About Coach Monas

Shelley Monas is the founder and owner of Pitching Stuff in Perry, OH. Her love for softball started when she was 12 years old. Her twin sister, Sharon, and Shelley were their Dad's team bat girls and started playing on a Rec Team. Shelley was a four year starting pitcher for McDowell High School in Erie, PA and Edinboro State College (now Edinboro University of PA). This was a time when there were no leagues, conferences or championship play. Games were scheduled with whoever had a team and played with a white softball.

Shelley saw the sport of softball evolve in her four decades of involvement: playing, coaching travel ball, coaching high school (21 years), coaching college (16 years), umpiring high school and college (3 years) and instructing pitching students (46 years). The softball changed color. The pitching distance increased by three feet. Travel softball populated the ballparks every weekend.

In her spare time Shelley loves riding her bike, reading romance novels, and spending time with her husband, John of 46 years, her twin sister, Sharon, her son, Kent and his wife Danielle, beagles Bullseye and Oreo, and yellow lab, grand dog, Biscuit.

Career Highlights:

1993 National Coach of the Year in Division III Softball
1993 Regional Coach of the Year in Division III Softball
Final Four appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1993
Coached 5 All-Americans (2 were pitchers) and 1 Academic All-American
Coached 6 All-State Players (3 were pitchers)
Quarterfinals of the PIAA State Tournament with 2 different high schools
Final Four in OHSAA Division II Softball in 2003

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"Bring it!"

-Coach Monas on the mentality she wants her pitchers to have

What others are saying about Coach Monas:

My sister Shelley has had a passion for fastpitch softball and pitching since she started playing the sport. Shelley was always ahead of her time. She was always on the cutting edge with her teams. That is why her teams were so successful. She reads books, studies videos, and works countless hours developing pitching programs and workouts for her students. Shelley shows great interest in her students by going to their games. She loves seeing her students improve and find success. If I had a daughter I would want Shelley to be their pitching instructor. She is an excellent teacher. She teaches all the aspects of pitching from the mechanics, developing speed, control and movement as well as pitching mentality and mental toughness.

-Sharon Monas

Retired Teacher & Coach

Confident
Organized & On-time
Adaptable, Authentic
Creative
Highly motivated & Honest

Coach Shelley is a rare gem. Her incredible knowledge of women’s fastpitch pitching is evident as each lesson unfolds. Our 12 year old daughter has seen Shelley for just over one year - for private lessons, group lessons, and pitching clinics. No matter the situation, Shelley is there on time, with a variety of tools, and a flexible lesson plan. She is not a “fit-into-my-plan” kind of instructor. She takes the time to see what is working for each of her students, and she provides individualized instruction to help meet each girl where she is at. Shelley encourages her students to do reflective journaling of their time pitching, be it a practice or game. She understands that pitching is an art that needs practiced, tweaked, and practiced some more. Coach Shelley’s wealth of knowledge and respect for women’s fast-pitch is top-notch!

- Lee & Jaimie Robinson

Parents of Student

Coach Monas is amazing! My daughter has been going to her for lessons for several years now. She is kind, patient, and really knows her stuff! She focuses on mechanics to improve speed and accuracy. Coach Monas even sends my daughter home with practical drills each week to practice. If you are looking for the real deal, Coach Monas is it! I can’t believe the improvement my daughter has made with her pitching.

- Amanda Scott

Parent of Student

Miss Shelley really helped me with my location and learning different pitches. She breaks everything down into small steps and makes it fun to learn. She is also very nice!

- Karalyn Scott

Student

I've worked with Coach Shelley since February 2023. I am the kind of athlete who needs to know the "why" behind the things we changed in my pitch. Coach Shelley was able to adapt to MY learning style and because of that I've grown leaps and bounds, not only as a pitcher, but as a softball player in general. With Coach Shelley, I have not only added two new pitches, but I have also added over 10 mph to my fastball, and I am loads more accurate now. Overall, Coach Shelley has been the most efficient, fun, and hardworking pitching coach I've worked with.

- Annie Robinson, Age 12

Student