Meet OUR softball INSTRUCTORS
Meet some of the elite instructors that work out of our facility! Interested in booking with one of them? Fill out the form below and our team will connect you.
Hitting, Fielding & Catching instructors
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Abby Mallo provides hitting, catching, and defensive instruction backed by elite collegiate playing experience. A catcher and utility player at Saint Louis University, Abby was named the 2025 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and helped lead the Billikens to an A-10 Tournament Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Arkansas Regional.
During her career at Saint Louis University, Abby set the program's single-season records for both home runs and RBIs, establishing herself as one of the most accomplished offensive players in school history.
In addition to her collegiate success, Abby has experience coaching and giving private lessons to youth athletes, including her work with Strikes 8U Softball in Chicago. She enjoys helping players build confidence while developing strong fundamentals and sound mechanics.
Abby offers instruction in:
Hitting
Catching
Defensive skills
Game awareness
Overall player development
She works with athletes of all skill levels, from beginners learning the fundamentals to competitive players looking to take their game to the next level.
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Sam Polk competed as an NCAA student-athlete for six years with stops at Baylor, Saint Louis University, and Washington University in St. Louis. At SLU in 2023, he contributed to a record-setting offense that established new program records in runs and RBIs, finishing among the top 50 offenses nationally. During his final season of collegiate summer baseball, Sam posted a .345/.493/.491 slash line over 143 plate appearances with a wood bat in the New York Collegiate League, and later captured a prestigious Northwoods League Championship with the Green Bay Rockers.
Sam began his college career as an infielder before transitioning to the outfield, giving him a well-rounded defensive background across multiple positions. As a switch-hitter, he understands the unique needs of hitters from both sides of the plate.
Sam’s coaching style centers on personalization and enjoyment. He believes in teaching foundational swing principles, like direction, plane, and efficient mechanics, while tailoring instruction to each athlete’s strengths, tendencies, skill level, and learning style. Sam sends each player home with a note card of key takeaways and cues to carry into their next practice or game.
Ready to train? Fill out the form below to book a hitting or defensive private or semi-private session with Sam.
Pitching INSTRUCTORS
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Lauren is a collegiate-level pitching instructor who was a starting pitcher for four years at Northwestern University. She played professionally in Europe for two seasons following her college career. Lauren has been providing pitching lessons since 2008, including one year of instruction at Webster University.
A first session will consist of an analysis of the player to assess their skill level and go over basic drills and what to expect from future lessons. Typical lessons will go over drills as well as quality reps in either pitching/hitting/fielding. Older players will also get coached on the mental aspects of the game and game situations. With younger players we will usually play a more game like drill during the lesson to keep it fun and go over basic rules to enrich their understanding of the game. All lessons finish with a recap of what the player needs to work on before the next session. I expect players to practice on their own between sessions. You should plan on having someone to catch, if you cannot do this please let me know ahead of time and we will likely be able to make it work without a catch.
Interested in Private Coaching?
If you are interested in getting more information about private coaching at the Kirkham Fieldhouse, fill out the form below and the coach will be in touch shortly.