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Instructors
All-Star Strike Zone is pleased to provide quality instructors for pitching, hitting,
and all fundamentals of the game for baseball and softball. Please call us at
(515) 987-6220 to schedule lesson times.
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Softball - Instructors by Skill
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Pitching
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Hitting
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Fundamentals
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Catching
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Carrie Embree
Natalie Kopp Sarah Nelsen
Bob Wright
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Mark Brown Carrie Embree
Jodi Kopp Natalie Kopp Melissa Stuber
Rob Tennant
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Carrie Embree
Jodi Kopp Natalie Kopp Melissa Stuber
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Baseball - Instructors by
Skill
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Pitching
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Hitting
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Fundamentals
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Catching
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Jason Book Jon
Merrigan Gabe Sink
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Jason
Book Jon Merrigan Gabe Sink
Rob Tennant
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Instructor Bio's
Jason Book
BASEBALL Catching, Pitching, Hitting,
Infield
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- 2 time All-State at Walnut High School, Walnut, IA
- Southwestern Community College 1994-1996 - 1996 team had most wins in school history
- Howard Payne University (Brownwood, TX) 1997 - Won American Southwest Conference, received schools
first regional bid
- Head Coach at Walnut High School 1999 and 2000
- Assistant Coach Southwestern Community College 1999
- Member of Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association
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Mark Brown
SOFTBALL Hitting
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- Lead hitting instructor at Rip City in West Des Moines for 9 years, working with both softball
and baseball.
- Head Coach for West Des Moines Girls Softball Association ASA team for 4 years.
- Assistant Varsity Head Coach and hitting instructor for local 4A High School Softball program 2003 -
present.
- Co-instructed hitting clinics with Lisa Fernandez and Crystal Bustos (former players of the USA
Olympic Softball Team).
- Teaches all ages!
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Carrie Embree
SOFTBALL Pitching, Hitting, Fundamentals
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New England Riptide - Professional Softball Player
University of St. Thomas
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Pitcher, Shortstop & 1st Base
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Two-time All-American
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Team won NCAA Division III National titles in 2004 and 2005 and was runner up in 2006.
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.519 batting average in 2006 led the conference and was among the highest in the nation.
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Named the Division III base runner of the year; received the NFCA's 2006 Adidas Golden Spikes
Award
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One of three finalists for MIAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year as chosen by College Sporting
News
Waukee High School
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Assistant Coach - University of St. Thomas
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Assistant Coach - Waukee High School
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Has given pitching, hitting & fielding lessons for many years
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Has conducted various softball clinics for many years in Iowa & Minnesota
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Jodi Kopp
SOFTBALL Catching, Hitting & Fundamentals
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University of Missouri - Kansas City (2002-2004)
Iowa Western Community College (2000-2002)
- 1st Team All American
- 1st Team Academic All American
Urbandale High School (1996-2000)
- Had the record for most Doubles in 1 year
- Honorable Mention
- 12U State Champs for West Des Moines Panthers
- 14U Regional Champs for WDM Panthers
- Coached 2007 12U SWAT
team
- Currently plays fastpitch adult softball
- Has helped put on softball clinics (pitching/catching, batting, fundamentals)
- 2007 Received Personal Training Certificate--can give agility, strength and conditioning type
workouts
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Natalie Kopp
SOFTBALL Pitching, Hitting & Fundamentals
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Indiana State University (Graduated in 2007)
Urbandale High School
- Played for two years at Urbandale High School
- Was a member of the White Sox summer team
- Named a member of the 2002 All-World Team for 18 and under
- Was the Most valuable Defensive Player in 2002 for the USSSA.
- Natalie is currently an ASA Umpire & Assistant Coach at Ellsworth College
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Jon Merrigan
BASEBALL - All Skills
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- Former collegiate infielder and pitcher for University of South Dakota
- Former Youth Baseball Coach
- Former Head Coach for American Legion Baseball
- Won 3 American Legion REGION Baseball Championships
- 4-Time State Tournament Qualifier
- Won 1 American Legion STATE Championship
- 2-Time American Legion Baseball Coach of the Year
- 3-Time Amateur Baseball State Champion
- 2-Time All-Tournament Team Selection
- ABCA Member
- Current Coach for local, Division III College Baseball Program
- B.S. Degree in Education, MA in H.P.E.R.
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Sarah Nelsen
SOFTBALL Pitching
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Bio Coming Soon....
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Gabe Sink
BASEBALL Hitting and Pitching
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- Waterloo Columbus High School Baseball Team
- North Iowa Area Community College Baseball Team
- Former and current ASA Softball Coach
- Specializes in hitting for power and average mechanics
- Current teacher at an area Middle School
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Melissa Stuber
SOFTBALL Hitting & Defense
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Also offers Drag Bunt and Slap (hard and soft) training
University of Iowa: 1997-2001
- Played 3rd, 1st, and 2nd base
- Played in 3 NCAA Tournaments
- Played in the College World Series in 2001
Cedar Falls High School
- 1st Team All-State Selection (All Classes): Junior and Senior Year.
- 1st Team All-State Selection (Class 4A): Sophomore (3rd Team all classes), Junior, and Senior
Year
- 1st Team All-Conference: Eighth Grade-Senior Year
- Player of the Year in the Mississippi Valley Conference: Junior and Senior Year
All Metro: Eighth Grade-Senior Year
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Batting Average:
1995 (SO): Batting Average .607 (4th All-time in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Association)
(Yearly Batting Average Leader in the State of Iowa)
1996 (JR) : Batting Average .564 (Yearly Batting Average Leader in the State of Iowa)
1997 (SR) : Batting Average .531
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Hits:
1996 (JR): Hits 93 Hits Per Game 2.07 (12th All-time in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic
Association)
1995 (SO): Hits 82 Hits Per Game 1.91
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Skills:
Infielder: Played 3rd, 1st, and 2nd
Batting: Knows how to hit, drag bunt, and slap (soft and hard)
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Rob Tennant
SOFTBALL Hitting & BASEBALL Hitting
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- Owner, All-Star Strike Zone
- Coach
- Works with all ages
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Bob Wright
SOFTBALL Pitching
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- 42 years of playing fast pitch softball
- 38 years of coaching fast pitch softball
- 20 years of instructing fast pitch softball pitching and catching clinics
- Pitching Coach for Urbandale High School for 22 years
- Member of Des Moines Hall of Fame
- Iowa Assistant Coach of the Year 2006
- Coached World Champion Pitcher Michelle Thomas
- Coached Urbandale High School pitcher Kim Jones to 68 wins 0 losses
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Lesson Rates: All lesson rates subject to required 6% sales tax
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One-On-One Lessons
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Member Rate
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Non-Member Rate
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Hitting (30 min) or Pitching (60 min)
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$55
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$60
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5 - pack punch card
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$250
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$285
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10 - pack punch card
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$450
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$550
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Group Lessons (60 minutes)
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Member Rate
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Non-Member Rate
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2 to 4 participants
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$35 each
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$40 each
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5 or more participants
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$20 each
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$25 each
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| 30-Minute Lesson Video (DVD) - only
$10! |
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"Meet me at the Zone!"
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