top coaches and softball instructors and presents it in a unique new way. Ideal for college, high school and travell ball coaches and from coaching veterans to those with their first team, the NFCC thoroughly covers one area of the game over the course of three days.

Carol Hutchins Head Coach, University of Michigan NCAA National Champions 2005

Linda Wells Head Coach, Greek National Team Former Head Coach, Arizona State University

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For more information, visit

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PRODUCTS ON DISPLAY Adams USA 800-251-6857 www.adamsusa.com Reduce the risk of serous injur y to sliding players with the BOLCO Magnetic Breakaway Base. This base, designed for all ages, has different plate sizes to adjust the holding strength of the base to the anchor, and a steel stanchion pan for excellent durability. It is made with the finest materials, so it is washable, waterproof, and retains its color and shape. Each base is made of non-collapsible heavy-gauge textured rubber that absorbs impact and doesn’t lose resiliency. BOLCO Bases, a division of Adams USA, is a name known for superior durability, quality, and economy. Circle No. 500 The BH40-OS batting helmet and SB-64 softball faceguard from Adams USA are American-made and NOCSAE-approved products. They’re both lightweight and comfortable for all age groups. The BH40-OS uses the same polycarbonate material found in football helmets, which allows for advanced ventilation to keep athletes cool. The one-size-fits-most liner provides a wider range of fit for all ages. The SB-64 faceguard, with an improved design for better vision, is made specifically for softball and is available in several colors. Circle No. 501 Zingbat 866-ZINGBAT www.zingbat.com Zingbat™ has introduced its new Trainer Series product line. This economically priced version of the regular Pro Series Zingbat is ideal for youth players. The Trainer Series teaches batters basic swing mechanics. The

Composite Zingbat Trainer is available in one length and weight (30 inches, 17 ounces), while the aluminum Pro Series can be customized to meet your team’s specific length and weight requirements. Call today for a free instructional CD or video. Circle No. 502

withstand softball impacts of over 75 mph and baseball impacts up to 100 mph. Take it from Ken Griffey, Jr.—The Glove Radar is the ideal aid for developing the throwing skills of infielders, outfielders, pitchers, and catchers. The Glove Radar is a big hit among coaches, players, and parents, and it costs much less than most radar guns. Circle No. 504

Finch Windmill 866-258-2727 www.finchwindmill.com

The new Swing Speed Radar™ from Sports Sensors is a small, inexpensive Doppler radar velocity sensor that measures the swing speed of baseball and softball batters. The Swing Speed Radar helps players develop optimum bat speed for distance and quickness, and bat control for consistent ball contact. The Swing Speed Radar provides real-time velocity feedback that assists players, coaches, and instructors in measuring performance improvement and troubleshooting swing mechanics. Circle No. 505

Jennie Finch’s father, Doug, a pitching and hitting instructor, invented the Finch Windmill training device when Jennie was 10 years old. It provides adjustable resistance throughout a circular range of motion. A typical workout consists of overhand and underhand motion on the left and right sides. An independent eight-week study found an average velocity increase of 3.25 mph among those who used the product. Softball players young and old, from youth leagues to national championship teams, have reaped the benefits. Circle No. 503 Glove Radar® 888-542-9246 www.gloveradar.com The Glove Radar® is a small, inexpensive, and accurate microwave Doppler radar device that attaches to the back of virtually any baseball or softball glove. It “sees” through the glove and measures the speed of a ball thrown from any distance, just before the ball is caught. The Glove Radar can

Swing Speed Radar™ 888-542-9246 www.swingspeedradar.com

Louisville Slugger 800-282-BATS www.slugger.com The TPS Female Fastpitch Glove features narrower finger stalls and smaller wrist openings for a snug fit and great control. Bruise-Gard padding offers added protection in the palm and finger areas, and Dye-Thru lacing enhances durability. Coolmax finger linings wick away perspiration from the player’s hand for control and comfort. Circle No. 506

COACHING MANAGEMENT

PRODUCTS ON DISPLAY Louisville Slugger 800-282-BATS www.slugger.com

Power Systems 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com

The new Louisville Slugger Catalyst Fastpitch Bat with X-1 composite technology features multiple layers of aerospace-grade graphite embedded in a specially designed epoxy resin. Each layer is precisely positioned at an angle determined by an exclusive computer-designed pattern. The result is a bat with the optimum combination of performance and durability. The Catalyst is available in -10 ounce and -8 ounce sizes. Circle No. 507

Get ready for serious results from your training and conditioning when you add up to 40 pounds of weighted resistance with the Power Systems Weighted Vest. Weighted vests help strengthen the lower body, increase stamina, boost endurance, and improve performance. All three sizes (10 pounds, 20 pounds, and 40 pounds) are adjustable by simply adding or removing individual weighted sand bags. Get the ultimate workout without compromising biomechanics by customizing the amount of weight used. Made of padded nylon, the vest easily slips over your head to position the weight evenly around your torso, while Velcro® straps secure it in place. Circle No. 510

Swift Stik 877-845-7845 www.swiftstik.com Swift Stik is one of the most versatile training bats on the market. Batters can improve handeye coordination, increase bat speed, build muscle memory, and isolate the bat’s “sweet spot.” Swift Stik can be used with Wiffle®, tennis, or soft-foam balls. Use Swift Stik during practice with any drill so batters can take more swings before muscle fatigue sets in, or use it before a game to lock in hand-eye coordination. Visit Swift Stik’s Web site to see how it gets fast results. Circle No. 508 Grand Slam Pitching Machine 800-GRAND-SLAM www.agrandslam.com Grand Slam is one of the most effective pitching machines for working batters’ hand-eye coordination. Its self-feeding reservoir holds over 60 golf ball-sized Wiffle® balls and allows batters to take 50 swings in five minutes. Each pitch is guaranteed to hit the strike zone. It’s ideal for indoor training or outdoor use—all you need is 16 to 20 feet of free space. Forty-eight balls and a lifetime warranty are included. Circle No. 509

COACHING MANAGEMENT

The Baseball/Softball Power Program, exclusively from Power Systems, is a 12-week training program designed to improve the performance of baseball and softball athletes. The package includes the necessary equipment to develop the speed, agility, and explosiveness needed to excel in these very competitive sports. The program includes a Pro Agility Ladder, a six-pound Power Med Ball, a Lateral Stepper, a VersaDisc, a Power Chute (large), a Power Throw-Ball set (seven-, 14-, and 21-ounce balls in baseball or softball size), a nylon carrying bag, a Power Program manual, and your choice of a video cassette or DVD. The video shows the proper way to use the equipment and the training manual takes you step-by-step through the program. Circle No. 511 Sports Attack 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com The Hack Attack softball pitching machine has a unique three-wheel design that provides complete ball

vision, lifelike timing, and pinpoint accuracy. Simply adjust the wheel-speed dials to throw fastballs over 80 mph, risers, drops, right-handed and left-handed curves, screwballs up and in to right-handed and left-handed hitters, and knuckleball changeups. This machine is a professional training tool designed for college and serious high school athletes. Circle No. 512 Stabilizer Solutions, Inc. 800-336-2468 www.stabilizersolutions.com Hilltopper® from Stabilizer Solutions offers a unique combination of longlasting binders and natural clay that produces a flexible, stable compound for mounds and home plate areas. Hilltopper provides optimum cohesion right out of the bag. It does not need water—just spread and tamp, and it’s ready to go, with no mud or dust. Installation and repairs take half the time of traditional clay products. Circle No. 513 Athletic Training Equipment Co., Inc. 800-998-ATEC www.atecsports.com Used by hundreds of college and pro teams to maximize practice time, the ATEC Rookie throws fastballs and changeups at variable speeds up to 55 mph. A powerhouse for defensive drills, the Rookie rotates 360 degrees leftto-right and boasts 120 degrees of vertical pivot, allowing coaches to throw realistic liners, grounders, pop-ups, and flies accurately and repetitively. The Rookie carries a five-year limited warranty and is available in two models: standard and batter y-operated. Circle No. 514

PRODUCTS DEBUTING AT THE SHOW Adams USA 800-251-6857 www.adamsusa.com

Power Systems, Inc. 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com

Ordinary cleaners and disinfectants offer no protection for materials after treatment, leaving them vulnerable to recontamination. Bac-Shield™, available from Adams USA, “fills the gap”

Sports Attack 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com

For quickness and agility training, the benefits of step hurdles are well known. Power Systems has improved on the traditional step hurdle by increasing durability, stability, and portability with the new VersaStep hurdles. A wide, weighted, nonbetween cleanings by inhibiting the intrusive base growth of bacteria, mold, mildew, and and a pliable fungi that can cause odor, stains, disbounce-back coloration, decay, and deterioration of design make VersaStep hurdles more uniforms and other materials. Use it on user friendly by eliminating the need to jerseys, athletic equipment, carpets, keep resetting them. Even when stepped and more. Bac-Shield is powerful, safe, on, they return to their original shape. and environmentally friendly. Transporting the hurdles is easy because Circle No. 515 the entire set of six stacks neatly onto the carrying handle. VersaStep hurdles Document3 8/11/03 3:28 PM are Page 1 available in six- and 12-inch heights, and both sizes have an 18-inch base. Circle No. 516

