--- title: Coaching & Player Development | Cherry Creek Charm Softball --- [Skip to content](https://www.charmsoftball.com/coaching-player-development#main-content) [![](https://www.charmsoftball.com/hs-fs/hubfs/01_primary_logo_transparent.png?width=870&height=830&name=01_primary_logo_transparent.png)Homepage](https://www.charmsoftball.com?hsLang=en) - About - [Our Program](https://www.charmsoftball.com/program?hsLang=en) - [Season Timeline](https://www.charmsoftball.com/season-timeline?hsLang=en) - [Coaching & Player Development](https://www.charmsoftball.com/coaching-player-development) - [Blog](https://www.charmsoftball.com/blog?hsLang=en) - [FAQ](https://www.charmsoftball.com/faq?hsLang=en) - Join - [Join the Interest List](https://www.charmsoftball.com/join?hsLang=en) - [Tryouts](https://www.charmsoftball.com/tryouts?hsLang=en) - [Cost](https://www.charmsoftball.com/cost?hsLang=en) - Support Charm - [Support Our Program](https://www.charmsoftball.com/support?hsLang=en) - [Get Involved](https://www.charmsoftball.com/get-involved?hsLang=en) - [Team Store](https://www.charmsoftball.com/shop?hsLang=en) [Contact Us](mailto:join@charmsoftball.com) - About - [Our Program](https://www.charmsoftball.com/program?hsLang=en) - [Season Timeline](https://www.charmsoftball.com/season-timeline?hsLang=en) - [Coaching & Player Development](https://www.charmsoftball.com/coaching-player-development) - [Blog](https://www.charmsoftball.com/blog?hsLang=en) - [FAQ](https://www.charmsoftball.com/faq?hsLang=en) - Join - [Join the Interest List](https://www.charmsoftball.com/join?hsLang=en) - [Tryouts](https://www.charmsoftball.com/tryouts?hsLang=en) - [Cost](https://www.charmsoftball.com/cost?hsLang=en) - Support Charm - [Support Our Program](https://www.charmsoftball.com/support?hsLang=en) - [Get Involved](https://www.charmsoftball.com/get-involved?hsLang=en) - [Team Store](https://www.charmsoftball.com/shop?hsLang=en) [Contact Us](mailto:join@charmsoftball.com) # **Coaching Mission** Our mission is to help young athletes develop the **confidence, skills, and mindset** needed to succeed in softball and in life. At Cherry Creek Charm, we believe youth sports should do more than teach mechanics. Our program focuses on helping players grow as competitors, teammates, and leaders. We work to create an environment where players: • Learn strong softball fundamentals • Build confidence through preparation and effort • Develop resilience when facing challenges • Support and encourage their teammates • Take pride in improving every day Our goal is simple: help every player leave the field **better than when they arrived — both as an athlete and as a person.** --- ## Meet the Coaches ### Different backgrounds. Shared purpose. Charm coaches bring different experiences, teaching styles, and perspectives to the field, but we’re united by a common goal: helping girls become confident softball players, great teammates, and young people unafraid to challenge themselves. We believe good coaching is about more than teaching a swing or making the right defensive play. It’s about knowing when to teach, when to challenge, when to encourage, and sometimes simply believing in a player before she fully believes in herself. Meet the coaches leading our teams. --- ![Coach Amy\_Charm](https://www.charmsoftball.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Coach%20Amy_Charm.png?width=1121&height=1403&name=Coach%20Amy_Charm.png) ## Coach Amy Neal ### **14U Gold Head Coach** **Confidence • Growth • Love of the Game USA Softball ACE-Certified Coach, Level 1** Coach Amy has played softball throughout much of her life, beginning in Little League, continuing through high school, and later playing in adult leagues. A catcher growing up, she eventually transitioned to first and second base. She’s coached five seasons of youth sports, including four with Cherry Creek Little League. She coaches because she loves softball and wants girls to experience everything the game can offer: challenge, excitement, friendship, learning, and personal growth. One of her favorite coaching moments is seeing a player recognize and self-correct a mistake—***a sign that the athlete isn’t simply following instructions anymore; she’s beginning to understand her own game***. Coach Amy’s interpretation of Create Opportunity begins with creating a safe environment to learn. Players will have good days and bad days. Teammates should encourage one another through both. Coaches should teach through mistakes rather than punish them, and players should celebrate one another’s success. As skill develops, confidence follows—and confident players become more willing to pursue opportunities when they appear.  ### Get to Know Coach Amy ⚾ Favorite Player: Derek Jeter 🎵 Pregame Song: Pitbull & Red Hot Chili Peppers 🗺️ Fun Fact: Since graduating high school, she’s lived in six states and Washington, D.C --- ![Coach Jeff\_Charm](https://www.charmsoftball.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Coach%20Jeff_Charm.png?width=1121&height=1403&name=Coach%20Jeff_Charm.png) ## Coach Jeff Mirabella ### **12U Gold Head Coach** **Fearless Play • Softball IQ • Composure** Coach Jeff brings eight years of youth coaching experience to Charm, including time as both an assistant and head coach. His own baseball career began at age five and continued through high school, and he still plays slow-pitch softball today. He coaches because he loves the game—and loves helping girls develop the skills and confidence to see how far the game can take them. The lesson he most wants players to learn is to play fearlessly. Make the play. Make the mistake. Learn from it. Get better. Coach Jeff particularly enjoys teaching strategy and softball IQ. His practices are designed to expose players to challenging situations in an environment where mistakes become teaching opportunities rather than something players fear making. The result he’s looking for is what he calls ***“Calm during the chaos.”*** When game pressure arrives, players have already experienced difficult situations, worked through them, and learned how to respond.  ### Get to Know Coach Jeff ⚾ Favorite Player: Francisco Lindor 🎵 Pregame Song: Cooks — Sofi Tukker & J Balvin 🚀 Fun Fact: He’s helped build a spacecraft that has taken people to space. --- ![Coach Stephenson\_Charm-1](https://www.charmsoftball.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Coach%20Stephenson_Charm-1.png?width=535&height=555&name=Coach%20Stephenson_Charm-1.png) ## Coach Mike Stephenson ### **10U Gold Head Coach** **Preparation • Defense • The Process** Coach Mike’s softball journey began like many great youth coaches’ journeys do: as a parent helping at practices and games. With two daughters playing softball, he became increasingly involved and has spent the past three-plus years serving as both an assistant and head coach. 2 His philosophy centers on setting high expectations while creating a competitive, fun environment. More than anything, Coach Mike wants players to fall in love with the process. Practices, extra work, early mornings, late nights, and small improvements matter as much as the final score. He especially enjoys teaching defense and softball strategy—helping players anticipate what’s coming, communicate with one another, and understand the game one step ahead. For Coach Mike, Create Opportunity means preparation meeting action ***"Don’t wait for something good to happen. Prepare, hustle, and create it."*** ### Get to Know Coach Mike ⚾ Favorite Player: Troy Tulowitzki 🎵 Pregame Song: Even Flow — Pearl Jam 🌊 Away From Softball: Traveling with his family, especially anywhere near the ocean.  --- ![Coach Payne\_Charm-2](https://www.charmsoftball.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Coach%20Payne_Charm-2.png?width=1121&height=1403&name=Coach%20Payne_Charm-2.png) ## Coach Rickey Payne ### **10U Green Head Coach** **Mentorship • Leadership • Confidence USA Softball ACE-Certified Coach, Level 1** Coach Rickey has spent six years coaching youth sports, including softball, baseball, basketball, soccer, and wrestling, and has coached more than 150 young athletes. His coaching approach is also influenced by his professional experience teaching and developing people through technical onboarding.  For Coach Rickey, youth sports are an opportunity to build more than athletes. They’re a place to teach young people how to work hard, communicate, compete, win, fail, and develop confidence. His favorite lesson for players is simple: ***"Fail forward. Mistakes aren’t something to fear. They’re part of getting better."*** On the field, Coach Rickey especially enjoys developing leadership and what he describes as a quiet, calculated competitiveness. To him, CHARM’s Create Opportunity philosophy starts with believing in a kid before she knows how to believe in herself.  ### Get to Know Coach Rickey 🥎 Favorite Player: Michaela Edenfield ⚾ Favorite Player: Ken Griffey Jr. 🎵 Pregame Song: Radio/Video — System of a Down 🤠 Fun Fact: A childhood adventure to the MLK Day Rodeo became an annual family tradition.  ## **One Program. Four Coaching Styles.** ### No two coaches teach exactly the same way—and we think that’s a strength. Across every Charm team, however, players should experience the same foundation: purposeful practices, strong fundamentals, high expectations, encouragement, accountability, opportunities to make mistakes, and coaches committed to helping them grow. As players move through Charm, the game gets faster, and expectations increase. Our job is to prepare them for that next challenge without losing sight of why they started playing in the first place. **Develop the player. Build the person. Create Opportunity.** --- # **Coaching Philosophy** Our coaching philosophy is built around three core principles. ### **1) Development First** At the 10U level, the focus should be on learning the game the right way. We prioritize fundamentals, game awareness, and building confidence so players develop skills that will help them succeed at higher levels of softball. ### **2) Compete With Confidence** Players are encouraged to step into challenges and trust their preparation. We teach athletes how to compete with focus, handle pressure, and bounce back quickly from mistakes — all essential skills for long-term success in the game. ### **3) Growth Through Discipline** Improvement comes from practicing with purpose. Players learn how to: • Pay attention to details • Stay focused during drills • give consistent effort • develop habits that lead to improvement By learning how to practice with discipline and intention, players gain tools they can use both on the field and in life. ## **What Players Learn in the Charm Program** Our goal is to help players develop skills that extend beyond softball. Players in the Charm program learn how to: • Compete with confidence • Handle mistakes and bounce back quickly • Communicate and support teammates • Practice with focus and discipline • Take pride in effort and preparation These lessons help players grow not only as athletes but also as **confident young leaders.** ## **Player Development Focus** Throughout the season, players work on key areas of the game, including: **Offense** • Hitting mechanics • Slap hitting development • Situational hitting • Base running awareness **Defense** • Footwork and fielding fundamentals • Throwing mechanics • Defensive positioning • Communication on the field **Game IQ** • Understanding game situations • Decision making under pressure • Reading plays as they develop **Mental Game** • Confidence and composure • Learning from mistakes • Competing with resilience ## **Our Commitment to Players** Our coaching staff is committed to creating an environment where players: • Feel safe and supported • Are encouraged to try new things • Learn from mistakes • Grow in confidence and skill We believe youth sports should be a place where players **love coming to practice and leave feeling proud of their effort.** [Get in touch with us](mailto:join@charmsoftball.com)[What We Select For](https://www.charmsoftball.com/tryouts?hsLang=en) [![](https://www.charmsoftball.com/hs-fs/hubfs/01_primary_logo_transparent.png?width=870&height=830&name=01_primary_logo_transparent.png)](https://www.charmsoftball.com?hsLang=en) - About - Join - Support Charm - [Team Store](https://www.charmsoftball.com/shop?hsLang=en) --- Privacy Policy · Legal · © 2026 Cherry Creek Charm Softball. 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