Our Coaches
Our Coaches
Justin Ward
Football coach by heart, Coach Justin has led this group of girls since 2021. He has a passion for developing young athletes and helping them achieve their goals. Focusing on fundamentals these athletes have grown year after year. He is a 22-year Army veteran bringing leadership and accountability to the team. His military training is seen in the way he coaches and the skills he demands from his players. He believes in a holistic approach to coaching, coaching not only the skills of the game but also focusing on the mind and spirit as well. He trains the girls in resilience and leadership and is also focusing on coaching from a position of positivity that the team responds to very well.
Our Coaches
Sara Ploude
A 2012 graduate of University of Massachusetts, a Canadian National Team player, a member of National Pro Fastpitch's (NPF) Carolina Diamonds, NY/NJ Comets, Houston Scrapyard Dawgs and Canadian Wild, and former University of Dayton pitching coach.
Most recently she served as director of operations and assistant to the president of The BASE: Baseball and Softball Academy, a year-round athletic training, conditioning and competition academy for youths in underserved urban areas. Plourde served as a coach and mentor to student-athletes via private lessons, clinics and college prep curriculum.
Plourde helped lead her Massachusetts Minutewomen to three Atlantic 10 Conference Titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during her time in Amherst. She was named the 2012 Atlantic 10 Player and Pitcher of the Year and earned All-America accolades multiple times while at UMASS. A three-time conference Pitcher of the Year, Plourde still holds the school record for career strikeouts/seven innings (12.05 – 3rd NCAA) and career strikeouts (1,662 – 8th NCAA). She was inducted into UMASS Hall of Fame in 2023.
Plourde was a member of the Canadian National Team 2013-2019 and earned three medals with the squad, including a silver-medal finish at the 2013 Pan-American Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In addition to her time in NPF, she also had stops at Texas El Paso and Lafayette College serving as assistant coach with an emphasis on pitching instruction.
Our Coaches
Steve Keleman
Coach Steve has been with the team since 2021 and brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. His ability to connect with the players is unprecedented. He has been coaching softball for almost 20 years and have sent several players to the collegiate level to play.
About Ohio Thunder Softball Recruiting
Ohio Thunder Softball Recruiting is where talent meets opportunity! Our team, Ohio Thunder 08, is comprised of talented, hardworking, and motivated players who are ready to take their softball skills to the next level. With dedicated coaches and a strong focus on player development, we are determined to become the top softball team in the Dayton/Mason area. Our mission is to provide a platform for young softball players to showcase their skills and advance to the next level of their career.