FOR SPORTS $

Now From

795

The Junior Hack Attack softball pitching machine from Sports Attack is designed to develop serious young players. Its exclusive three-wheel vision allows the hitter to see the ball clearly, just like with a live pitcher. With a quick turn of the dials, the machine can throw fastballs over 60 mph, risers, drops, righthanded and left-handed curves, screwballs, and knuckleball changeups. At 75 pounds it easily fits into a compact car, even a Mini Cooper. Circle No. 517

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Circle No. 122 COACHING MANAGEMENT Partac_CM1413.indd 1

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515. . . Adams USA (Bac-Shield) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501. . . Adams USA (batting helmet/faceguard). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 . . Adams USA (Bolco Base). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514. . . ATEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518. . . Bannerman (Ballpark-4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519. . . Bannerman (Diamond Master). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532. . . Brawler (Western Industries). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531. . . Diamond Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520. . . Digital Scout (eight sports) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521. . . Digital Scout (Scoutware and Statware) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503 . . Finch Windmill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504 . . Glove Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522. . . Goldner Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509 . . Grand Slam Pitching Machine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507. . . Louisville Slugger (Catalyst Bat). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506 . . Louisville Slugger (TPS Glove). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524. . . M.A.S.A. Products (Fence Guard Lite). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523. . . M.A.S.A. Products (Handozer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511. . . Power Systems (Power Program). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516. . . Power Systems (VersaStep hurdles) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510. . . Power Systems (Weighted Vest) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525. . . Pro’s Choice Field Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527. . . ScorePAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512. . . Sports Attack (Hack Attack). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517. . . Sports Attack (Junior Hack Attack). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513. . . Stabilizer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 528. . . Stalker Radar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530 . . Stromgren (ankle support) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529. . . Stromgren (sliding shorts). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508 . . Swift Stik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505 . . Swing Speed Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526. . . Twin Spin (Rizzo Co.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502 . . Zingbat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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ATEC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Bac-Shield (Adams USA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Bannerman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Brawler (Western Industries). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Diamond Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Digital Scout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Finch Windmill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Glove Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Goldner Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Louisville Slugger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 M.A.S.A. Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Memphis Net & Twine Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 National Fastpitch Coaches Assn.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 National Fastpitch Coaches College. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Partac/Beam Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 PIK Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC Pro’s Choice Field Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 ScorePAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Sports Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Stabilizer Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Stalker Radar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Stromgren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Twin Spin (Rizzo Co.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 WSI Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Zingbat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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MORE PRODUCTS Bannerman Ltd. 800-665-2696 www.sportsturfmagic.com When player safety comes first, look to Bannerman. The company manufactures groomers that shape, level, and provide maintenance care for baseball diamonds and softball fields. The B-BP-4 Ballpark4® (shown) and the B-BP-6 Ballpark-6® models each have five tools: a ripper blade, a rake, a leveler, a roller, and a brush. Available accessories include a wing brush kit, a top link kit, a 50-gallon water tank kit with a spray nozzle, and the new highway transport kit. Circle No. 518 Restore your diamond’s luster in 20 minutes or less. Bannerman manufactures groomers that can level and provide maintenance care for softball diamonds, warning tracks, and walking trails. The B-DM-6 Diamond Master® has five grooming tools: a ripper blade, a rake, a leveler, a roller, and a finishing brush. Available options include an extension wing brush kit, a hydraulic tractor top link, a 50-gallon water tank with a spray nozzle, a long-tine “fluffing” rake, and the new highway transport kit. Circle No. 519 Digital Scout, Inc. 800-249-1189 www.digitalscout.com Digital Scout, a leading provider of statistics and scouting software, now offers software for eight sports: baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soc-

cer, softball, track and field, and volleyball. Track action live at the game and print reports immediately afterward.

Visit Digital Scout’s Web site to view reports and to get a free trial download in any sport. Circle No. 520 Softball Scoutware and Softball Statware deliver expanded features to two of the nation’s leading scouting and statistics software programs. Learn your opponents’ tendencies and scout your own team with Scoutware. Use Statware for real-time analysis at the game, along with detailed box scores, reports, and hit charts immediately afterward. Softball Statware will be available for Pocket PC devices in early 2007. Visit Digital Scout’s Web site today for more information. Circle No. 521 Goldner Associates, Inc. 800-251-2656 www.goldnerassociates.com Goldner Associates has been a leading supplier of medals, pins, and patches for 40 years. The company can create custom designs in any size or shape, and stock items are also available. Looking for an item with your team logo? As a top-50 distributor, Goldner offers a full line of promotional products, including team caps and T-shirts, trophies and awards, fundraising items, giveaways, and much more. Circle No. 522 M.A.S.A., Inc. 800-264-4519 www.masa.com www.sportsadvantage.com The revolutionary new Handozer is a complete infield grooming solution. It cuts maintenance time by up to 75 percent and gets professional results. Traditional grooming requires four steps: a nail drag is used to create loose dirt for smoothing, a leveling device levels the field, a roller is typi-

cally used for firmness, and a finishing drag mat makes the diamond sparkle.

