The following article was written by Kevin Bednoski, himself a renowned coach who was hired to be an assistant this summer at Eckard College in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Kevin has spent the last nine years as the head coach at Riverside High School in Leesburg, Va. where he led his team to the school’s first-ever Virginia Class 5 State Championship in 2024.

He has gotten to know VA Glory Head Coach Suzy Willemssen well while serving with her as an Associate Head Coach for the 18U Virginia Glory National team and told Line Drive earlier today:

“Suzy is certainly one special person and it’s an honor to call her a friend & colleague.”

Here, Coach Kevin shares his insights on what makes Coach Suzy an NFCA Hall of Famer…

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The NFCA Convention rolls on in Las Vegas and tonight at 7 pm the NFCA Hall of Fame Banquet will be held to honor four new members being inducted as part of the 2025 class:

• Lu Harris-Champer (Georgia, ret.)
• Judy Lawes (Kutztown)
• Mike Reed (UT Tyler)
• Suzy Willemssen (VA Glory)

The first three inductees make the class thanks to their success in the college ranks while Coach Willemssen gets in because of her great success at the high school and travel ball levels impacting lives not only through her skills on the field, but how she has been an inspiration to so many through her work off the field.

Here are some of her amazing accomplishments over the years:

Suzy Willemssen Career Highlights

• Total Career Wins: 1,300+
• Career Winning %: .692
• High School State Championships: 5
• 5x Virginia VISAA Coach of the Year
• NFCA Hall of Fame Inductee, 2025
• USA Softball Piedmont Hall of Fame Inductee, 2025
• Pigskin Club of D.C Coach of the Year, 2024
• Washington Post All-Met Coach of the Year, 2024
• WCAC Coach of the Year, 2024
• Inaugural Triple Crown Sports Joan Joyce Award Winner, 2022
• NFCA Region III Coaching Staff of the Year, 2023
• Member, Virginia USSSA Softball Hall of Fame, 2024
• NFCA Active Member for 20+ Years
• NFCA Mentoring Program
• NFCA Convention Speaker, 2022
• Recognized for 5 Years as NFCA Travel Ball Strikeout Cancer Fundraiser of the Year
• Raised over $350,000 to help fight cancer

Suzy started her vision of Purpose Driven Softball in 2010 with her first 18U Glory Gold team under the directive of “developing winners on and off the field.”

This Glory guiding mission has resonated with so many others looking for an organization where everyone must give each other their best, wanting an environment where athletes can discover their greatness and be a part of an organization that aligns people’s talents and passions — where players, coaches, and parents all share a deep responsibility to serve and give to one another.

In this relatively short period of time (15 years), the Glory has grown to 20 teams in Virginia and the upper Midwest who want to be part of this Purpose Driven Softball movement.

Giving back to the community is paramount to the mission of the Glory organization.

Furthermore, under her guidance, the VA Glory organization, through its annual Strikeout Cancer Camp & Tournament, has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last eight years for Children’s National Hospital and Cancer Research.

This showcases Coach Suzy’s immense commitment to giving back to the community and making a positive difference beyond the softball field.

The author, creator and embodiment of “#SistaFire,” Suzy’s passion, not solely for the game and the competition, but for the people and their personal development is evident in every word she speaks, every tweet she posts and every action she displays.

Here’s one such example from today:

These daily motivational tweets now have a nationwide following and there are stories of softball folks across the nation approaching Suzy in airports just to say thank you for those simple but profound words she shares each morning without fail.

Coach Suzy’s remarkable journey through softball has not only etched her name in the annals of the sport but has also left an indelible mark on all those she has coached, mentored and learned from over the course of decades.

It is this exceptional journey—marked by her fervent passion for the game—her outstanding contributions to the game and her desire to be a lifelong learner and contributor that has earned her widespread respect and admiration on a national scale.

Beyond her success as a coach, what truly sets Coach Suzy apart is her unwavering emphasis on nurturing the individual beyond their role as a player. She stands as a genuine role model, instilling in her players the core values of joy, love, perseverance, sportsmanship, and teamwork.

Suzy’s coaching transcends the technical aspects of our wonderful sport.

She possesses a rare and authentic ability to forge personal connections with her players, cultivating an environment of trust, respect, and camaraderie. Through the years, Suzy has not only honed her players’ softball skills but has also diligently nurtured their self-confidence, leadership capabilities, and overall character.

Another facet of Suzy’s remarkable career is her activism for equal opportunity in the sport of softball, particularly for young girls in local communities.

She has lobbied for millions of dollars from local governments, advocating for increased support for young female athletes and providing them with the opportunities they deserve.

Suzy not only imparts the history of Title IX to her players but also reinforces the importance of carrying the torch and upholding the legacy for future generations.

While her impressive tally of over 1,300 wins speaks to her on-field success, it is her ability to teach skill development at the highest levels, drive personal growth through constant motivation, instill confidence by showing each player how valuable they are as a person, and empower young female athletes that unequivocally warrant her to be included with the greats of our game.

Suzy Willemssen’s journey in the world of softball has been one of dedication, inspiration, and a genuine love for the game.

Her coaching philosophy goes beyond the diamond, shaping the lives of countless athletes and contributing significantly to the growth of the sport.

— Kevin Bednoski for Line Drive Softball