strengthen your hitting
Players will be challenged with conditioning drills, given homework, and will learn our 4-step model for productive contact & power hitting.
The Upper Deck Club, LLC has been an evolution for our leadership team. We are the largest softball-only facility in Northern Colorado, which exists to model our softball training techniques and programs which are rooted in peak physiological and psychological performance. We all first came together in January 2019 as our founder had launched a new, non-profit, volunteer-led softball club, the Colorado Royals. The fierce demand for individual training and indoor team practices during the winter drove us to create the Upper Deck Club, to expand the experience we’ve created for female athletes and teams that want something above and beyond.
Dave Darby
Hitting Coach
Dave is an 11-year veteran softball coach, husband of 27 years, father of 5 (4 softball-playing young ladies), a behavioral scientist/ entrepreneur still running PIQ Mentoring, a global mentoring company he founded in 2003, and a philanthropist leading to give back to his community. His specialty is building bridges through creative teaching methods and solutions and, in the realm of softball, his passion is hitting and all that it entails physically and mentally. If you have an hour, ask him for a story. You won’t likely be disappointed.
Eddie Loya
Hitting & Fielding Coach
Coach Eddie is a passionate hitting and fielding coach dedicated to helping players unlock their full potential on the field. With over 20 years experience coaching fastpitch Softball he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise into every lesson. He is best known for his aggressive playing style and coaching his hitters to “Hurt the Pitchers Feelings” and “Fear Has No Power Here.”
Book a lesson with Coach Eddie to unlock your full potential and let’s start “Hurting Pitchers Feelings!”
Richie White
Hitting & Fielding Coach
Richie is a 7-year veteran softball coach, husband of 16 years, father to 2 softball-playing young ladies, and a GSE Supervisor for Frontier Airlines. Richie is the guy you want when the sheet hits the fan. He’s calm under pressure and never rests when there is a problem to solve. He’s one of the most loved coaches around and players never forget him or his lessons: “We win as a team, and we lose as a team.” He’s also the guy who knows a guy so if he can’t do it or doesn’t have access to it, wait an hour. When he’s not working or volunteering his leadership, he loves to run the smoker like a true pit boss.
Lauren Darby
Catching Coach
Lauren’s a former player of seven years and passionate coach of 4 years, where she’s built a reputation of motivational speeches and pep-talks that rally the troops regardless of the game, conditions, or obstacles. She’s passionate to push catchers to the next level of the game, no matter their experience or age group, as she works to build strength, speed, knowledge, and a love for the sport and position that’ll never fade.
Nicole Darby
Pitching Coach
Nicole is currently expanding her education and softball career on scholarship at Park University, AZ, where she is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Fitness and Wellness. She’s leading both on and off the field with a strong 4.0 average in her classes, and as an ace pitcher, hitter, and defender on the clay. She has been coaching for 3 years, building her reputation through over 40 students as a tough yet compassionate pitching coach and entrepreneur. She has built a deep connection with her pitchers through her years of lessons, and is passionate to take them to the next level.
Abby Harpman
Pitching, Hitting, & Fielding Coach
Abby found her passion in giving her knowledge back to the next generation. She grew up playing softball in the Northern Colorado area and has experience at that next level to give back to the next generation. She received her associate’s degree in Psychology from Northeastern Junior College, where she played as a pitcher, and corner infielder. She’s now pursuing her bachelors degree in Health and Exercise science from CSU. She has a heavy focus on the mental aspects of the game as well, wanting to create players who are always thinking & understand the game deeply.
Station Charters
Pitching Coach
Station has been playing softball since 2007 and pitching since 2012. She went to Doane University, NE, where she was ranked 14th nationally for pitching her freshman year. Covid brought her back to Colorado where she began sharing all of the knowledge she’s gained from her coaches over the years. She currently coaches a 16U team, but has been coaching for the past 3 years with players from 6U all the way to 18U! Her coaching philosophy has been focused on the mental aspect of the game. Her main goal is building confidence through skill and knowledge while creating a safe space for players to learn, grow, and have fun!
Olivia Darby
Fielding Coach
Olivia is a current softball player of 10 years, with competitive playing experience at the Gold and A level in softball. She’s grown to love and skillfully play all positions on the field, with a competitive heart for diving both offensively and defensively. She’s attended D1 college camps at both Texas University and Ohio State, and traveled all across the states to play. When she’s in her off season, you can find Olivia giving back to the younger teams, her big heart and passion for the sport helping her connect with each player both on and off the field as she helps them grow and reach their softball goals.
Sidney Loya
Pitching Coach
Sidney has a player background as a pitcher of 12 years and a coaching experience of 5 years. She was taught how to pitch at the age of 9 by two former D1 collegiate athletes who are still coaching today. She’s currently attending Front Range College to become a nurse. Sidney loves helping young athletes understand the game of softball both mentally and physically, building your muscle strength and game IQ. She guides pitchers through the unrelenting pressure of being in the circle by always being in their corner through thick and thin.
Master your PITCHING
Unlock your pitching potential by controlling your movement, building strength and power, and mastering new grips and spin to advance your game.
advance your CATCHING
Learn to become a dominant catcher with blocking, faster pop speed, framing pitches, and commanding the field from behind the plate.
improve your FIELDING
Master every nuance to your goal position, whether outfield or infield, learn throwing techniques, quick glove work, base coversage and high game IQ.