The new 30-inch-wide Handozer features all four tools on a compact frame designed for one-person operation. Call or go online for more information. Circle No. 523 M.A.S.A. has welcomed the new Fence Guard Lite to its family of fence guards. Fence Guard Lite is priced for the tightest budgets. It protects against chain link fence injuries, increases fence visibility, and can add beauty to any field. With the addition of Fence Guard Lite, M.A.S.A. now offers three grades of Fence Guard: Premium, Standard, and Lite. All three feature an exterior-grade UV-resistant polyethylene construction that is maintenance free and designed to last for many years. Call or go online today for more information. Circle No. 524 Pro’s Choice 800-648-1166 www.proschoice1.com Pro’s Choice Select premium infield conditioner features a unique blend

of particle sizes and a deep red color to give your field the look of a professional ballpark. The small, uniformly sized granules make it the perfect infield topdressing to keep your infield smooth, safe, and resilient. For winning fields season after season, use what the pros use—Pro’s Choice Select. Circle No. 525

COACHING MANAGEMENT

MORE PRODUCTS Rizzo Co. 951-672-9528 www.twinspinhitting.com The Twin Spin pitching machine features unique two-speed wheels, so it can throw a fastball followed by an off-speed pitch with no adjustment in between. A consistent speed variance of 17 to 20 percent simulates game situations to effectively train your hitters’ reaction time and decision making. The precision balanced wheels and industrial-grade motor won’t shake the Twin Spin out of position during use, and a patented ball chute minimizes tire wear. Circle No. 526 ScorePAD Sports, Inc. 678-270-4001 www.scorepad.com ScorePAD Sports is a software company whose signature product is a system called ScorePAD. With ScorePAD, you can score baseball and softball games on a Palm OS device or Windowsbased PC. You can also create and post personalized Web pages for your team’s player statistics, box scores, scorecards, play-by-play narratives, and spray charts. You can even print reports containing more than 300 statistics and share them with players and their family members. Circle No. 527 Stalker Radar 888-STALKER www.stalkerradar.com/ sports_sport.shtml The ultra high-performance Stalker Sport radar gun precisely measures the speed of a baseball or softball as it leaves the pitcher’s hand and as it crosses the plate. Radar speeds can differ by up to 12 mph. The Stalker

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Sport is three times more powerful than most sports radar guns, accurately clocking pitches from over 300 feet away. A new double-capacity battery handle is available, providing up to 40 hours of use between charges. All Major League Baseball teams use the Stalker Sport. Circle No. 528 Stromgren Supports 800-527-1988 www.stromgren.com The Low Rider softball sliding shorts (models 1363 and 1364) provide athletes with comfort and compression to support muscle stability and keep protective pads in place. Hip and thigh areas in both the five- and seven-inch inseam models are protected with antimicrobial padding, while the Hydro-Flex moisture-wicking system keeps players dry and cool. The Low Rider is designed with a Coolmax gusset panel for feminine hygiene. This product is sold exclusively through team distributors nationwide. Call toll-free or visit the company online for more information. Circle No. 529 The Heel-Lock ankle support (model 329) from Stromgren emulates a professional tape job, providing excellent ankle support and eliminating costly taping. It’s not bulky, it’s easy to put on, and it fits comfortably in either the left or right shoe. The Spandex™ sock applies comfortable compression to the foot, and the permanently attached heel-lock straps help control severe eversion and inversion. The Heel-Lock is available in black or white. For more information, call tollfree or visit the company online. Circle No. 530

TXI/Diamond Pro 800-228-2987 www.diamondpro.com Diamond Pro offers a complete line of professional groundskeeping products: infield conditioners; calcined clay; mound and home plate clay; bricks; marking dust; and infield and warning track mixes. The company offers fast and convenient delivery. Diamond Pro’s vitrified red clay infield conditioner is available in bulk nationwide, and is easy to handle and apply. Truckloads are available in 10-, 15-, and 24-ton loads that save you both time and money. Create an all-around safe and professional infield playing surface for your team. Circle No. 531 Western Industries, Inc. 800-488-3592 www.westernindustries.com Brawler field covers are made with the highest-quality polyethylene and feature Western Industries’ unique freefloating handle system. Not only is deployment quick and easy, but the special green and white coloring adds protection, durability, and attractiveness. All Brawler tarps are heatsealed and hemmed. You’ll never find sewing on a Brawler cover, because the company knows that can weaken polyethylene material. Circle No. 532

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