Diamond Softball instructors provide coaching in all areas of the game. In addition to individual lessons for hitting, pitching and catching, camps and clinics are offered to fine tune skills. To work with one of our softball coaches, contact us at 865-288-3624.
ANNIE COLE
Softball Hitting Instructor
Annie helped lead her team to back to back Division II-AA state championships in 2016 and 2017 with Christian Academy of Knoxville. She was named to the All-District team in 2019. She went on to play at Wheaton College in Chicago. Annie is now the 10U USA Diamond Select travel ball coach.
KATHY LARUE
Softball Hitting & Catching Instructor
Kathy has coached softball for over 18 years in Tennessee and Arkansas. Before that, she received a full scholarship to play softball at Louisburg Jr College, Nichols State and McNeese State University. Kathy was one of only 106 invited to tryout for the first USA Olympic Softball team. Kathy is the director of the USA Diamond Select Softball.
LINDSAY RAKES
Softball Pitching Instructor
Lindsay Bridges Rakes became the current Head Softball Coach at Knoxville Catholic High School prior to the 2018-19 school year after helping lead the Powell High School softball team to back to back TSSAA 3A state championship games as an assistant/pitching coach. Before coaching, Lindsay played her high school softball at Halls High School, where she was a starting pitcher for the Lady Red Devils. After graduating in 2008, Lindsay signed an athletic scholarship with Tusculum University as a starting pitcher and corner infielder. Lindsay’s life work in softball, both playing and coaching, has fueled her passion to help develop young and aspiring female athletes to achieve the most of their softball careers.
CARLY VAN AUKEN
Softball Hitting Instructor
Carly Van Auken spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Tennessee Tech University from 2017-2021, where she worked with hitters, infield, and outfield. Van Auken spent two seasons as a graduate assistant with Piedmont College, helping lead Piedmont to a 55-30 record with an NCAA regional appearance and two first-place finishes in the USA South Conference.
Van Auken has also served as an instructor for three years with the Championship Softball camps.
As a student-athlete, she played at Kennesaw State, helping the Owls win an Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season championship in 2012. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kennesaw State in 2015, then recently completed her MBA from Piedmont in July 2017.