About the NFCA Established in 1983, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches from all competitive levels of play. The organization’s 5,500 members include coaches, umpires, clubs, businesses, and fans of fastpitch softball. Education, events, and awards are the pillars of the organization, highlighted by the annual national convention, regional coaches’ clinics, in-person seminars, All-America teams, Leadoff Classics, and summer student-athlete camps. Members are recognized for their contributions on and off the field, while student-athletes are honored for their academics. In addition, education remains the organization’s top priority. Featuring a grassroots Coaching Tools package compiled of practice plans, drills, and evaluation forms, the NFCA also disseminates podcasts, forums, a digital education library, virtual coaches’ clinics, webinars, a mentoring program, publications, a drills database, legal counsel, and accurate and credible information surrounding the sport. The national office is located in the Crescent Hill community of Louisville, Kentucky. This home base of 10 employees, 19 board members, and seasonal interns moved to the Bluegrass State in 2012. About the Editor Gayle Blevins served as head coach for Division I collegiate softball programs for 31 years, coaching at Indiana University from 1980 to 1987 and at the University of Iowa from 1988 to 2010. She brought the two teams to the Women’s College World Series seven times and never had a losing season at either university. She led her teams to eight Big Ten championships, winning five of them. She amassed 1,245 wins overall. Additionally, she has seen nearly 80 of her former players become coaches of their own teams across the nation. Blevins was named NCAA Division I Coach of the Year by the National Softball Coaches Association in 1986 when the Hoosiers finished in third place in the Women’s College World Series under her tutelage. Blevins was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1999. Twice she has been selected as the Division I National Coach of the Year. Blevins now works as a National Fastpitch Coaches College instructor. She also serves as a public speaker for national conventions, service organizations, educational institutions, and corporations across the United States.
