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T.J. Goelz, one of the most successful head coaches over the last decade in fastpitch softball at any level, has announced that he is stepping down after back-to-back high school state titles at Lakewood Ranch High in Bradenton, Florida.
Todd Lee, the school’s JV coach, will move into the varsity head coaching role with current varsity assistants Craig Toler and Paulo Reis staying in those positions.
Goelz, whose wife Liz has previously been an assistant coach on his staffs, also has dominated at the travel ball level including winning national championships at PGF Nationals (16U) in 2015; Triple Crown Sports Southeast Nationals in 2020 and the USA Elite World Fastpitch Championship also in 2020.
Last month (August 2022), it was announced that his Tampa Mustangs – TJ team will be on hiatus this fall and next summer (Click HERE to read that story).
Additionally, T.J. and Liz have also been busy over the last decade in coaching and raising their own talented softball-playing daughters, Kinsey and Avery, who are currently on the Florida Gators roster as a redshirt senior and sophomore, respectively.
The list of personal coaching awards for T.J. is also impressive and includes him receiving the following key national and state honors:
- 2021 Extra Inning Softball National High School Softball Coach of the Year;
- 2021 Florida Dairy Farmers State Coach of the Year
- 2018-2019 NFHS Florida Fastpitch Softball Coach of the Year
- 2015 NFCA National Travel Ball Coaching Staff of the Year
In a written statement sent out earlier today, Coach Goelz noted:
“As I worked on the schedule for the 2023, I realized that I would not be able to achieve the proper balance needed to be a head coach, business owner and a father to our two collegiate athletes… Liz and I always said, if we can do it all and do it the right way, at the level we expect, then we would, for as long as we could—but that’s just not attainable anymore.”
He did write that:
“Coach Liz and I will assist the varsity program behind the scenes in an advisor role.”
Here is a copy of the complete statement:
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T.J. GOELZ SOFTBALL COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Travel & High School)
Travel Ball National Championship Results:
- 2021 PGF 18U PREMIER 3RD PLACE
- 2021 JO CUP 3RD PLACE
- 2021 TCS SE NATIONALS RUNNER-UP
- 2020 USA ELITE WFC 18U CHAMPIONS
- 2020 TCS SE NATIONALS CHAMPIONS
- 2020 USA 18 GOLD NATIONALS 5TH PLACE
- 2019 PGF 18U PREMIER 3RD PLACE
- 2019 TRIPLE CROWN 18U NATIONALS 5TH PLACE
- 2019 TCS SPARKLER/FIRECRACKER 18U POWER POOL 2ND PLACE
- 2019 USA ELITE SELECT 18U WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 3RD PLACE
- 2018 USA ELITE SELECT 16U WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 3RD PLACE
- 2018 IDT 16U 5TH PLACE
- 2018 PGF 16U PREMIER 13th Place
- 2017 PGF 14U PREMIER 5TH PLACE
- 2016 PGF 14U PREMIER 3RD PLACE
- 2015 PGF 16U PREMIER NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
- 2015 USA ELITE SELECT 12U WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RUNNER-UP
- 2014 ASA 16A NATIONALS RUNNER-UP
- 2013 ASA 14A NATIONALS RUNNER-UP
- 2012 USSSA 14A WORLD SERIES 4th PLACE
High School Results:
- 2022 State Champions
- 2021 State Champions
- 2020 MaxPreps #1 National Ranking-Final.
- 2019 State Final Four – Finalist – Runner-Up
- 2018 State Final Four – 3rd Place