Breaking News: Championship-Winning Club & High School Coach T.J. Goelz Taking Year Off from Tampa Mustangs Travel Ball

One of the most successful club and high school coaches over the last decade, T.J. Goelz— who has won a PGF National Championship heading the Tampa Mustangs 18U team and the last two years has won Florida 7A high school softball state titles leading Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.) High—announced earlier on Wednesday that his Mustangs – TJ team will take the fall and summer off.

“TMTJ (Tampa Mustangs TJ) is not done for good,” Goelz posted in a tweet today. “A hiatus was needed for many reasons.”

** Tampa Mustangs-TJ will not field a team this Fall or next Summer. TMTJ is not done for good. A hiatus was needed for many reasons. Players were notified a couple days ago and, with the help of our coach, are investigating their options. Best wishes to all! @CoachTJGoelz pic.twitter.com/2u5MW7fZ7e

— Tampa Mustangs TJ (@TampaMustangsTJ) August 10, 2022

Goelz told Extra Inning Softball this week:

“I’m not retiring from Fastpitch softball – I love the game and the people too much – but I’ll be looking for how I can best serve the fastpitch softball community and to make sure I can be there for my girls. I have had many reach out already to discuss some opportunities. It’s going to take some time and see what comes along.”

One potential reason for the temporary hiatus is that TJ has two daughters competing for the Florida Gators program next year: Kinsey (who has one season of eligibility left) and Avery, who was a sophomore. Stepping away for a short amount of time would allow the coach and his wife, Liz (also a coach), to be able to watch their daughters play together for the last time, at least in the SEC.

Extra Inning Softball selected Coach Goelz as the 2021 High School Coach of the Year after the Mustangs went 30-2 and won the 7A State crown last year; the team repeated the same accomplishment this year and, in five years as the Lakewood Ranch head coach, Goelz has compiled a 122-10 record and has been to at least the State Semifinals in each of the last five seasons (2020’s tournament was canceled due to COVID-19).

The club Mustangs have also had success winning titles and finishing Top 5 in national tournaments; last Summer, for example, the Tampa Mustangs – TJ 18U squad won the Atlanta Legacy Invitational, in 2020, it captured the USA Elite Select WFC title and in 2019, the Mustangs had Top 3 finishes at TCS Sparkler/Firecracker (2^nd), PGF Nationals (3^rd) and USA Elite World Fastpitch Championship.

Coach Goelz and his team have been particularly strong at PGF Nationals, winning it all in 2015 and also finishing 3^rd place three times and 5^th once.

Extra Inning Softball has reached out to Coach Goelz for comment—including if he’ll be coaching the high school team next spring—and will update as we get more information.

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball