The Mamba Fastpitch organization has only been in existence for a few years and has just two teams, 18U and 12U, but it has quickly emerged as a promising program to watch from Florida.

Most of the players are from the central side of Florida on the Gulf side and the older 18U team has drawn national respect after strong showings at evenst such as the Atlanta Legacy.

Here’s a closer look at that team and each of the players as Line Drive Softball recently caught up with Head Coach and organization lead Mike Miller to get his thoughts on how the organization has gotten to be so good so fast…

When did the team/program start and how/why did it come to be?

I started coaching my daughters, Ava and Alivia Miller, at Spring Hill Dixie League for a team called the Shamrocks. They met their future teammate Kaylana Lyons that same year, when they played together on the 2019 Dixie All Stars.

In 2020, they met Rae Easton and Murphi Blade while playing 12U travel ball. Arie Covell started playing softball with the Miller sisters back at Parrott Middle School in Brooksville, Fla.

Ava, Alivia, Kaylana, Rae, Arie and Murphi all became teammates when we started a 14U team under a local organization.

After a very successful 14U stint, the team and coaches decided to start our own organization that would be dedicated to playing top-notch competition and provide a positive environment.

We named the organization “Mamba Fastpitch” after Kobe Bryant’s Mamba mentality mantra, which is about being “on the constant quest to be the best version of yourself.”

Eventually Rachel Rivera, Ashlyn Madine, Haylee Brown, Giana Lopez, Emma Crosby and Kennedy “Koko” Davenport were added to our team’s roster to make it what it is today.

Where are you based? Where do your athletes come from?

We are all from Florida. We have three girls that live a couple hours away, the other nine all live within 35 minutes from each other. Eight of the girls are from Hernando County and one from Citrus County.

What was the purpose of creating the team?

We wanted to embrace the Mamba mentality of being “on the constant quest to be the best version of ourselves,” to continue to develop our players, while also playing high level competition. Our goal is to showcase the girls and help them fulfill their dreams of playing college softball.

What do you think are the strengths of the team?

Our togetherness. The girls trust each other. There is no negative judging on this team, so the girls don’t fear making mistakes. They play “all out” and feed off each other’s positive energy.

What is your primary focus or goal with this group of players?

Our focus is on providing a positive environment, promoting good sportsmanship, consistently pushing towards building confidence and self-esteem, providing the girls with solid coaching, recruiting help, and a platform to showcase their skills, to help them build relationships with college coaches. Our goal is to be one of the best teams in the state of Florida.

Has there been a key moment or defining experience in the team’s history? What have been some of your successes in terms of winning or placing at events this past year?

In our three seasons as Mamba Fastpitch we have compiled a 41-24 record, including a perfect 10-0 record at two Backwards K showcases. We are coming off of a strong showing at the Atlanta Legacy where we were eliminated in a back-and-forth battle by the eventual champions.

What’s your softball background and how did you get to the point of leading the team?

I’ve been obsessed with sports my entire life, especially baseball. When my daughters started playing, I started coaching. Since the beginning we have dedicated ourselves to reaching our highest level through hard-work, dedication, and sacrifice.

What makes the organization unique?

All of our coaches and staff are volunteers so we can keep a relatively small team, play in great showcases and tournaments without completely going broke!

We are not a big franchise, but we have an amazing amount of support and our coaching staff is amazing.

As head coach, I – Coach Mike – am grateful for the support I have from our families. Each family contributes to our team success, and they are all volunteers. Coach Rich is dedicated and greatly enjoys watching the girls grow and get better each day. Coach Oliver was a former college softball player, and she brings her experience and knowledge to our staff.

We are also very lucky to have a media specialist, Josh Lopez. His social media posts, videography, and promotional material creation has been priceless. We have an amazing trainer, Mike Butler from 5 Star Baseball Academy. Trainer Mike is top-notch, and we owe a lot of our success and growth to his training.

What makes you most proud of your players?

One of the things I am most proud of is the work the girls put into their academics. They are the true definition of dedicated, student-athletes and this is evident with a team average GPA of 4.0.

Most of the girls volunteer their time and are also involved in numerous clubs at school (Beta club, Class club, Impact club, National Honors Society, SPOT, Pit Crew, SGA, Coastal Club).

They love softball and know that their expectations must match the amount of work they put forth. They are humble, hard-working and kind young women. There is no doubt in my mind that all of these girls will achieve great things in life.

How many teams are there in the organization overall?

Just two so far. We have an 18U team and a 12U team. We might be holding tryouts for more teams in the future.

If there is one thing you would say that separates you from other club programs, what would it be

Without a doubt it is our families. It is very difficult to assemble, but right now, we have a great mix. The families are very positive and supportive.

Anything else interesting or fun to portray your team as a top organization?

Ava is our only 2025. We have five 2026’s and six 2027’s. Although we are a winning 18U team, we are always the youngest 18U team.

We are learning how to beat the best by playing up against strong competition. We practice daily gratitude, positive internal dialogue, and frequent mental self-assessments. These girls have bought into the Mamba mentality and they have very high expectations. They fully understand that the hard-work, dedication, and sacrifice has to match those expectations. We are Mamba!

The Fall 2024 Mamba 18U schedule: