Club News: Birmingham Thunderbolts Named 2022 NFCA Travel Ball National Coaching Staff of the Year

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Birmingham Thunderbolts (18U) were voted the 2022 NFCA Travel Ball National Coaching Staff of the Year, the Association announced on Monday afternoon.

The Thunderbolts, under the direction of head coach Rocky Thompson, captured the 2022 PGF 18U Premier National Championship, held in Irvine, Calif. After a 2-1-1 record in pool play, the Thunderbolts rattled off six victories, including a 4-1 win over Select Fastpitch in the title game (click HERE to read a recap of the championship game).

Thompson, along with assistants Giselle Juarez, Shane Cahalan, Ted Flannery, Taylor Liguori and Hannah Borden, steered the Thunderbolts to a 32-10-3 mark in Premier play.

The team also won the Show Me the Money title and finished top three at the Top Club Invitational. Under the staff’s tutelage, three players earned 2022 PGF All-America honors and two more generated 2023 PGF Futures All-America recognition.

Extra Inning Softball reached out to Coach Thompson today to ask how he found about about the honor.

“Well, it popped up first on my Twitter feed and my reaction was, ‘Wow, interesting!'” he said in his typically humble and understated way. “Then Mrs. Joanne Lane (of the NFCA) before several text messages started popping through.”

Coach Thompson explained the award was a group effort and not just one person’s–or staff’s–accomplishments.

“I am proud of so many individuals,” he continued, “but also understanding this accomplishment has nothing to do with me; all the credit goes to Richard Shea who started the organization, to all the former players that put the Thunderbolts in position to be nationally known, the current players who understand the standard and are continuing to uphold everything that Birmingham Bolts Premier stands for as well as all our coaches who volunteer their time developing, counseling, recruiting, managing and some being parents!”

“I’m just like a dedicated worker getting the stage ready for performance; it’s not about me… everyone else made being recognize possible. I just want to stay consistent and am still trying to figure out what is right, but I am grateful and humble for everything God has granted me with and who he has surrounded around me.”

The Birmingham Thunderbolts (18U), a representative of the South Region, was joined by Churchville Lightning (Md.), PA Pennsbury Gems, 14U Texas Glory Naudin and Lady Magic (Calif.) as Travel Ball Regional Coaching Staff of the Year recipients.

Winners are voted on by travel ball member head coaches.

Thompson and his staff will be honored at the annual NFCA Awards Brunch, Dec. 10 at the 2022 NFCA Convention in San Antonio.

The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaching awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.