LINE DRIVE’S TOP 50 NATIONAL CLUB COACHES

Line Drive Media put together a list of the Top 50 National Club Coaches.

Here are #’s 20-11:

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20. Ken Briggs, BSC Bengals-Briggs:

After spending numerous successful years as a head coach for club teams in So Cal, Ken Briggs and his wife, Roseann Briggs, started the BSC Bengals organization where they guided the BSC Bengals to a PGF 12U Premier national championship in 2023. “Coach Ken is a great person and he cares a lot about you on and off the field,” Kansas-committed 2027 OF Kayleigh Allen said. “He is always willing to help someone. He has a great sense of humor and always has positive energy. His biggest area of expertise is player development. He really focuses on preparing you for the next level in many ways.”

19. Steve Appel, Arizona Rising-Appel:

Steve Appel is a longtime club coach and founder of the Arizona Rising organization, which has quickly gained a reputation for producing D1 prospects. Arizona Rising-Appel is the reigning PGF 18U Premier national champion and Appel led Arizona Storm-Appel to the PGF 14U Premier national championship in 2019. Rising Fastpitch has 18 D1 commits this season. “I had to make the tough decision to leave (Steve) Appel since the distance made it extremely difficult to make their team practices,” UCLA-bound C Ava Tapia said. “Appel, however, is a very competitive coach, who pushes his players to get the best out of them, which is what makes them so successful.”

18. Greg Dickel, Iowa Premier:

Greg Dickel made his reputation developing D1 talent and building Iowa Premier to one of the top organizations in the Midwest and in the country. Iowa Premier won national championships (PGF 18U Platinum in 2019, PGF 18U Platinum in 2016) twice and reached the finals (PGF 18U Platinum in 2015) once. They also reached the Alliance Nationals finals (Alliance 16U Tier 2 in 2025, Alliance 16U Tier 1 in 2022, Alliance 12U Tier 1 in 2022) three times. The placed #9 in 18U Alliance last summer. “Greg is an outstanding coach,” Oregon-bound MIF/OF Analise DeWitt said. “I honestly would not be here without him. He gave me and countless others many opportunities on the biggest stages. I would say Greg’s area of expertise is recruiting and how to prepare athletes to get to the next level.”

17. Nathan Nelson, Hotshots National-Nelson:

Nathan Nelson made a name for himself developing D1 prospects and top club teams in the Southwest and his program has become one of the top organizations in the nation. His program has won national championships (PGF 16U Premier in 2021, PGF 12U Premier in 2017, PGF 10U Premier in 2015) three times and reached the PGF Nationals finals (PGF 16U Premier in 2025, PGF 12U Premier in 2018) twice. “Nathan, is a tough, high-level coach, who really prepares his players for what college softball is actually like,” Kansas-committed 2027 C/OF/IF/UT JLee Van Driel said. “He coaches with intensity and holds everyone accountable, which pushes us to compete every day. One of his biggest strengths is creating a competitive environment. We have a roster full of talented players so nothing is given — you have to earn your spot. That experience has been huge because it mirrors what we will face at the college level where everyone is good and competing for playing time. He’s also been a big help in the recruiting process. He guided me through narrowing down my options and helped me find the best fit both academically and athletically, which made big difference!”

16. Jazz Jackson-Vesely, Impact Gold-Jazz:

Jazz Jackson-Vesely has built a reputation as one of the top coaches of D1 players in the younger age groups of Impact Gold organization and she’s the head of Impact Gold, one of the top programs in the country. She led teams to the Alliance Nationals finals (Alliance 16U Tier in 2025, Alliance 16U Tier 1 2023) twice. “Jazz is one to the best coaches in the country. EASILY top-5!!” Impact Gold coach KC Jackson said. “Her teams consistently have a top finish in every national tournament. Every college coach seeks her out at tournaments. She has a tremendous ability to team build and develop talent, which led Impact Gold to be named the Alliance 2025 Top Organization of the Year. This is the second time in three years we’ve won that award. With her great relationships with college coaches, recruiting sets her apart from any other coach. This contributed to a recent poll naming Impact Gold as the 1# recruiting organization. Hell, actually after rereading my own words … she should be the #1-ranked select coach in the country. She’s on pretty much every softball committee or board that helps promote the sport. She helps kids from other organizations get scholarships. Removing all politics, you will find it near impossible to find a coach that rivals what Jazz has been able to do over the past years.”

15. Stacy Tamborra, Athletics Gold Tamborra:

Stacy Tamborra’s Atlanta Vipers’ team reached the PGF 14U Premier finals in 2023 before she created the Athletics Gold Tamborra organization. AGT finished #7 at PGF 18U Premier Nationals last summer. She’s known for developing top D1 pitching prospects. “Coach Stacy brings a lot of aspect to this amazing sport such as her knowledge of pitching and pitch calling,” Minnesota-committed 2027 1B/3B/P Johanna Galvan said. “Also, (she’s) a pitching instructor being a woman that gives back to this sport. She is loving and caring and wants nothing but the best for each and every single one of her girls. She gives so many opportunities to girls in this sport and it is so amazing to see the legacy she has and continues to bring to this sport.”

14. Mark Smith, Athletics Mercado-Smith:

Mark Smith has been the right-hand man or David Mercado’s top 18U team in the Athletics Mercado organization. He helped Athletics Mercado-Smith win a PGF 18U Premier national championship in 2019, PGF 14U Premier national championship in 2016 and reach the PGF 18U Premier finals in 2024 and PGF 16U Premier finals in 2017. They also won Alliance 18U Tier 1 national championship in 2021. “Coach Mark is a very talented coach,” Texas Tech-committed 2027 C Hollynn Gentry said. “He is very knowledgeable with the game. He also knows how to really hype you up about yourself, but he also is really good (at) keeping you accountable and staying consistent and focused. He is a very humorous guy and knows how to lighten the mood and get your mind off the game when you need a break. During practice, he shows us how to improve in our situation and our team in itself and he is very respected on our team. But he is one of my most favorite coaches I have played for and I’m so happy I have two more years with him.”

13. Kristi Malpass, Texas Bombers Gold-Malpass:

The Texas Bombers are one of the premier organizations in the country and Kristi Malpass’ work in the younger age groups is a major reason. Malpass’ Bombers teams are the reigning 14U Tier 1 Alliance and 14U Tier 3 Alliance national champions. “Kristi Malpass is one of the most talented young coaches in the game,” Bombers coach Scott Smith said. “Her ability to develop and train young talent has led to the talent base in our program to be deeper and more prepared to win championships than ever before in the history of our program.” Uncommitted 2029 1B/P Reagan Christopherson said Malpass has a great personal touch. “Coach Kristi is a very talented coach and you can tell that she really cares about her players,” Christopherson said. “She sets high expectations and believes we are capable of more than we think we are. She can coach every aspect of the game and is dedicated to making her players the best. I love playing for her and can’t wait to see what the summer has in store.”

12. Brian Tidd, Athletics Mercado-Tidd:

Brian Tidd has built a reputation developing top D1 prospects and running the younger age groups or the Athletics Mercado organization. His teams won the PGF 16U Premier and PGF 14U Premier national championships last summer. They also finished as PGF Nationals runner-up at PGF 14U Platinum in 2024. He also guided So Cal Athletics-Tidd/Ornelas to the PGF 12U Premier Nationals finals in 2013. His team also reached the Alliance 14U Tier 1 finals in 2022. “Coach Tidd has had a special impact on not only my softball journey, but on my teammates as well,” Cal-committed 2027 RHP Daniella Boccanfuso said. “He is a very dedicated coach, giving up many hours of his own time to be on the field with us. He showed us what it means to be disciplined and committed. He is motivating and made practice fun. He created a culture. Our team was like a family. He shows interest in each of us both on and off the field. He made working hard easy. From the very first practice, it was clear that he cared about us, not just as players, but as a family. He didn’t have to push us because he made practice fun. We wanted to go. He guided us to give our best effort. He taught us that success comes from hard work, consistency and a positive mindset. It’s about perseverance and teamwork. In the very beginning, we set goals. He always stays calm in stressful situations. He guided us with confidence and helped us learn from our mistakes without losing confidence. Coach Tidd led us to winning two national championships. Because of our coach we have grown stronger as individuals, more confident and even more determined. I am truly thankful to have a coach that believed in me and trusted me to help get the job done. Coach Tidd will always be a special person to me and my teammates. We are Tidd’s Kids.”

11. Josh Johnson, Unity-Johnson:

Josh Johnson has been the driving force in developing Unity into one of the premier organizations in the nation. His 18U team placed 3rd at PGF 18U Premier Nationals and his 14U team placed 2nd at the 14U Alliance Nationals last season. “Coach Josh Johnson is the definition of what it means to lead with purpose, faith and vision,” said Georgia RHP Presley Harrison, a former PGF All-American for Unity. “First and foremost, he is a man of faith and that foundation shows in everything he does. It shows how he builds his teams, how he pours into his players, and how he represents the Unity organization across the country. He is also a devoted family man, with children who have grown up in the game, including his daughter, Rylie, at LSU, which gives him a unique understanding of both the athlete and parent perspective. That balance sets him apart. He doesn’t just coach softball, he mentors young women, preparing them for the next level, not only as players, but as people.” Johnson has helped Unity win PGF 18U Platinum (2025), PGF 16U Platinum (2024) and PGF 14U Premier (2021) national championships. “What truly separates Coach Josh is his ability to build something bigger than any single team,” Harrison said. “Unity Softball has become one of the most recognizable and respected names in travel ball and that doesn’t happen by accident. His connections across the softball world, combined with his eye for talent, allow him to consistently bring together elite athletes from all over the country. No matter what tournament you attend, you can expect to see a Unity jersey and more often than not, it represents a high-level, competitive team. His track record of placing players in Division 1 programs speaks for itself and his consistency over the years is unmatched. As a competitor, Coach Josh demands excellence, but he also creates an environment where players can thrive and grow. I’ve seen Unity grow exponentially and it’s been incredible to witness the impact of his leadership firsthand. I’m especially grateful to have finished my travel ball career under his guidance. That experience helped prepare me for the next chapter — competing at the University of Georgia and representing Coach Tony Baldwin and the “G.” Coach Josh’s influence will always be a part of my journey and I’m proud to have worn the Unity name.”

— Carlos Arias, Line Drive Media (Follow Carlos on Instagram @los_stuff)